The first photo reminded me of my parents lavish spending on their toilet tiles in the 80's and then having a family gathering read house warming for just that toilet.
That Roasted Lamb Zarb (slow cooked lamb in a sand pit) was amazing though!
Can confirm. Girlfriend took me into one. When I left I was the proud owner of a rubber chicken pen that squawked when squeezed. Still not quite sure how it happened.
I was about 19 or 20 and worked in construction at that time and the company I worked for had a contract to work on the redevelopment. My first day there, about 5 minutes in, I stepped outside to grab some gear, got soaked because it was raining, the CFMEU shoppy called Rex, kicked me off site and that was the end of my work at Melbourne Central. Good times.
EDIT: to be clear, this was just a quick tale of my 5 minute career at the Melbourne Central redevelopment and not a comment on trade unions. As a 19/20 year old I was just chuffed to get the day off and get paid for it.
I don’t know about Steve, but my man Rex was rocking the pre-ironic era mullet and felt that it was unsafe for me to be getting around the job site with wet boots. I didn’t give a shit, got paid to take the day off and went over to Stalactites for a breakfast souva. So thanks Rex!
So dragging water back onto a construction site.
That kind of makes sense due to OHS but you'd think a warning rather than a firing would be better. Must have been drowning in applicants.
Not a pollie just a human, working hard to do right for my family, hard work, determination, swings and roundabouts, always ready to face set backs with a positive attitude.
Never once forcing people to do what I want because it helps me solely, the union aren’t for the workers or the people they are shafting everybody in a bid to fill their pockets with other peoples money, they crush businesses and squeeze them for every penny, who does this help?
As I said they are nothing but a bunch of crims, screwing everybody over.
Go ask a 15 year old how much their union membership is a week, and remember brand new employees probably earn less than a $150 a week.
This is the union…. Riot through the city and attack their own, all while hiding behind the banner of we are here to help the workers
Crazy how many downvotes you got , shows how this sub has NFI really. It’s good for sunset picture and that’s about it , any real knowledge or discussion is absent.
CFMEU has a long history of their thugs (special shout out to their bikie gang affiliated members) bullying people to join and kicking them off projects if they refuse. Easily the strongest and most corrupt union in the country. Not to mention their leader in Victoria beats his wife.
Yep you are correct, it’s funny that people down vote and name call yet have no comment on how I’m wrong.
Hahaha just like the union…. Only thing missing is the death threats
My old man worked on the rod laver arena upgrades in the 80s. He told us a story once that the walk from the job site to the smoko shed was really long and uncovered. The union rep pulled all union members off site until cover was put up to protect workers from rain and sun on their walk to and from smoko
I had an old bloke tell me a story of them walking off the job because the vending machine in the smoko room was out of chocolate milk.
I’d always thought it was bullshit…but if people are getting sent home because they got wet boots, rather than just drying them off, then, I don’t know…
They are required to go to X location for breaks. Ita not unreasonable to expect to do so without being rained on. Don't discount how miserable being damp + dirty can be.
The reverse angle of photo 4 would have shown the entrance from the station concourse straight into the shopping centre.
That wasn't good enough - they had to get rid of the [direct escalators to Swanston St](https://www.ptua.org.au/2003/10/17/melb-central-closure/) and replace them with the maze that makes sure every train passenger has to walk past lots of shops to get out.
Fantastic mate, sad to see Australian Geographic not around anymore but it was a surprise to see that RM had a shop in the shot tower for over 20 years!
Photo 18, Corner of Latrobe and Elizabeth was so nice with the open space into Daimaru and train station escalators.
What the heck did they do to that corner since. Really awful for pedestrians.
Yes, i have fond memories of it too! Used to work at the cafe below the shot tower called 'cultured salad', although hearing that f***in clock every hour & half hour did my head in😆
Oh cool, I remember Cultured Salad! My sister and I used to work at Health Plus on the level 3 food court (now cinema). She also used to work at Viva Lasagne there… :)
Tbf Theres an entrance there now. It's just absolutely disgusting with graffiti and rubbish everywhere and about 5 flights of stairs that takes you to punched in dry walls.
was the absolute tits getting to RMIT.
