A Neighbourhood Guide To Gertrude Street, Melbourne

Brimming with independent boutiques, galleries, bars and restaurants that channel a strong creative spirit, this storied street in Melbourne’s oldest suburb embodies what makes the city such a compelling place to explore.

You can trace the history of Melbourne’s oldest suburb through the story of Gertrude Street, which stretches through Fitzroy for one kilometre. Today it is a microcosm of all that is exciting about this inner-north enclave, with its kaleidoscope of businesses united by a fiercely independent creative spirit.

Gertrude Street was first developed on the land of the Wurundjiri people in the 1850s as a respectable residential and commercial precinct wrought in timber, bluestone, iron and brick thanks to the gold rush building boom. By the 1860s its range of shops and businesses included bakers, butchers, bootmakers, drapers, tailors, grocers and wine merchants, as well as a number of printers, saddlers and stores known as ‘fancy repositories’ selling everything from embroidery wools to wax flowers. But the street fell on hard times during the Depression of the 1890s, when the seeds of an infamous reputation that would last for decades would be sown: its 14 hotels operating along its length attracting characters of ill-repute.

Like Fitzroy itself, by the end of the First World War it was an area synonymous with trouble. But its spirit never waned. Post-Second World War migration enlivened the area, brought back a sense of community and saw fruit shops, tailors, groceries, fish and chip shops, cafes and clubs proliferate. By the early 21st century it was becoming fashionable again and in the last 10 years in particular it has evolved to be one of Melbourne’s most on-trend destinations. It retains its independent spirit and slight air of rebellion – no cookie-cutter chain stores here, please – and a proud, creative and supportive community whose people are passionate about their patch.

While the beauty of Gertrude Street is in discovering its gems for yourself – carve out plenty of time to explore – here are a few to kick off with.

Aesop Fitzroy

No two Aesop stores are the same, each subtly weaving itself into its neighbourhood, and Fitzroy’s pays homage to the history of its location in Melbourne’s first suburb. Odes to domestic rituals are found throughout and the basin, a signature of the locally born skincare brand, is rendered in concrete and inspired by the laundry troughs found in lean-to structures behind the area’s older houses.

Aesthetic Aesop. — The aesthetic Aesop store boasts a chic brutalist design.

Marion

Once you’ve established your local cafe, you’ll want to seek out your local wine bar. Look no further than Marion . Snag a seat at the window to watch the street life outside as you choose from a serious curation of drops sourced locally and from around the globe. Go for a glass and stay for a bottle and be sure to tuck into the seasonal menu of small plates and sharing dishes, from oysters to cheese to roast half chicken. Next door, and also in the Andrew McConnell stable, is fine diner Cutler & Co.

Archie’s All Day

Between its street-side seating where friends gather for brunch on weekends, suitably cool interior where creative freelancer types tap away on laptops, all-day menu and impeccable coffee by Proud Mary, Archie’s All Day is exactly the kind of cafe you’d expect to find in Melbourne. Make it your local, too, by ordering your caffeine fix of choice alongside a helping of smashed avo with Meredith Dairy goat’s cheese or huevos sucios (dirty eggs) complete with tater tots, jalapeño-spiked Monterey Jack, salsa and black beans.

APW Gallery

Pop into the Australian Print Workshop (APW) Gallery for a showcase of limited edition fine-art prints that represent the best of contemporary Australian printmaking, and for a window into the heart of Gertrude Street creativity. Celebrating 40 years in 2021, APW has witnessed the many evolutions of this cultural precinct in its dynamic role as a world-class printmaking workshop.

Australian Print Workshop Gallery showcases original limited edition fine art prints.

The Everleigh

This intimate cocktail bar inspired by the golden era of fine drinking is where you’ll want to cap off your day’s exploring on Gertrude Street. Hidden away, speakeasy-style (above Belle’s Hot Chicken, another go-to spot), this is – just quietly – not only one of the best bars in Melbourne, but in the world, as international awards attest. Slip into a booth in this sultry space and sip on a classic cocktail – an Old Fashioned or Moonlight, perhaps – crafted to exacting standards.

The Eveleigh is one of Melbourne’s favourite classic cocktail bars.

