Not a soul, not even a cat: How the Laneways became a Cultural

Hub
Luke Thomson 18114626

Before the Melbourne Laneways were a Cultural Hub:

When Melbourne was being designed in 1837 Robert Hoddle famously implemented a grid system
whereby wide streets were the norm1. The unusually wide streets produced narrow streets feeding
off them, what we now call laneways2.
The 1970s was a time when the laneways were in decline as many people and retail stores became
inclined to move to the outer suburbs of Melbourne3. However, the 1990s saw a perfect storm of
occurrences which allowed for the development of laneways. With a combination of liquor control
reforms and urban development schemes the laneways became ingrained in the societal structure.
This is most vividly seen in the prosperity of the prominent laneway Hardware Lane.

Melbourne city grid, State Library of Victoria [website],

(2016) <http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/explore-history/colonialmelbourne/everyday-life/melbourne-city-grid>, accessed 20
October 2016.

Liquor Licensing Reform:

The first review into liquor control reform was
conducted in 1986; titled the Nieuwenhuysen
review, after Dr John Nieuwenhuysen, a
prominent economist working at the
University of Melbourne4. As an economist, Dr
John Nieuwenhuysens review into the Liquor

Control Act of 1968 was heavily predicated on

allowing small business to flourish. The major
reforms Nieuwenhuysen promulgated
involved changing the licensing laws, as well
as created a less rigid system, allowing for less
protectionism5.

Melbourne city grid, State Library of Victoria [website], (2016) <http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/explorehistory/colonial-melbourne/everyday-life/melbourne-city-grid>, accessed 20 October 2016.
2
Jonette George, Flavours of Melbourne, (Melbourne: Smudge Books 2013), p. 27
3
Rob Adams, From Industrial Cities to Eco-Urbanity: The Melbourne Case Study, City of Melbourne,
http://www.futuremelbourne.com.au/wiki/pub/FMPlan/S3Resources/From_Industrial_Cities_to_eco_Urbanit
y_A_Melbourne_Case_Study_Rob_adams.pdf pp. 2-4
4
JN Santmaria, The Nieuwenhuysen report, Australian Drug and Alcohol Review, 5/4 (1986), p. 265
5
Ibid

venues may not have been able to obtain a

proper liquor license.

Nieuwenhuysen Report

Denial of Licenses

A major recommendation from the

Nieuwenhuysen report was decreasing the
variety of liquor licenses from twenty-nine to
seven6. Nieuwenhuysen concluded that the
liquor laws were too conservative and thus
impeded on business growth. The high
number of liquor licenses restricted flexibility
for small businesses to obtain them. The
Liquor Control Act of 1987 thus abolished a
majority of the regulations7. However, in 1998
another review was conducted into the Liquor
Control Act of 1987.

A review committee for the Liquor Control Act

of 1987 targeted unnecessary provisions used
to deny license request. These provisions
included the need provision and the
interest of the community provision10.
Essentially under the Act of 1987 a liquor
license could be denied if they believed it was
not needed in the community; the license
would be denied if there was already an
abundance of licensed premises11.

Liquor Control Act of 1998

8,560 premises had obtained a liquor license
as of 1997, thats a substantial increase from
5,640 licenses in 19898. The Liquor Control Act
of 1998 implemented ten liquor licenses9. This
allowed for greater flexibility towards
businesses to adapt to a changing
marketplace and changing cultural values. An
increase in diversity fundamentally benefitted
the laneways, as they are a rich cohort of
beautiful cafes and swanky bars. Without the
liberalisation of the licensing types, these

S 344.9450541 R32N, Victoria Review of the

Liquor Control Act 1968, Review of the Liquor
Control Act: report / John Nieuwenhuysen., pp.
472-484
7
John Nieuwenhuysen, Liquor control policy and
alcohol availability consumption relationships:
reflections on the Victorian debate, Australian
Drug and Alcohol Review, 7 (1988), p. 263 Note:
they accepted 141 of Nieuwenhuysen
recommendations in full and 26 partially, thus, you
get comprehensive reform.
8
Liquor Control Act 1987 Review, Liquor Control
Act 1998 Final Report (1998),
<http://ncp.ncc.gov.au/docs/Victorian%20review
%20of%20the%20Liquor%20Control%20Act%2019
87,%20April%201998.pdf>, p. 7.
Liquor Licensing Commission, Annual Report
(1989),
<http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpu
b/VPARL1988-92No109.pdf>, p. 25