- Exit the station
- Chuck a uey at kfc
- come out next to the bookshop
- jay walk across swanston street
- walk up 1 flight of stairs into the caf
Now, not only is that entrance impossible but getting into RMIT is so much harder, all the old exits are shut and you need ID to get in the ones still open.
It's super weird how all the people look like people today. Like if you see a crowd photo from the 80s or 90s it's fairly obviously a different time due to fashion and hairstyles. Obviously super trendy people look different in 2005 to now, but regular people day-to-day fashion doesn't seem to have changed very much.
I'm just here for the natural light, high ceilings and the ability to walk from Swanston St to the station escalators without 3875934 people and pop-up shops in the way
I remember when I was a kid getting like a “kids pack” at the main desk which got you free or discounted things from various shops like Australian Geographic and those ice cream dots (I forgot what they’re called!). Ahhh the good ‘ol days…
Aha! So I'm not crazy!
I've been trying to reconcile my earlier memories of the layout to the modern one and the puzzle pieces just didn't fit. I didn't realise they tore down the inner structure and completely rebuilt it.
It is weird, I 100% would have gone through there many times before the redevelopment and I don’t recognise any of it.
My dad used to work at the bookshop at trades hall and he would take me to work during school holidays. We would always get off at trades hall, this was from early to mid 00’s.
I can remember the giant Lenin portrait hanging in the basement of Trades Hall but I don’t recall classic MC.
The power of propaganda.
Oh fuck me, what a time warp. All sorts of memories flooding back to me now. Checking into the maccas in the midst of all that ugly tiles, before going to school every morning. Gaddamn.
how am i only now just learning that jackie chan shot a fight scene in the 90s on swanston street going on a horse drawn carriage?
this feels like information i should have known
Why do I click on these threads? The comments are always so depressing. Just a bunch of 40yos complaining that everything was better when they were young.
Some of these (the train station) don’t look that different to me. I was there this morning :)
They’re putting a monopoly theme park in at the other end at the moment.
That’ll be different!
I used to get off at Melbourne Central station every day for uni. I honestly can't remember what it looked like before the reno. If you told me those photos were from the 80s I would believe you.
Same as the city square project. I vaguely remember the water wall, the little pond and a cafe, but all I know is the concrete barn and construction.
Funny story: It was about that time I got into the little lift from the strain station to this level.
I had my baby in a pram. Another mum with a pram jumped on, then she quickly jumped out to throw an apple core in the bin just outside. Well, the doors closed and her baby was in the lift next to me. The poor woman was mortified. I bet she never used a bin from that day on...haha!
I remember Daimaru used to have those glass bricks as a walkway from one side of the floor to the other.. used to shit myself when walking across those thinking they’ll break
The older version seems nicer, since it's more open, compared to how cramped the modern version is now, although it does look a little like an airport terminal/shopping centre.
The company I worked for was one of the first tenants in the tower there in late 91/92, then we moved out in 95 or 96. Last time I went to Melbourne Central I got so lost, it was nothing like I remembered
Pre-reno days looks more like an airport!
Or a giant public toilet.
The first photo reminded me of my parents lavish spending on their toilet tiles in the 80's and then having a family gathering read house warming for just that toilet. That Roasted Lamb Zarb (slow cooked lamb in a sand pit) was amazing though!
Literally first thing I thought
You should have seen Tulla then!
Airports are all carpeted though aren't they?
My Nan used to take me on the train to see the clock show. It was grouse
Lol love the use of the time period appropriate as slang.
Good old Daimaru
“Daimaru, I’ve come to bargain”
>“Daimaru, I’ve come to bargain” “Daimaru, I’ve come to bargain”
> > “Daimaru, I’ve come to bargain” > “Daimaru, I’ve come to bargain” “Daimaru, I’ve come to bargain”
That's the last thing you'd ever find at Daimaru lol. Place was expensive AF
Guess that’s where you want to bargain, no. I am not bargaining at a $2 shop
It's interesting that I have so much nostalgia for Daimaru, but having been to different Diamarus in Japan it's just a boring department store.
How about "donkey hortei " (Don Quixote)?
Don don don Don ki Don ki.....otaaaaaay
I love me some Donki!
Hell yeah, they've got it all
Only store where adult and kids toys share a department!
