Warehouses in Melbourne: Rebirth after Deindustrialization

If Melbourne has nine souls, then warehouse is one of them.

They spread around all over the city. And the suburbs. What they were designed for is never a concern of the customers who enjoy the coolness of the atmosphere. I guess they were used as factories which were each moved to Dandenong or China. Or as storehouses which stored things people don't need anymore (cassettes maybe). Then with the deindustrialization of inner Melbourne, these warehouses became abandoned. Some of them were demolished, while some survived under several waves of urban redevelopment.

Warehouses are bigger than normal business premises with better lightnings and less obstacles when it comes to decoration. Therefore it is perfect for galleries, cafes, cool restaurants and other similar stuff you can image. Today I even went to a warehouse sales for a well-known clothes brand in Collingwood, the centre of coolness. To me it looks more like a theatre with all the seats upstairs and a big stage in front where the changing rooms were set up. Jeans and tops are displayed on long tables in the hall and cool people just walk around.

Then we went to another place called Litter Creatures Dining Hall on Brunswick st, Fitzroy. It is surrounded by the Brunswick st neighbourhood and still stands out among the awesome. The menus are printed on rough paper. Bill folders are just children reading books like Donald the Duck, etc. Btw the waiters/waitresses were too cool that the bill should have been requested for at least three time before it was delivered. The lighting is supreme and background music is wonderful.

Another place I really recommend is called 1000 Pound Bend, locating on Little Lonsdale st. I don't it has a website. Nor a phone. Nor a name card. It just doesn't need any. The waiters are so casual that even if you forgot to pay nobody would bother you. There are several review about this place. Click here and here. My friend Dan even did a video review, which it is Chinese and English bilingual. Dan was little bit concerned about the way how this place will make money. While I don't really worry about it. They have now an Asaki exhibition and they hold functions every now and then.

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Melbourne is soooo sunny today that I had to take some photos.

1000 Pound Bend Cafe

Great Ocean Road

After being in Melbourne for almost 2 years, today I finally grasp a chance to visit the Great Ocean Rd.

The road was being constructed since 1918, after World War I. 3000 soldiers were back from Europe and apparently had nothing to do in that period of time. Therefore they were assigned to build such a road in a manner to memorize the soldiers who died in the war.

It took about 12 years for the road to be completed, then it became a tourism hotspot of Victoria. Hundreds of thousands of tourists came to boost the local economy every year. Honestly I was very impressed by Australian involvement in WWI, whose continent the fire of war didn’t reach at all. Everything they did in the war was for England - their motherland.

Then I heard a terrifying story about how a ship from England crashed to the cliff a hundred years ago. Only two survived. They now develop this area as a tourist attraction which I do not appreciate at all. I have to admit I am a little suspicions and concerned about the welfare of the passed-away.

The scenery, I’d say, is fascinating. However I am not sure if it is fascinating enough for one to sleep in a van for 7 hours ups-and-down on the rugged road to just have a look of the stuff which they could find on every website.

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