Finally, I visited Australia!

I arrived in Melbourne late at night and experienced a thorough inspection by Australian Immigration. I spent almost three hours at the airport, placed in a particular lane where my suitcases and myself were sniffed by cute labradors. It was tiring, but no surprise to me anymore; Australian Immigration has earned its reputation for being thorough to foreign visitors, even stricter than the U.S.

Anyway, Melbourne is a city that is well-known for its graffiti. The city has several mural walls and buildings. This makes it an excellent place for photography. Melbourne is also a great city to learn about graffiti and street art. The history of graffiti in Melbourne goes back to the early 1970s when locals started tagging. This form of street art was accepted in some areas, such as the inner city suburbs, although not by the general public or the government. In the late nineties, it began to gain attention as part of a new wave of street art. In 2000, the City of Melbourne Council supported and encouraged street art in certain areas. This led to significant public investment and support for street art in Melbourne, mainly through festivals and events like the Melbourne Street Art Festival.

Since then, Melbourne has been graciously home to hundreds of colourful and creative graffiti, which give the city its character and lead to some great photo opportunities for travellers. These street arts are especially prevalent in neighbourhoods like Fitzroy, Collingwood, and the Central Business District of Melbourne (CBD). I was taking a stroll around the CBD and exploring the backstreets around Fitzroy and Collingwood, and I found something unique to capture.

Graffiti art is becoming an integral part of Melbourne’s streets, offering an insight into the city’s personality, attitude, and culture. Photographing these different graffiti styles is a great way to capture the beauty of art.

Here are some of Melbourne’s hottest spots:

1. Hosier Lane: Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, this narrow street is one of the best spots for street art and graffiti.

2. Blender Studios and Arts Lane: Another fantastic spot for graffiti is Blender Studios and Arts Lane. With its stunning architectural designs and murals, this area is a popular tourist spot in the city’s heart.

3. Johnston Street: A vibrant and colourful street full of stunning street-art pieces and graffiti. Located in the inner city suburb of Collingwood, this street is packed with street art ranging from tagging to more enormous murals.

4. Cope Street: Another inner-city hotspot known for its fantastic street art, this area is home to some of the city’s oldest and most iconic graffiti pieces.

5. Union Lane: This street is one of Melbourne’s oldest and most established street art spots. With unique art pieces that have existed since Melbourne’s graffiti scene began.

These spots are all easily accessible by foot, and we can easily spend an entire day exploring the intricacies and beauty the Melbourne’s street art.