Description

Since the early development of Melbourne, Bourke Street has been the centre of Melbourne shopping, housing the best of Australian department stores.

On a walk down Bourke Street, we will explore the various stores that once existed along this strip. Many have closed their doors long ago but evoke the glamorous pastime that was once associated with shopping. Whilst many other notable stores existed throughout the city such as  Georges and Ball & Welsh, those that lined Bourke Street represented the height of fashion throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By the end of the 1950’s, Bourke Street contained wall to wall department stores including Myer, Buckley & Nunn (now David Jones), Coles Store (now Mecca), London Stores, Darrods (now Zara), Foy & Gibson, Palmer's Emporium, Manton's, Waltons, the Leviathan building, Payne’s Bon Marché, Malcolm Reid & Co, and Sharpe Bros.

What's On

Meeting outside Myer, Dan Blake of Conservation Studio, and Cara Banks, in collaboration with the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV), will take visitors on a guided walk along Bourke Street visiting Melbourne’s iconic shopping precinct. The tour will examine the historical significance of each building and the area, detailing the importance they play in Melbourne’s history and the transformations Bourke Street has undergone over the years.

In Collaboration With:

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  Architects Registration Board of Victoria

  The Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV) regulates Victoria's architectural industry. It manages the registration of architects, approves companies and partnerships, and handles complaints about architects’ conduct.

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  Conservation Studio

  Conservation Studio is a multi-disciplined team of architects and heritage consultants that specialise in the conservation and adaptation of heritage listed buildings and historic sites.