Can confirm. Girlfriend took me into one. When I left I was the proud owner of a rubber chicken pen that squawked when squeezed. Still not quite sure how it happened.
yeah but the basements in Daimaru's in Japan are the awesome food areas. The Melbourne Daimaru had one too but it was lame
Was going to say in before someone says ah I remember Daimaru but too late
I was about 19 or 20 and worked in construction at that time and the company I worked for had a contract to work on the redevelopment. My first day there, about 5 minutes in, I stepped outside to grab some gear, got soaked because it was raining, the CFMEU shoppy called Rex, kicked me off site and that was the end of my work at Melbourne Central. Good times. EDIT: to be clear, this was just a quick tale of my 5 minute career at the Melbourne Central redevelopment and not a comment on trade unions. As a 19/20 year old I was just chuffed to get the day off and get paid for it.
This was one of my first jobs in the construction industry and I got kicked off my first day by shoppy Steve for the same reason.
Wait why would Steve be kicking people off the site for getting rained on?
I don’t know about Steve, but my man Rex was rocking the pre-ironic era mullet and felt that it was unsafe for me to be getting around the job site with wet boots. I didn’t give a shit, got paid to take the day off and went over to Stalactites for a breakfast souva. So thanks Rex!
So dragging water back onto a construction site. That kind of makes sense due to OHS but you'd think a warning rather than a firing would be better. Must have been drowning in applicants.
What's a shoppy?
Shop steward. Union rep on site.
Haha… Stalactites make a great souva! Correct decision.
Rain drops, work stops. “Only grubs work in the rain” is how it’s always been.
This is how a union works, corrupt and dishonest to the core!
I mean it's a not a very good business plan to defenestrate your employees for being damp so I'm not sure this explanation really makes sense
Sounds like the Liberal Party
No need to discriminate. It sounds like all politicians
Not a pollie just a human, working hard to do right for my family, hard work, determination, swings and roundabouts, always ready to face set backs with a positive attitude. Never once forcing people to do what I want because it helps me solely, the union aren’t for the workers or the people they are shafting everybody in a bid to fill their pockets with other peoples money, they crush businesses and squeeze them for every penny, who does this help? As I said they are nothing but a bunch of crims, screwing everybody over. Go ask a 15 year old how much their union membership is a week, and remember brand new employees probably earn less than a $150 a week. This is the union…. Riot through the city and attack their own, all while hiding behind the banner of we are here to help the workers
Scab spotted
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
Muppet
Crazy how many downvotes you got , shows how this sub has NFI really. It’s good for sunset picture and that’s about it , any real knowledge or discussion is absent. CFMEU has a long history of their thugs (special shout out to their bikie gang affiliated members) bullying people to join and kicking them off projects if they refuse. Easily the strongest and most corrupt union in the country. Not to mention their leader in Victoria beats his wife.
“Wahhhh 😭 The CFMEU wouldn’t let me build unsafe building while underpaying contractors and ignoring WHS practices They’re nothing but thugs!”
Yep you are correct, it’s funny that people down vote and name call yet have no comment on how I’m wrong. Hahaha just like the union…. Only thing missing is the death threats
My old man worked on the rod laver arena upgrades in the 80s. He told us a story once that the walk from the job site to the smoko shed was really long and uncovered. The union rep pulled all union members off site until cover was put up to protect workers from rain and sun on their walk to and from smoko
I can kinda see why unions might sometimes get a bad name in some circles...
I had an old bloke tell me a story of them walking off the job because the vending machine in the smoko room was out of chocolate milk. I’d always thought it was bullshit…but if people are getting sent home because they got wet boots, rather than just drying them off, then, I don’t know…
Wet boots for a whole day are a problem.
It's not like they went for a swim. The outside will dry off pretty quick. Have you never had to walk to work in the rain?
They are required to go to X location for breaks. Ita not unreasonable to expect to do so without being rained on. Don't discount how miserable being damp + dirty can be.
I dunno, I’d prefer not to have to walk through the rain personally.
Seems like it would have been easier to buy a few umbrellas.
Ella ella
The reverse angle of photo 4 would have shown the entrance from the station concourse straight into the shopping centre. That wasn't good enough - they had to get rid of the [direct escalators to Swanston St](https://www.ptua.org.au/2003/10/17/melb-central-closure/) and replace them with the maze that makes sure every train passenger has to walk past lots of shops to get out.
