How Well Do You Know Melbourne

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[SECTION]Can You Guess?[/SECTION]

So you think you know Melbourne? Can you guess where the following seven places are? Most are within the CBD, with a couple from its surrounds thrown in for good measure.

First up, can you guess where this sculpture is, from within Melbourne's inner suburbs?





[SECTION]Answer 1[/SECTION]
Gasworks Arts Park
Richardson Street, Port Melbourne.

This area of Gasworks Arts Park is also known as one the most awesome off-leash dog areas ever.

Gasworks is a bit of a delight, really. Its lovely red brick buildings which once housed the gas works (duh) are very much sexier housing artists. You can hear some of the noisier ones sometimes, working in their nooks, creating stuff out of stuff. It also hosts workshops, performances and a whole lot of other stuff. You can get your clay fired in their kiln, take tours, eat in their cafe. Gasworks is a great place to rejuvenate your creative side.

This sculpture is called Not Without Chomley. It was sculpted by art commissions austalia and international/gasworks arts park/Chomley Web_001.jpg.html Anne Ross in 1991.

[SECTION]Can You Guess?[/SECTION]



[SECTION]Answer 2[/SECTION]
Melbourne GPO
Corner Elizabeth and Bourke Streets.

This spunky looking clock sits atop the grand ole building that was once Melbourne's general post office. Today it's full of shops and eateries.

Two storeys of the building were completed in 1867. The third storey and the clock tower were completed 20 years later, in 1887. Its first clock was made at the Locomotive Workshops in Williamstown and installed in 1869. Five bells were made in Glasgow, Scotland, and first rang out over Melbourne in 1871. The gorgeous clock that we see currently was made in Melbourne and installed in 1890.

The steps of the GPO were once a popular place to see in the New Year.

The clock tower bells once rang every 15 minutes, day and night. Now they ring every three hours, from 9am to 9pm.

[SECTION]Can You Guess?[/SECTION]



[SECTION]Answer 3[/SECTION]
Are you Mr Gog, or Mr Magog
The Royal Arcade, 335 Bourke Street Mall.

Continuing on with the clock theme, this is one of two statues in the Royal Arcade.

The seven foot high pine statues are called Gog and Magog. These fellows feature heavily In different mythological accounts , but these two are modelled on the ones who stand as symbolic protection over the city of London in the Guildhall. According to British mythology, Gog and Magog were two giants who were captured by the Trojans and were forced to stand guards outside the palace, on the site where the Guildhall now stands.

What the relevance is to us is a little murky these days, but these two fine fellow have stood guard over the clock since 1842. (The clock, incidentally, was designed by the same company who designed the clock at the Melbourne GPO, in our previous picture).

Oh, and just in case you're wondering, I'm pretty sure that's Mr Magog.

[SECTION]Can You Guess?[/SECTION]



[SECTION]Answer 4[/SECTION]
ANZ Bank Building
Corner Collins and Queens Streets.

Demonstrating that the 1% have had it their way for some time, this stupendously beautiful building is home to a bank. Which seems a bit of a waste, really. Everything from its doors to its Gothic Revival façade and beautiful windows oozes beauty.

It was first built in 1883-1887 and was the head office of the English, Scottish & Australian Chartered Bank. It was built by the man who was also the bank's General Manager, George Verdon , who lived in the top two floors. Not too shabby a digs, thanks very much.

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[SECTION]Answer 5[/SECTION]
The Block Arcade
282 Collins Street.

This is apparently the largest mosaic floor area in Australia. It is a beautiful accompaniment to a beautiful building, the Block Arcade. The name refers to "doing the block" - promenading around the fashionable streets of Melbourne. Being seen. Sort of like the 19th century equivalent of taking selfies and posting them on Facebook.

The Block Arcade was constructed in two sections in 1891 and 1893. It runs in an l-shape from Collins Street to Elizabeth Street.

[SECTION]Can You Guess?[/SECTION]



[SECTION]Answer 6[/SECTION]
Flinders Street Station
Mirka Mora is adorable, and this painting is part of a larger mural, the central portion of which is made from mosaic. It is as fun and colourful as Mirka herself, full of whimsy.

And yet, although it is so full of colour and life, and it's so LARGE, I confess that I have never, ever noticed this mural before I took this photo. Now I know it's there, it's virtually impossible to know how I ever could have not seen it. Have you?

It runs along the southernmost wall of Flinders Street Station, just before the beginning of Princes Bridge.

[SECTION]Can You Guess?[/SECTION]



[SECTION]Answer 7[/SECTION]
Leigh Matthews, MCG
Looking right up Leigh Matthews' shorts is a little disrespectful, but luckily it's all G rated.

Lethal Leigh is one of 10 bronze statues that line the radius of the MCG, the home of Australian Rules Football in Victoria. They were all sculpted by Louis Lamen - the first, of Don Bradmen unveiled in 2003, with the other nine all taking their places by 2006.

Don is outside Gate 5, while Betty Cuthbert keeps watch over Gate 3. Haydn Bunton overlooks Gate 6, Ron Barassi Gate 4, Shirley Strickland Gate 3, Dick Reynolds Gate 6, Keith Miller Gate 5, with Bill Ponsford and Dennis Lillee outside Gate 1.

Hawthorn supporters have been known to rub Leigh's foot for luck, on the way through Gate 4 into a game.

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