- Address: Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia;
- Website: ptv.vic.gov.au;
- Phone: +61 3 9610 7476
The Flinders Street Station building attracts tourists from all over the world. A beautiful neo-baroque building, painted in golden color and decorated with numerous stucco details and bas-reliefs, is considered one of the main attractions of Melbourne . The image of the station can be found on numerous postcards, posters and icons dedicated to the city.
Monument of History and Architecture
The first railway station on the site of the current Flinders Street station appeared in the distant 1854. Several wooden buildings - that's all that was the station. However, at that time it was an unprecedented achievement: the first station in Australia was opened! On the opening day, September 12, 1854, the train crossed from Flinders Station to Sandridge Station (now Port Melbourne).
In 1899, the city authorities announced an international competition for the best design of the new station building. 17 architects competed for the right to build a new building for the Melbourne station. Subsequently, the approved project with a dome and a high clock tower was used for the construction of the Luz station in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo.
In 1919, the first electric train set off from the station platform, and in 1926 Flinders Street Station took the first place in the list of the busiest stations in the world.
In the second half of the 20th century. The station, despite its glorious and long history, came to desolation. Public organizations were outraged by the desire of the city authorities to rebuild part of the historic building into a business center. The result of numerous campaigns was the government's decision to allocate 7 million Australian dollars for the reconstruction of the station. Restoration work was carried out with varying intensity, from 1984 to 2007. Much was done for the comfort of passengers: in 1985 the main staircase was equipped with electric heating, in the 1990's. the first escalators appeared, all 12 platforms were repaired and improved.
Flinders Street Station
Daily the station serves more than 110 thousand passengers and 1500 trains. The building is maintained in good condition, it has many office buildings. Some time ago, under the dome, there was a kindergarten with a playground on the roof, a ballroom was open.
The station has a convenient location, next to the main city square of the Federation and the embankment of the Yarra River. Everyone in Melbourne knows what the expression "Meet by the clock" means: thanks to several hours installed above the central entrance of the station, the playground in front of it is the most popular meeting place. The clock indicates the time left before the train leaves on each line. Once the administration of the station tried to replace the old clock with digital ones, but after numerous requests from residents of Melbourne, the rarity returned safely to the place.
How to get there?
The Flinders Street Station is located at the crossroads of the eponymous street and Swanston Street, in the central business district of Melbourne, close to the numerous tram and metro stops. Car parking in the city is not expensive, so tourists and townspeople often choose to move around the city's tram. You can reach the station by routes 5, 6, 8 to the intersection of Swanston Street and Flinders Street.
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