Hosier Lane

Hosier Lane opened as a Street Art Gallery in 1998 by the City Lights Initiative. The lane is located opposite the entrance to the Atrium at Federation Square on Flinders St, in a prominent spot in the city. The lane was noted for the quality and the political nature of its art. The graffiti-covered walls and art-installations have become a popular backdrop for fashion & wedding photography. In 2013 street artist Adrian Doyle painted the entirety of the adjacent Rutledge Lane one color with the consent of the Melbourne city council to create a work he called "Empty Nursery Blue".

In 2013, Melbourne's largest urban art paint-up was undertaken in the form of All Your Walls. A makeover of Hosier & Rutledge Lanes celebrated the role street art & graffiti plays in the city. The lanes were buffed black then completely transformed, top to bottom, by over 100 local graffiti & street artists.

In early 2020, 6 masked people 'Colour Bombed' the lane, erasing many artworks. This was treated as an act of vandalism.

Banksy's art is no longer here but like a lof of the art. This is one spot it use to be in. I was amazed at how many people found their way here from early in the am to late in the evening there were all sorts taking selfies. Families and aspiring social media viral stars. It was amusing watching everyone. There are other laneways and alleys with graffiti but I think Hosier Lane is one of the easiest to locate. There are walking tours and free tours that highlight Hosier Lane too. If you come expect a constant flow of people. Most are courteous trying to get the same backdrop with the right angle for their profile pics. Lots of expensive camera gear go up and down this lane so watch your footing on the incline and decline of the road. Don't damage your gear trying to get a pic.

Mel M
Yelp 18:36

Amazing street art!
Anything goes on this alleyway. Got some paint? Go to town! This place is absolutely covered, just covered in graffiti. There aren't any rules, just go nuts! The street, the sidewalks, all the walls, everything is covered in layer after layer of spray paint. There's a huge diverse array of artists who have come out here. Don't care for a piece? It'll get covered up or graffitied over in a matter of days. Banksy has even painted up this alleyway, but those pieces are long painted over.
When I went, there were some huge pieces of art that spanned whole buildings, and lots of smaller pieces. Some of the art is politically incorrect, but again, anything goes.
The place is so well trafficked that it feels safe. It's well lit, and there are lots of people taking hipster photos here. There's a non-profit coffee shop around here, but it's just covered in paint too. Expect some shadiness going on around here, it's an alley filled with tourists and artists.
It's absolutely amazing that the city and the landlords let the street art community get away with this, but it's an asset to the city and some really cool ways for artists to express themselves in one place.

I am not a huge fan of graffiti or painting at all but when I saw this street I absolutely fall in love with it! The walls has so many crazy paints with absolutely cool modern humor. Moreover you can try to be part of this culture: somewhere around you can find tables with paints and brushes and use it for maybe one of your best painting ever ! :))
I drew only a piece of cheese and was so happy! Amazing walking street ! Must to see! Recommend by mouse!

Pretty cool street in downtown Melbourne with graffiti art. You have a ton of tourist walking down and taking photos. If you get lucky you'll find the artist themselves painting and working on new pieces! The walls of the buildings in this alleyway are filled with incredible talent and street art, though I don't know if you can even call it graffiti because of how nice everything looks! Very cool street and adds a lot of character to an already artsy city! Right across the street from Federation Square! And surrounded by a bunch of shops, coffee shops, bars and restaurants! I saw some artists selling their drawings on the street as well!

Another well known alleyway of street art, this place offers some graffiti and it's very colorful. There are plenty of people taking selfies and it's a site to see. It's just like union lane, located in between streets of melbourne. It's cool if you stumble by the street, but if you're specifically coming here to see this than it can be a bit of a disappointment.

It's a nice local flavor to melbourne, but I wouldn't necessarily come here just to visit these streets or go look for them. It's a good detour if you're in the area, but it's not something I would be disappointed in if I didn't pass by.

It's a charm of its own. The lane is filled with graffiti and street art. There were tourists and photographers as I understand this is quite a famous lane.
A few minutes' walk from ACMI and Fed Square, recommended if you are within the area.

I am here to poop on the Hosier Lane party. Apparently this is one of the most photographed streets in Melbourne. Maybe it's considered cool for Australia but growing up in California, I was not impressed. There's "graffiti" everywhere in LA, some better than others. There's are two streets in the Mission District in SF, where I live, with much better street art.

I saw some people trying to take artsy hipster photos in this area. It works well for that. Otherwise, you can walk through in about 2 minutes. Hosier Lane is centrally located and it's worth a quick look since you'll most likely be nearby at some point.

There's tasteful graffiti and there's that sad call for attention by destroying a neighborhood/ building/ wall with our lack of talent graffiti.

While I was in Melbourne, I was not in the mood for going to touristy landmarks. I decided to leave my hotel and just walk around aimlessly hoping to find something quirky. I found a few things including Hosier Lane.

It's a little alley across the street from a museum and behind a church. The walls are covered in graffiti. Colorful, artistic and expressionistic. Don't forget to look up and look behind you to see the aborigine boy. Towards the end of the alley is a gun stuck to the wall.

The colors and messages are brilliant.

This looks cooler than it is. Maybe that's because I walked around looking for all the graffiti and it was only a short alleyway. Or maybe it's because I lived in New York and the comparison to their street art raised my expectations. That said, if you're nearby then stop by but don't go out of your way for it.