It seems like I may have a thing for street art, judging by how I’ve gone to various places like Jaman Mural Village (Jeonju) and Busan Gamcheon Cultural Village. Hence, I couldn’t give up the opportunity to visit Hosier Lane in Melbourne.

Hosier Lane is a laneway in the CBD of Melbourne, extending between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane. It opens opposite the Atrium at Federation Square.

Its prime location unsurprisingly makes it a hot spot among tourists. Of course, its dizzying array of street art is the main draw here.

What to see and do at Hosier Lane

If you check travel guides and they recommend visiting Hosier Lane, chances are they’ll tell you to wander down the bluestone laneway and admire the artwork created by local and international street artists.

When we reached Hosier Lane, my travel partner (husband) turned to me and asked, “Is this just graffiti?”

Yes, it definitely is.

If you’re a bit let down by the fact that all you see is rows and walls of graffiti, you may be surprised to see the ridiculous crowds.

I’ve walked past Hosier Lane a couple of other times and always found so many visitors here. If you’re hoping to snap a photo without anyone inside, you’re better off just using Photoshop to edit them out.

Fun fact: in early 2020, six masked people ‘Colour Bombed’ the lane, erasing many artworks in the process!

Clearly a lot of time has passed since then, because there’s no longer any trace of this colour bombing effort.

If you’re looking to take some photos of certain walls or pose against some of the artwork, you can pick a wall and quickly snap one (see photo below).

Alternatively, you can find one of the corners and alleys to take photos. You’ll need to be really fast though, because a lot of people will wait for their turn.

Of course, Hosier Lane is not just home to street art. It is actually flanked by restaurants and retail shops. You can pop in for a quick bite or to shop for some streetwear – though you may have difficulty spotting the shops among all the art!

Can anyone paint in Hosier Lane?

I had this burning question at the back of my mind when I saw the staggering variety of graffiti in Hosier Lane. It’s messy and clearly unregulated, but is it legal?

Funnily enough, it actually is!

According to the official City of Melbourne website, Hosier Lane is a long-standing de facto ‘free-to-paint’ area that does not require permits or permission. If you have a cute sticker to contribute, or a political stance to make, Hosier Lane is your playground.

So, is Hosier Lane worth visiting?

Frankly, my partner was not impressed.

I was initially very overwhelmed by all the colours and art that I didn’t even know where to start looking. After a while it got a bit easier to focus on some of the louder art pieces and zoom in on some of the stickers that caught my eye.

However, everything did come across as rather messy and the crowds made it feel worse.

I think most people do visit Hosier Lane just to snap some photos and tick it off their bucket list, but few really stay for long to admire the street art. I personally don’t think it’s worth travelling all the way here if you’re not in the vicinity. But it’s still a nice place to drop by if you’re in the area for Lune Croissanterie, ACMI, or the Ian Potter Centre.

Related Posts:

• Melbourne Museum: what to see at this comprehensive museum
• Lune Croissanterie: best croissant in the world?
• Pidapipó: best authentic artisanal gelato in Melbourne
• Jaman Mural Village: colourful revitalised village in Jeonju

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