By preventing continued development, the

provisions fundamentally prevented
competition and diversity for the community.
This is also the same with the interest of the
community which stipulates the Chief
Executive Officer can advise that certain
premises may have an adverse effect on
community. Fundamentally effecting the
ability to create a competitive market.
This has helped advance Laneway culture as
both provisions previously prevented spaces
evolving into highly density licensed areas12.
Numerous buildings operating within the

Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Liquor Control

Reform Act 1998 No.94 of 1998,
<http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_
Notes/LDMS/LTObject_Store/ltobjst9.nsf/DDE300B
846EED9C7CA257616000A3571/60BA5AF60542A1
7FCA257E93000B18D8/$FILE/9894aa080%20authorised.pdf> pp. 35-54. Note:
Some of the seven original licenses were kept and
others abolished, as well as the creation of
previously unknown licenses.
10
Liquor Control Act 1987 Review, Liquor Control
Act 1998 Final Report (1998),
<http://ncp.ncc.gov.au/docs/Victorian%20review
%20of%20the%20Liquor%20Control%20Act%2019
87,%20April%201998.pdf>
11
Ibid, pp. 59-63
12
City of Melbourne, Productivity Commission
Retail Inquiry (2011),
<http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/retail
-industry/submissions/sub083.pdf>.

Laneways obtained liquor licenses, creating a

dense community with lots of character.

Licensing Costs
The costs of obtaining a license was
substantial under Liquor Control Act of 1987.
Under section 63, licensees had to produce
proper planning codes13. Furthermore, they
had to undergo a police check of the premise,
advertise their planning proposal to the
community, designate a waiting period for
potential objections and undergo a public
hearing14. Therefore, the costs of obtaining a
license may be too severe, suffocating the
advancement of further venues.

However, proposals recommended

streamlining the requirements of obtaining a
liquor license. Stipulating a liquor license
should be granted, provided an appeals
tribunal be administered if citizens wish to
object15. It also stipulated that applications for
liquor licenses and planning permits be
submitted at the same time; decreasing on
time and cost16. This helped create laneway
culture as small businesses no longer had to
worry about expenditures. The costs of
obtaining a licensed venue were no longer
applicable and thus much of the risk was
taken away17. With these relaxed regulations,
starting a small business in the Laneways
became incentivising.

The 25% Rule

Lastly, the 25% designated for restaurants provision should be discussed. Essentially it stated that
an institution, whos main purpose was serving meals, could obtain an on-premise liquor license
provided they designate an area comprising 25% of the floor space for consuming alcohol, separate

13

Liquor Control Act 1987,

<http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/Domino/Web_
Notes/LDMS/LTObject_Store/LTObjSt2.nsf/DDE300
B846EED9C7CA257616000A3571/4627DBBC1E524
4CECA257761002331EF/$FILE/87-97a041.pdf>, pp.
55-57
14
Ibid
15
Liquor Control Act 1987 Review, Liquor Control
Act 1998 Final Report (1998),
<http://ncp.ncc.gov.au/docs/Victorian%20review

%20of%20the%20Liquor%20Control%20Act%2019
87,%20April%201998.pdf>, p. 63.
16
Ibid
17
City of Melbourne, Productivity Commission
Retail Inquiry (2011),
<http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/retail
-industry/submissions/sub083.pdf>.p. 8 Note:
considering cheap rental prices enabled laneways
to develop, it is a sound theory that cheap liquor
licenses did also.

from the main floor18. This created detrimental costs towards restaurants and cafes, which in many
circumstances did not have the required floor space. By abolishing this provision, the new Liquor
Control Act allowed smaller cafes and restaurants to sell alcohol on their premises without needing a
designated drinking space. By allowing common eateries to sell alcoholic beverages, without the
purchase of a meal, the laneway

became far more viable19. Restaurants and cafs no longer required large floor space, which is
highly conducive to the lanes, as the retail floor space in them is very small.