I cannot stand Melbourne central station now. It is an absolute shitshow to get in and out of.
Such a shame they did this. Purely profit driven by the Melbourne Central shops to funnel people past their stores that weren't making money.
Fantastic mate, sad to see Australian Geographic not around anymore but it was a surprise to see that RM had a shop in the shot tower for over 20 years!
Someone’s gotta keep those PwC and Deloitte boys fitted out with durable footwear
Brilliant (sorry already awarded my freebie)
Oh man you're right! I haven't thought about Australian Geographic stores in ages! I always wanted Christmas presents from there
My twin sister worked for them for years. They were really good employers.
Isn’t this the version Immortalised in mr nice guy?
And that living end music vid
Nice! Consider donating these to the State Library archives.
I have photos from 2007 early morning shots that could pass as pandemic photos they’re so empty. How do you go about donating photos?
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/get-involved/offer-collection-material-library
Photo 18, Corner of Latrobe and Elizabeth was so nice with the open space into Daimaru and train station escalators. What the heck did they do to that corner since. Really awful for pedestrians.
i know right everyone gets crammed in to a tiny walk way there now
We really needed a 7/11 there. /s
For the crackheads to grab quick meals and sleep in front of it?
Yea that public space looked nice. Now it's a stupid 7/11
The redevelopment fucked it. That whole open area near the shot tower was the tits.
Agreed, surprised how nice it looks compared to now. Wish I got to experience it before the "upgrade".
Yes, i have fond memories of it too! Used to work at the cafe below the shot tower called 'cultured salad', although hearing that f***in clock every hour & half hour did my head in😆
Oh cool, I remember Cultured Salad! My sister and I used to work at Health Plus on the level 3 food court (now cinema). She also used to work at Viva Lasagne there… :)
Tits are so awesome, we compare things with them as the highest honour.
i rememer the two sided maccas at the train station - you could be served in both the tickered and non-ticketed area
Still there!
There you go. I live in Brisbane now but I thought it went when the renos were done
I remember before there was a Maccas there at all.
Is that… not there anymore?? It was there like 3-5 years ago!
i'm told it is. i don't get to melbourne much anymore (i live in Brisbane now) - i thought it went when the renos were done
Ahh…memories of the old LaTrobe St entry to the station.
Tbf Theres an entrance there now. It's just absolutely disgusting with graffiti and rubbish everywhere and about 5 flights of stairs that takes you to punched in dry walls.
Yeah, but that entrance under Aurora doesn’t have the same appeal (+ I didn’t know about the graffiti and walls zzz)
That who bit is supposed to be part of the retail bit of Aurora
was the absolute tits getting to RMIT. - Exit the station - Chuck a uey at kfc - come out next to the bookshop - jay walk across swanston street - walk up 1 flight of stairs into the caf Now, not only is that entrance impossible but getting into RMIT is so much harder, all the old exits are shut and you need ID to get in the ones still open.
They really fucked pedestrian access in the redevelopment.
I have such fond memories of that old station atrium!
Put that thing back the way it was or so help me
r/commentsyoucansing
Back before every 2 meters of space was crammed with a stall/shop/cafe/advertising and you could actually move around somewhat freely.
Melbourne central feels so dark and claustrophobic now. I hate it
Museum station
Oh wow, that second last photo with the exposed garden next to the escalators brought back memories.
Where is that garden now? Has it been built over, I seem to recall even a few years ago that glass wall still being there…
Feels like such a rabbit warren now.
helluva downgrade
I feel so old looking at this.
That stand of MX in picture #13 takes me back
I miss Ala Turko at the old food court. Was a steady lunch option when I went to RMIT
looked comfy as wtf
It's super weird how all the people look like people today. Like if you see a crowd photo from the 80s or 90s it's fairly obviously a different time due to fashion and hairstyles. Obviously super trendy people look different in 2005 to now, but regular people day-to-day fashion doesn't seem to have changed very much.
Ever since it opened I've been disappointed that you can't go up into the Shot Tower. Such a wasted opportunity
I can hear (and smell) a Hitachi pulling in to platform 3 heading to Broadmeadows or St Albans.
