Southbank

Southbank is a suburb in its on right, with its own postcode, 3006. It begins as you cross the southern bank of the Yarra River and covers quite a large area west of St Kilda Road and as far south as Dorcas Street. At a guess I would say it has the highest number of residential and office towers of anywhere in Melbourne, perhaps Australia. There are some pleasant areas within Southbank, but much of it is canyons of tall buildings, although it has a better feel to it than Docklands.

 The interior of the renovated Hamer Hall is ok, but it has lost its sumptuousness.

I am not convinced that the new works with the old.

Down lower near the riverbank a huge Japanese restaurant has opened. I'll give it twelve months.

Looking across the sparkling blue water of the Yarra River to the north bank and the CBD.

I can just imagine how these coloured additions would be described by the architect or artists.

Old building, yes, old sign, no. South Bank hasn't been around for that long.

A name to be taken seriously, Carlton and United Breweries. Beer is good.

At the rear of the National Gallery of Victoria, opened 1968. The protuberance almost looks like it should have arrow slits in it. Note the bricked up area, perhaps what was a doorway.

There is little reason to hang around the back streets of Southbank. Most of its history has been destroyed and much of it was only industrial of no great merit anyway. I was catching the number 1 tram after coffee at Southgate. If you are a little confused, Southgate is an area within Southbank.