Morning Market

If there’s a silver lining to Melbourne’s long series of lockdowns, it’s the emergence of neighbourhood spots like Morning Market that began life as pop-ups and became permanent fixtures. Next door to Marion and Cutler & Co., Andrew McConnell’s one-stop shop for pantry staples and specialty grocery items also sells salads and sandwiches, cakes, pastries, pies and coffee; if it’s a sunny day, pick up provisions and walk five minutes to the top of Gertrude Street to Carlton Gardens for a picnic.

SMART, Alec Hatters

Catering to discerning gentlemen and progressive punks alike, Michael Albert will defy anyone to step inside his store and declare themselves ‘not a hat person’. Say the word and he’ll pluck a style from his eccentric collection to suit you: fedoras, boaters, bowlers, berets, trilbies – you name it. The dapper store owner and hatter is passionate about rehabilitating this ‘forgotten accessory’ and his charm, style and sharp eye will have you sold.

Builders Arms Hotel

The Builders Arms Hotel is a Fitzroy landmark and one of Melbourne’s oldest pubs, whose stones were first laid in 1853. It has seen it all since and remains at the heart of the community today under the aegis of (you guessed it) chef Andrew McConnell. Head here for a Sunday roast, Charcoal Chicken Tuesday, or perhaps for the best vegan cheeseburger you’ve ever eaten. Or simply sit outside with a Victorian pale ale and imagine all the lives that have walked by here over the years.

Discover our guide to the top Melbourne suburbs

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

It’s a chilly 16 degrees. My husband pulls on a steamer and jogs – as all seasoned surfers do – into the water. We’re at Bells Beach , the legendary break on Victoria’s Surf Coast that’s home to the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running event in competitive surfing. Each year, over the Easter long weekend, up to 40,000 people descend on the region for the event. Today, though, we have the beach almost to ourselves, and the less-than-favourable temperature doesn’t deter my husband from surfing this famous break.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

The red dome of Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The nearby surf town of Torquay marks the starting point for the Great Ocean Road . Unfolding our map, which we have marked out with a highlighted route for our children to follow, we set off for lesser-known Anglesea, a chilled-out town 20 minutes south of here. Its wide, sandy beach is a gentler swimming option for our young family. Groms can learn to surf here with Go Ride a Wave, which also runs stand-up paddle boarding on the Anglesea River.

Split point lookout — The lighthouse overlooks the Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

After a couple of nights in Anglesea, we hit the road again, first stopping at Aireys Inlet. Here we stretch our legs at Split Point Lighthouse, which was made famous by the 1990s television series Round the Twist, before driving under the Memorial Arch that welcomes us, officially, to the Great Ocean Road.

This 243-kilometre coastal road was built by returned First World War servicemen and serves as a permanent memorial to those who fought and died during the war. Carved into rock using hand tools and horse-drawn carts, it was a huge engineering feat and provided much-needed access to isolated coastal communities.

Lorne to Birregurra

Lorne is a delightful beachside stop for lunch and browsing boutique stores. It’s also the gateway to Great Otway National Park , which comprises a varied landscape of old-growth forests, cool-temperate rainforests, heathy woodlands and rugged coast. With the highest rainfall in Victoria, the region is home to many waterfalls – 10 of which are within 10 kilometres of Lorne.

Turning slightly off the main drag, we wind along a gum-shaded road to Erskine Falls. Here, our son leads the way through the hyper-green rainforest and down 200-plus stairs to the cascade that drops 30 metres into a lush fern gully. We hop over large boulders to get closer to the falls, enjoying the entire place to ourselves; it’s worth the return climb.

From Sheoak Falls Picnic Area, there are walking trails to Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Won Wondah Falls and Kalimna Falls, some of which follow an old timber tramway from forest-logging days, which only came to an end in 2008.

You can follow your appetite north to the town of Birregurra, which is part of the Otway Harvest Trail that connects farm gates, markets, wineries, breweries and distilleries. It’s home to three-hatted modern Australian restaurant Brae , helmed by celebrated chef Dan Hunter, set among native gardens and an organic farm, and Otways Distillery, which produces small-batch spirits using local produce and botanicals.

Brae restaurant — Brae is a three-hatted restaurant in Birregurra. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Back on track, the cliff-hugging stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is breathtaking. At Teddys Lookout, we overlook the winding road ahead and St George River spilling into the ocean. We spend languid days in Apollo Bay, a buzzy seaside town that boasts a three-kilometre-long, crescent-shaped beach with a backdrop of rolling green hills. One evening, as the sun sets, we take the steep 10-minute walk to Marriners Lookout, which affords panoramic views of the ocean, hinterland and town.

