Northbank Heritage Trail
STOP 6
Banana Alley
Location:
Flinders Walk, at Banana Alley
The rail network developed in conjunction with the port and in 1892, Flinders and Spencer Street (now Southern Cross) Stations were connected by a viaduct that ran in parallel with the bustling north bank. It was supported underneath by a series of vaults at the eastern end which are accessible from the north bank as well as Flinders Street. The vaults were perfectly placed among the wharves and served as useful storage spaces for all types of goods arriving on the river. One vault, Queens Vault, infamously stored bananas from Queensland, attracting rodents and insects in huge numbers and soon the whole of the viaduct became known as Banana Alley.
When the Spencer Street Bridge was completed in 1930, the bustling commercial activity on the north bank rapidly diminished, then ceased, due to the removal of the port downstream. Banana Alley vaults became redundant and have been re-purposed over the decades for other types of businesses such as Hearns Hobbies, a news agency, a 24-hour pie shop, and today a nightclub, gym, and martial arts facility. This section of the river is now enjoyed by smaller craft for entertainment and pleasure.
FURTHER READING
IMAGE CREDIT
Banana Alley from the river, photographer Jeff Malley 2022