City Planning:
A revitalisation plan for the city was instituted by the City of Melbourne in the 1994 under the
tutelage of prominent Danish architect Jan Gehl. Under his direction the renewal plan Places for
People: Melbourne 1994 was implemented. Gehl was a firm believer that a city should be viewed
from the human-scale. In the plan he directly references maintaining the laneways; due to their
historical context as well as their importance in reinvigorating the city of Melbourne.

300m to 3.4 Kilometres

In 1994 there was only three hundred metres
worth of used and accessible laneway space.
However, in 2004 an updated study concluded
an increase of roughly three and a half
kilometres20. Since the City of Melbourne
implemented Jan Gehls recommendations
there has been an overwhelming progression
of space usage21. This has further led towards
streetscape sustainability and heritage
conservationism.

Pictured: A grid of laneway development between

1980s till 2013. Taken from Places for People (2015),

Laneways as a thoroughfare
The first major usage of a laneway is
navigating through the city. Using the lanes as
thoroughfares. In the updated review of the
18

Liquor Control Act 1987 Review, Liquor Control Act 1998 Final Report (1998),
<http://ncp.ncc.gov.au/docs/Victorian%20review%20of%20the%20Liquor%20Control%20Act%201987,%20Apr
il%201998.pdf>, p.91
19
City of Melbourne, Places for People 2015 study (2015),
<https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/places-for-people-2015.pdf>, pp. 38-41. Note:
the natural tendency for laneways to have shop fronts is because theyre retail space was highly constrictive.
The 25% rule would have been detrimental to them.
20
City of Melbourne, Places for People (2004),
<https://is.cuni.cz/studium/predmety/index.php?do=download&did=35338&kod=JMMZ108>, p. 30
21
City of Melbourne, Productivity Commission Retail Inquiry (2011),
<http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/retail-industry/submissions/sub083.pdf>. p. 5

urban development schemes by the City of

Melbourne, they acknowledge that the
majority of laneways are still being used as
walkways22. This advancement of the lanes
was unprecedented and is primarily the result
of widespread urban development. While it
could be argued that using the laneways as
walkways is underutilising them, it is clearly
an improvement on the 1994 study which
concluded a majority of the lanes werent
being used at all23.

While an increase in shops would lead to

competition, the revitalisation of the city saw
an increase in customers as well as
residents27. As seen with a review of laneway
activity; large areas of the laneways are
constituted as a caf and/or retail precincts.
Given the extensive use of the lanes as caf
hubs, one could theorise that without a caf
renewal scheme the lanes would not
contribute towards the cities character as
much as they do.

Caf and Retail Precinct

The second major use is as a caf and retail
precinct24. Its area allows for high density
urban culture, with a mix of diverse cafs,
retail shops and bars. Revitalisation of the
lanes has created a symbiotic relationship;
whereby the pedestrian is enjoying the
cultural significance of the lanes and the lanes
are benefitting because theyre being used by
the general public25.
Since recommending a revitalisation of caf
culture, the number of caf, restaurant and
bar expansion has gone from ninety-five in
1994 to three hundred and fifty-six in 200426.
Undoubtedly the laneways contributed to this
rise in cafs, bars and restaurant. While also
being the beneficiaries of this scheme.

Pictured: Degraves Lane with an abundance of cafs and

restaurants, taken from City of Melbourne, Places for
People (2004)

An Active Shop Front

The 2004 urban renewal scheme maintained
that laneways have been a strong contributor
to more active shop frontages. Gehl concludes
that a necessary aspect to reinvigorating the
city of Melbourne is to expand shop
frontages28. By expanding the use of shop

22

Melbourne Planning Scheme, Local Planning

Policies Clause 22.20 (2015),
<http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/schemes
/melbourne/ordinance/22_lpp20_melb.pdf> p. 1
Note: A major category for laneway functionality is
whether they can be used to access other areas of
the CBD.
23
ISBN 0949624845 State Library of Victoria,
Places for people: Melbourne city 1994 / City of
Melbourne Urban Design Branch and Strategic
Planning Branch in cooperation with Jan Gehl, (City
of Melbourne, 1994),
24
City of Melbourne in Collaboration with Gehl
Architects, Places for People (2004),
<https://is.cuni.cz/studium/predmety/index.php?d
o=download&did=35338&kod=JMMZ108>,p. 30.

