10 Secret or Hidden Places in Melbourne

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Posted 2018-04-15 by Geoff Edlund ⇒ follow

**Here's 10 wonderful Melbourne locations that are hiding in plain sight, or a secret well kept (till now). Without knowing these, you're missing some of the best arts, wonders, and bars in Melbourne.
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Hard to find Arts and Culture locations

Herring Island is tucked away in a bend in the Yarra River - you may have walked or jogged past it without even noticing. This secret island is a getaway for art lovers and birdwatchers. Access to the island is from a weekend punt service that leaves from Como landing, between December and April.

One of the most hidden galleries in Melbourne is Blindside Gallery . Go to 37 Swanston Street, take the lift up to level 7 of the Nicholas Building, find room 14, and you can visit Tuesday to Saturday afternoons when exhibitions are on.

Many commuters rush through Melbourne Central station, without noticing a tiny museum tucked away in the Shot Tower . You can enter via a store on Level 1.

There are only five hours per month when a particular Museum is open in Melbourne and it books out months in advance. The Lyonhouse Museum can be booked here for $22 for small groups, and has a beautiful range of art and design objects. The museum is located at 217-219 Cotham Road in Kew.

Natural wonders to explore

The National Herbarium of Victoria is deep in the Royal Botanical Gardens and displays 1.5 million dried plant, algae and fungi specimens with half of them more than a century old, and a third from overseas. To visit, you need to make an appointment here .

A short stroll from there is Guilfoyle's Volcano . Guilfoyle's Volcano was built in 1876 and was used to store water for the botanic gardens.It was restored as part of a significant landscape development project. This spectacular and historic small water reservoir has interesting plants and a great view across the gardens.

Fitzroy Gardens Conservatory is open nearly every day during business hours - this Spanish mission style building has some stunning floral and horticultural displays throughout the year.

Bars hidden well in Melbourne laneways

Cherry Bar is off Flinders Lane between Russell and Exhibition Street in the city, and if you can find it, you are already off to a good start. It is a small rock 'n' roll bar, and there's even a bar at the back for private parties.

For a bar that's even harder to find, try Berlin Bar . Find 16 Corrs Lane in Melbourne, go to Level 2, and ring the bell, and a secret cocktail bar awaits.

Finally, Jimmy Watsons in Carlton also has a hidden bar with access from the lane behind. There's a bar upstairs called Wolf's Lair . It's a little place where you can take shelter from the world and enjoy a quiet drink.