TripAdvisor: History of Transport Mural
4 reviews
#353 of 796 things to do in Melbourne
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Northern Wall, Dfo Southern Cross, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
What people are saying
Harold Freedman
Review of History of Transport Mural
Crystalline4u – Victoria, Australia
Reviewed 17 June 2020
The 36.6 metre long and 7.32 metre high History of Transport mural featured across the main concourse of the Spencer Street railway station, depicting the first century of transport in Victoria (1835-1935) when I was a small child. My Grandmother used to take me to see the mural and we would stare up at it and see the evolution of transport. As a child I was awed by the size of it and my Grandmother believed it to be an essential part of a child’s learning curve to understand how things were in yesteryear.
When Southern Cross Station was redeveloped between 2002-2006 the mural was stored and remained in storage until 2007 where it was put into the Outlet Centre.
For an item that has historic, cultural and social significance to the State of Victoria the location of the mural makes it difficult for someone to enjoy. I struggled to be able to see details on it because you literally have to walk into stores that have things hanging from the ceiling blocking it ( Harris Scarf) and there are other stores that detract from your photo opportunities.
The mural is worth viewing, but it’s not easy to view.
Date of experience: June 2020
Check out the history first
Review of History of Transport Mural
Reviewed 30 August 2019
Michelle M
Sydney, Australia
Found in the back of Harris Scarf store in Spencer Street outlets. My son is a car enthusiast and so we intentionally went to find the mural. Many people probably wouldn’t even notice it was there. Research its history first to appreciate it.
Date of experience: August 2019
Disrespected melbourne icon
Reviewed 18 December 2017 via mobile
ET3121
Greater Melbourne, Australia
60242084
Amazing mural that was amazing once pride of spencer street now forgotten and ignored. hopefully the move to put in bendigo is successful
Date of experience: December 2017
History Transport Mural
Feb. 2017 • Solo
Peter M
Melbourne, Australia
This mural was in Spencer Street Station but went missing when the station changed name to Southern cross station after extensive renovations. After years in storage it popped up at the back of Trade secrets and Harris scarfe Department stores in the Spencer Outlets. It is 118 long and 23 feet high. It was painted by Harold Freedman and took five years to complete. It was unveiled by the premier of Victoria on January 30 1978. Up until 2013 you could climb stairs to see a better view but the article I looked up on Google 4 years out of date as the only way you can view it is to go and see it at the back of Trade secrets and harris Scarfe department stores. It hangs on the back wall and is so big it takes up walls of both stores. It is a realist oil painting on canvas mounted on plywood and is highlighted with a background of gold leaf. It is a same that not many people know where it is. and it is not advertised. I had to go to the centre Management office to find it as even stores there did not know which I thought was rather poor.
Date of experience: February 2017
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