25

ISBN 0949624845 State Library of Victoria,

Places for people: Melbourne city 1994 / City of
Melbourne Urban Design Branch and Strategic
Planning Branch in cooperation with Jan Gehl, (City
of Melbourne, 1994), p. 27
26
Ibid, p. 18
27
City of Melbourne, Productivity Commission
Retail Inquiry (2011),
<http://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/retail
-industry/submissions/sub083.pdf>. p. 7 Note:
there was a concentration of young residents; the
demographic most likely to enjoy laneway culture.
28
ISBN 0949624845 State Library of Victoria, Places
for people: Melbourne city 1994 / City of
Melbourne Urban Design Branch and Strategic
Planning Branch in cooperation with Jan Gehl, (City
of Melbourne, 1994), p. 32-33

frontages the City of Melbourne was

advertising a caf culture and providing a
visual stimulus to pedestrians.
The success that expanded shop frontages
was possible through the lanes29. Thus, it
could be concluded that the City of
Melbourne and the lanes had a symbiotic
relationship with one another. By expanding
shop frontages to 75%, the laneways became
a prominent streetscape to pedestrians30.
With an expansion of outdoor dining space,
the need for floor space was kept to a
minimum, thus maintaining a relatively cheap
rental area.

more people to live in the city. This was done

as a method to combat the common
conception that Melbourne was a 9-5 city and
instead turn it into a 24hr city31. It was
considered problematic that only one
thousand persons lived in the CBD during
1994. However, the population grew
exponentially with recent accounts, as of
2011, thirty-seven thousand people are
residents of the CBD32.

Postcode 3000
Pictured: A laneway with an active shop front. Taken
from Rob Adams, From Industrial Cities to EcoUrbanity: The Melbourne Case Study

A Place for People to Live

Lastly the shift towards population regulation
will be analysed, as discussed in a City for the
People. The Gehl study advocated for inviting
29
30

Rob Adams, From Industrial Cities to EcoUrbanity: The Melbourne Case Study, City of
Melbourne,
http://www.futuremelbourne.com.au/wiki/pub/F
MPlan/S3Resources/From_Industrial_Cities_to_ec
o_Urbanity_A_Melbourne_Case_Study_Rob_adam
s.pdf p. 6
31
ISBN 0949624845 State Library of Victoria,
Places for people: Melbourne city 1994 / City of
Melbourne Urban Design Branch and Strategic
Planning Branch in cooperation with Jan Gehl, (City
of Melbourne, 1994 Note: it was called a 9-5 city
because people used it as a place of work,

Postcode 3000 was an earlier urban

development scheme implemented in 1992 as
a way to bring residents back to Melbourne33.
Essentially used as an incentivising tool to
make living in the city viable again.
It created a guideline whereby building
complexes, mostly unoccupied office space,
could be converted into residential
however, after their shift finished they left
immediately, going to the outer suburbs for
recreational purposes.
32
City of Melbourne, Places for People 2015 Study
(2015),
<https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectio
nDocuments/places-for-people-2015.pdf>, p.15
33
Department of Planning and Community
Development, Review of Melbourne Metropolitan
Strategic Plan (2012),
<http://www.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/__data/as
sets/pdf_file/0003/130737/Managing_Melbourne
__Review_of_Melbourne_Metropolitan_Strategic_
Planning_-_April_2012.pdf> pp. 26-30.

apartments34. This allowed for an

economically rational method of expanding
the number of apartments. Rather than spend
money developing a building, it was now
possible to use unused buildings within the
CBD35.
The laneways benefited from this as a larger
population increased potential customers.
With a reinvigoration Melbournes night life