A 15-minute drive along the road, Maits Rest is a lush rainforest gully that has been protected since the early 20th century. Wandering along the 800-metre boardwalk, we inspect the delicate moss-covered forest floor and the gnarled roots of 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, then crane our necks to see their canopies, some 50 metres above us. It’s therapy in nature.

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

The southernmost tip of Cape Otway is a delightful detour, home to the 1848-built Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. We climb the narrow winding staircase to the gallery deck, explore the keepers’ quarters and telegraph station, and enjoy a coffee and some ‘famous’ scones at the charming onsite cafe.

It’s a pinch-me moment to finally see the Twelve Apostles in person. This unmistakable cluster of limestone stacks rising abruptly from the sea were never 12, however. When coined this in the 1890s as a marketing ploy, there were only nine; today, only seven remain after two collapsed in 2005 and 2009. We admire these Aussie icons from the viewing platform, in awe of Mother Nature’s ever-evolving artwork.

The Grotto is another natural attraction within Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Edging the wild Southern Ocean, this part of the coast – dubbed Shipwreck Coast – is made up of many sea-carved natural wonders including London Bridge, The Grotto and Gibson Steps. After exploring the lookout trails of Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool – its English name taken from the site of the 1878 shipwreck – we nestle into the sandy beach encircled by towering sandstone cliffs, as our children splash about on the water’s edge, and soak it all in.

Port Campbell to Timboon

Timboon Fine Ice Cream is part of a regional foodie trail. (Image: C McConville)

Just north of Port Campbell National Park, the region of Timboon is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail, filled with purveyors of delicious foodstuffs such as Timboon Fine Ice Cream , Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Apostle Whey Cheese. As an antidote to the indulgence, the 20-kilometre Poorpa Yanyeen Meerreeng Trail is a self-guided ride or walk between Port Campbell and Timboon through tall forests, over historic bridges and past sparkling lakes and farmland with grazing cattle.

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

Warrnambool building — A 19th-century building in Warrnambool. (Image: Peter Foster)

In Warrnambool, a town rich in maritime history, we take the four-kilometre Thunder Point Walk that traces the coast. The kids squeal when an echidna shuffles out from beneath the wooden boardwalk, and we stop to admire a seal lazing on a rock at the port.

Further along, the streets of quaint fishing village Port Fairy are lined with 19th-century cottages, old stone churches and Norfolk pines. Follow the historic walking trail to see some of the 60-plus National Trust buildings. Port Fairy is also home to Port Fairy Folk Festival (6-9 March), one of the country’s longest-running music and cultural festivals. You could time your road trip with the event for a fittingly celebratory end to any journey.

The Great Ocean Road can easily be done in three days, but we’ve spent a week on the road. The highlighted line on our now creased and well-worn map doesn’t follow the famous route precisely. It has sprouted branches in many directions, leading us to untouched rainforest and charming rural towns filled with culinary delights, and where we experienced some of our most memorable moments on the Great Ocean Road.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

The Monty is a highly anticipated, newly refurbished motel with a chic Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic set across the road from the Anglesea River. Basalt Winery in Port Fairy grows cool-climate wines such as pinot noir and Riesling in rich volcanic soil. Stay among the vines in its tiny home, complete with a kitchen, lounge area and outdoor firepit.

The Oak & Anchor Hotel has been a Port Fairy institution since 1857. Cosy up by the bar in winter or bask in the sunshine of the Lawn Bar in summer. The rooms are beautifully boutique with considered details, such as luxe baths for sinking into post-road trip.

Eating there

The Coast in Anglesea is a modern Australian restaurant focused on local ingredients. Grand Pacific Hotel has been a local landmark in Lorne since 1879 and recently underwent a restoration. It serves a mix of traditional pub and Italian fare alongside ocean views.

Graze is a cosy 40-seat dining room in Apollo Bay with a modern Australian menu complemented by regional wines. Apollo Bay Distillery offers tasting flights, a gin blending masterclass and serves woodfired pizzas.

A neighbourhood guide to Gertrude Street, Melbourne