La Trobe Street Latrobe Street | |
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La Trobe Street at night, June 2010 | |
General information | |
Type | Street |
Length | 2.4 km (1.5 mi) |
Opened | 1839 |
Former route number | State Route 32 (1965–1989) |
Major junctions | |
West end | Harbour Esplanade Docklands, Melbourne |
East end | Victoria Street Carlton, Melbourne |
Location(s) | |
Suburb(s) | Docklands, Melbourne CBD |
La Trobe Street (also Latrobe Street[1]) is a major street and thoroughfare in the Melbourne central business district, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly east–west and forms the northern boundary of the central business district. The street was laid out as an extension of the original Hoddle Grid in 1839 and was named after Charles La Trobe.[2] La Trobe Street extends from Victoria Street in the east to Harbour Esplanade in the west.
La Trobe Street is home to a number of precincts and public and private spaces. The Carlton Gardens lie at the eastern end of the street, and the western end terminates at Victoria Harbour in the Docklands. Before Docklands was developed, La Trobe street terminated just beyond its intersection with Spencer Street. In 2000 the La Trobe Street Bridge opened to connect the street through to Docklands, and tram lines were also extended accordingly.[3]
The Flagstaff Gardens are located at the corner of La Trobe and King Streets.
Numerous notable buildings and structures on La Trobe Street are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register and/or classified by the National Trust of Australia. These include:
*Also classified by the National Trust
In recent years there has been controversy over the number of proposed demolitions for unlisted heritage buildings, including:
Two underground railway stations lie beneath La Trobe Street, with Flagstaff station toward the west and Melbourne Central nearer the centre. Two of Melbourne's tram routes travel along La Trobe Street. These are the route 30 and the City Circle tram.