1902c St Kilda Road
MI_1079
$10.50
A photograph of St Kilda Road, taken around 1902, looking south over Princes Bridge, towards St Kilda. This photograph would have been taken from the top of the Water Clock Tower that was located in the railyards just south of Princes Bridge Station from 1902 to 1910. No doubt the photographer would have been anxious to grab a new photo from the recently erected tower. Swanston Street actually stops at Flinders Street, and the road continues as St Kilda Road across the bridge.
In the left foreground is Yarra Bank Road, later renamed Batman Avenue in 1913, which carried trams along the north bank of the Yarra from Swan Street and terminated at Princes Bridge. As part of the Federation Square and Birrarung Marr redevelopment at the start of the 21st century, Batman Avenue was relocated to the east of Birrarung Marr and now runs from Swan Street and joins the southern end of Exhibition Street, with this section of our past now a walkway at the southern boundary of Federation Square.
Once St Kilda Road leaves Princes Bridge it widens into the grand boulevard that continues all the way to St Kilda Junction. Our early planners and politicians certainly had a grand vision for Melbourne.
The buildings on the left of the photo laying along the south bank of the Yarra belonged to James Edwards & Sons, boatbuilders for many decades in this area.
All text © HotPress
Photographer is unknown.
Notes from the State Library tell us that this image is "A photographic print of St. Kilda Road and bridge over Yarra River, ca. 1900. Image shows horse drawn carts, industrial buildings and to left, painted on roof of building: "James Edwards & Sons" in area where rowing sheds now situated.".
This is a digitally retouched reproduction of the original held by the State Library of Victoria. All prints are reproduced without the HOTPRESS watermarks.
Our team of conservators have worked on a high resolution digital image in order to remove blemishes and artifacts such as stains, mould, scratches and damage caused by the handling of the original. We strive to provide authentic representations of the original work that are suitable for enlargements that retain the tones and character of the original.
