Collins Street, Melbourne

Collins Street

Looking west down Collins Street from the Old Treasury Building, Spring Street
Map
Collins Street, Melbourne is located in Melbourne
Collins Street
Collins Street
Coordinates
General information
TypeStreet
Length3.2 km (2.0 mi)
Major junctions
West endNorth Wharf Road
Docklands, Melbourne
 
East endMacarthur Street
East Melbourne
Location(s)
LGA(s)City of Melbourne
Suburb(s)Docklands, Melbourne CBD
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Collins Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was laid out in the first survey of Melbourne, the original 1837 Hoddle Grid, and soon became the most desired address in the city.[1] Collins Street was named after Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania David Collins who led a group of settlers in establishing a short-lived settlement at Sorrento in 1803.[2]

The eastern end of Collins Street has been known colloquially as the 'Paris End' since the 1950s due to its numerous heritage buildings, old street trees, high-end shopping boutiques, and as the location for the first footpath cafes in the city. As with all main streets in the Melbourne city centre, the Hoddle Grid is exactly 99 feet wide[3] which would allow for the installation of trams in 1885.[4] Blocks further west centred around Queen Street became the financial heart of Melbourne in the 19th century, the preferred home of major banks and insurance companies, a tradition which continues today with the most prestigious office blocks and skyscrapers found along its length.[1]

  1. ^ a b Melbourne, School of Historical Studies, Department of History, The University of. "Collins Street - Entry - eMelbourne - The Encyclopedia of Melbourne Online". www.emelbourne.net.au. Retrieved 14 January 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Judith Buckrich: Collins – The Story of Australia's Premier Street, 2005, ISBN 1-74097-057-8
  3. ^ "Streets of Melbourne | PROV". prov.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Melbourne's Tram History". Yarra Trams. Retrieved 17 June 2020.