MELBOURNE | Melbourne is one of the world’s best cities to visit for lovers of street art, and the inner city suburb of Collingwood is one of the best parts of town in which to find it. On the main streets, and commercial, industrial, and residential side streets, there’s an ever changing assortment of murals to discover.
I love heading into Collingwood to search for new pieces of street art, or older pieces I may have not seen before. Of course, seeing old favourites is also great.
In this Collingwood street art guide, I’ll tell you about some of my favourite spots in which you can find Collingwood’s best street art. They’re listed alphabetically, and range from the popular and well known, to the more obscure. Do keep in mind that this is just a guide. There’s good stuff all over the suburb, so feel free to explore when you visit.
When you’re exploring Collingwood, make sure you head into the neighbourhood next to it, Fitzroy. It has a similar vibe to Collingwood, and is also home to loads of great street art.
Budd Street
This street is home to Budd St. Gallery, which is housed in a converted laneway warehouse-space. It operates as a fresh and accessible, artist-run-initiative representing the artist-hub of inner-city Melbourne. The wall of the gallery, and the street itself, is home to many thought provoking murals.
Chopper Lane
Located just off Smith Street, behind craft beer bar Beermash, and internationally renowned cocktail bar, Above Board, Chopper Lane is a gritty laneway, with an assortment of interesting murals.
Easey Street
Home to the Easey St Artist Studios, which supports emerging/professional Visual Artists, Easey Street is also where you’ll find several impressive street art murals. One of my favourites is here. A 30 metre wide mural dedicated to Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat, painted by 10 of Melbourne’s best artists. It was created as part of the ‘Crossing Lines’ exhibition, which was on at National Gallery of Victoria in 2019.
Grab a burger from rooftop train carriage burger joint, Easeys, while you’re in the area.
Gipps Street
Off Wellingston Street, connecting Collingwood to Abbotsford, Gipps Street is an industrial street with lots of murals covering its factory and warehouse walls. Check out the murals on it, and its side streets, while heading for a feed and drink at Stomping Ground Brewery, and Le Bon Ton.
Johnston Street
One of my favourite streets for street art in Collingwood is Johnston Street. It’s a long street, starting as Elgin Street in Carlton, at the University of Melbourne, before becoming Johnston Street and passing through Fitzroy, Collingwood, and Abbotsford. I highly recommend walking all the way down to the Abbotsford end, as there’s so much great street art here.
You have to check out the Melbourne Keith Haring mural. Painted by the internationally renowned street artists in 1984, it’s one of only 31 known murals by Haring that are still in existence worldwide. Just up from the mural is the excellent Collingwood Yards, home to Hope St Radio and Runner Up if you’re in the mood for some food and drink.
Peel Street
Home to the annual Peel Street festival, Peel Street is worth a visit any time of the year. Start at the Smith Street end, checking out the murals on and around Peel Street Park, before hitting Wellington Street, another great street art street.
Smith Street
The border between Fitzroy and Collingwood, Smith Street arguably the beating heart of this part of town. The super convenient number 86 tram route runs along the street, which is filled with small and independent bars, eateries, and retailers. While Smith Street itself doesn’t have as much street art as it used to, it’s the spine from which you can explore the many side streets which are filled with art.
Wellington Street
This long street runs up the entire length of Collingwood, from the suburb border with East Melbourne up to Clifton Hill. The area has seen a lot of development in recent years, with factories, warehouses, and council flats being joined by apartments, breweries, and more.
It’s a culturally, and architecturally diverse part of Melbourne, and home to some of the best street murals in town, including the 20 story tall Adnate mural on the side of a council tower, celebrating the diversity of its residents. It’s the tallest mural in the Southern Hemisphere.
Identified artists featured in the image gallery include:
- Adnate
- Askew One
- Chehehe
- Conrad Bizjak
- Dscreet
- Dukey Grimo
- Jimmy Dvate
- Guido Van Helton
- Katie Ford
- Ling
- Lushsux
- Maha
- Mayonaize
- Nomad | Damon
- Phibs
- Rone
- Rory Lynch-Wells
- Sabeth
- SMOE
- Smug
Happy discoveries on your walk through Collingwood using my Collingwood street art guide. What are your favourites places for street art in Collingwood? Have you found any other pieces outside of these street art hotspots that you love?