Hardware Lane:
Hardware Lane was one of the first laneways
to undergo substantial renovation, this
development took place in the 80s37. The
renovation allowed for greater access to
pedestrians, so they were more easily able to
navigate the city. This renovation led to
further development to adjacent lanes. Its
fitting that present day Hardware Lane is one
of the most prominent lanes in Melbourne,
considering it was one of the first to be
developed in the 80s. Hardware Lane offers
everything that the City of Melbourne hoped
a laneway would. It has created jobs, as it is
home to an array of small businesses such as
rooftop bars, restaurants with shop frontages
and retail stores38.
As shown with the City of Melbournes 1985
Strategy Plan, they were very worried that
businesses within the CBD was in decline, as
well as job losses39. They therefore proposed
a plan to target areas Melbourne was known
for and advertise it as an incentivising tool.
Through this one could stipulate a lane like

34

City of Melbourne, Postcode 3000 Program

(1993), <https://s3-ap-southeast2.amazonaws.com/ehq-productionaustralia/2c31479df89992b8179a423213ccb297cc
d9971f/documents/attachments/000/011/288/ori
ginal/Postcode_3000_Program__Action_Plan_for_City_Living.pdf?1397547510>,
pg 14
35
Ibid
36
Ibid, pg. 21

with regular individuals enjoying everything

Melbourne had to offer. Vice versa, the
laneways would have provided necessary
entertainment to residents; the Postcode
3000 plan even references Melbourne
entertainment as a reason for potential
residential increase36

Hardware was inevitable. Businesses took

advantage of the ample retail space Hardware

had to offer as well as the revival of a laneway

culture.
It has reinvigorated Melbourne day and night
life, as it has a diverse range of entertainment
for day and night, making it an incredibly
viable laneway40.
One only needs to analyse photos to see that
Hardware Lane is a hot bustling laneway,
promising a quintessential Melbourne
experience. Amazingly the two pictured
photos are only about thirty years apart; yet
with a strong urban development scheme
Hardware Lane has been turned into popular
destination. The 2013 photo shows a long
stretch of bars and restaurants; a street come
alive. The publication Flavours of Melbourne
further reiterates my underlying message; the
laneways are an important aspect of
Melbourne culture. Especially Hardware Lane
as it offers an arrange of commercial diversity
and an aesthetically pleasing streetscape;
37

City of Melbourne, Places for People 2015 Study

(2015),
<https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocu
ments/places-for-people-2015.pdf>, p. 38
38
Jonette George, Flavours of Melbourne, (Melbourne:
Smudge Books 2013), p. 263
39

ISBN 0730620230 State Library of Victoria, City

of Melbourne Strategy Plan 1985, (Strategy Plan
Review Steering Committee, 1985)
40

Jonette George, Flavours of Melbourne, (Melbourne:

Smudge Books 2013), p. 263

with its busy shop frontages symbolising a

pleasurable outdoor experience.

Pictured: Hardware Lane before urban development

implementation. Taken from City of Melbourne, Places
for People (2015),
<https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocu
ments/places-for-people-2015.pdf>,

Pictured: Hardware Lane in present day. Taken from

Jonette George, Flavours of Melbourne, (Melbourne:
Smudge Books 2013)

Why are the Lanes So Important?

The Melbourne Laneway scene is something many youths take for granted. However, its difficult to
blame them; laneways are so incorporated into culture it feels like theyve been around forever.
Hardware Lane; according to a 1991 policy recommendation titled City of Melbourne CAD Laneway
Study is category A and thus has significant importance to retaining the cultural and historical
character of Melbourne41. Laneways provide access to other areas of the CBD incorporating
walkways in a pedestrian network as well as provide retail frontage potential. Therefore, it is
obvious that the laneways are a very important aspect to Melbourne. They create culture, they
provide entertainment, theyre historical and theyre amazingly practical as they connect many of
the major streets together.

41

ISBN 0949624497, City of Melbourne CAD

laneway study: policies and recommendations for

individual lanes, The Strategic Planning Branch

1991, State Library of Victoria.

Bibliography:
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<http://www.futuremelbourne.com.au/wiki/pub/FMPlan/S3Resources/From_Industrial_Cities_to_e
co_Urbanity_A_Melbourne_Case_Study_Rob_adams.pdf>
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<http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/Domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/LTObject_Store/LTObjSt2.nsf/DDE30
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