St Kilda Vaults
Add to ItineraryDescription
The beachside suburb of St Kilda has been a popular tourist destination for many generations. Visitors have promenaded along the Esplanade, swam in the baths, enjoyed ice-creams, frequented the many pubs and picnicked in the parks for over one hundred years.
In the 1890s, public transport on the Esplanade was upgraded with a new cable tramway replacing the old horse-drawn omnibus, managed by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company. The Upper Esplanade roadway needed to be widened to accommodate the new tram tracks. As part of the embankment works, provision was made for ten shops with arched ceilings facing onto the Lower Esplanade and built into the supporting wall—now known as the Esplanade Vaults.
What's On
Enjoy a rare opportunity to visit and explore the Esplanade Vaults fondly remembered by many as the kiosks, shops and cafes that served visitors to the St Kilda foreshore. But do the vaults have a darker side? Stories and eyewitness accounts abound, along with much speculation as to whether or not there are tunnels leading from the vaults to the Esplanade Hotel and the Palais Theatre. The visit includes an exhibition and projection of historic images of the area from the Port Phillip City Collection.
Images: (1) The Upper and Lower Esplanades, St Kilda. (2) St Kilda Melbourne, 1930s. (3) A view from the Upper Esplanade, 1900s. (4) The Esplanade Vaults, 2020s. All photos: Port Phillip City Collection.
Important Details
Time & Date
Saturday 27 July
Open access 10am-4pm
St Kilda Vaults are located on Jacka Blvd across the road from the Sea Baths. Access from the tram stop on the Upper Esplanade is via a pathway near the Catani Clock Tower down to the Lower Esplanade and Jacka Blvd footpath.
For access from the Catani Gardens and Sea Baths car park, cross at the pedestrian crossing in front of the Sea Baths and stay within the signposted route. There is a pedestrian management plan in place for the safety of visitors, Jacka Blvd is extremely busy, has a blind corner and, in parts, a narrow footpath. Please stay within the signposted route.
ACCESSIBILITY
Partially wheelchair accessible, Accessible parking nearby
St Kilda Vaults can be accessed from the Sea Baths carpark via the pedestrian crossing on Jacka Blvd. Access from the Upper Esplanade includes a downhill and uphill incline. The pathways and the vaults are accessible, with some uneven surfaces.
Location
18 Jacka Blvd, St Kilda VIC 3182