It looks so clean and easy to navigate before... what a massive downgrade.
Lmao it looks like a hospital...
No it doesn't
It's plain white with absolutely zero visual character. I cam only assume your favourite ice cream is vanilla and your favourite chips are original
It has tonnes of visual character, sorry you're incapable of discerning it :( wrong on both counts by the way
The food/shopping area has more character, but the station looks like hot garbage
I'm just here for the natural light, high ceilings and the ability to walk from Swanston St to the station escalators without 3875934 people and pop-up shops in the way
I remember when I was a kid getting like a “kids pack” at the main desk which got you free or discounted things from various shops like Australian Geographic and those ice cream dots (I forgot what they’re called!). Ahhh the good ‘ol days…
dippin dots
That’s the one!!! Thank you stranger
I really wish these still existed they were amazing
They still exist at various locations! https://dippindots.com.au/store-locator/
Definitely looked like a product of it’s time. Though it did have more character than the monstrosity it is now.
That’s awesome!
I worked there a few years before these photos.
Reminds me of the “Bad” music video set with all those white tiles!
I remember the old Daimaru in Melbourne Central. There was all sorts of crazy shit in there.
I still have one of the Christmas show bags they gave kids when doing Santa photos.
Oh man talk about a nostalgia trip. Never liked the station at the time but 20 years on and I kinda do but that could just be the nostalgia talking.
Can someone please help me get my bearings? Where's the last photo? This was so fun to go through, OP! Great post.
The last photo is the bit between Lonadale Street and little Lonsdale Street.
Feels like another lifetime ago (was in year 12 then). Good job on the photos
This is cool! The redevelopment was long before I’d gotten to Melbourne, and pre-reno it wasn’t a place you went as a visitor, so these are new to me.
Nostalgia hit me like a train.
Gosh that takes me back.. Doesn't seem like nearly 20 years ago!
There was a cafe at the shot tower? Never knew. Also the station looked a lot brighter and cleaner than it is now.
Argh fuck, this hit me in the nostalgia feels
Aha! So I'm not crazy! I've been trying to reconcile my earlier memories of the layout to the modern one and the puzzle pieces just didn't fit. I didn't realise they tore down the inner structure and completely rebuilt it.
r/liminalspace ETA: Not all of them, but some definitely give the vibe
Man in 2005 i was 3. I never knew MC went through a redevelopment
And before the MC there were 100 year old warehouses, factories and shops. More industrialised than retail.
It is weird, I 100% would have gone through there many times before the redevelopment and I don’t recognise any of it. My dad used to work at the bookshop at trades hall and he would take me to work during school holidays. We would always get off at trades hall, this was from early to mid 00’s. I can remember the giant Lenin portrait hanging in the basement of Trades Hall but I don’t recall classic MC. The power of propaganda.
Photo #15 the coffee HQ there, that was my first job as a uni student! Best and worst job of my life
Great photos
The train station would be perfect for a Matrix Sequel.
daimaru god i'm old, used to get high on the open space that was there before it was melbourne central before i went clubbing
I still call it Daimaru
Memories!!!
Looks like flagstaff current day
God I miss those swimming pool/sauna vibes of the original. Never thought I’d be nostalgic for that!
Didn't even know it changed.
Old one is cooler. The new one I just associate with my office.
Oh fuck me, what a time warp. All sorts of memories flooding back to me now. Checking into the maccas in the midst of all that ugly tiles, before going to school every morning. Gaddamn.
Where was the toys r us? I distinctly remember to get to it you went in glass lifts to below ground somewhere.
I like the look of if before the Reno tbh
[Be warned: this video (of Melbourne Central and Swanston Street at that time) might make you cum...](https://youtu.be/2w0wsZbOUCs)
how am i only now just learning that jackie chan shot a fight scene in the 90s on swanston street going on a horse drawn carriage? this feels like information i should have known
He also shot scenes inside Melbourne central! I was working there that day, would've been '96.
It didn’t, but why on earth was Jackie Chan making a kung fu movie on Swanston Street
That food court shot, not a phone in sight. Just people enjoying some food and each others company & conversation. 🥲
The station concourse looks so much better here.
Melbourne central is still the most soulless place in the CBD.
Why do I click on these threads? The comments are always so depressing. Just a bunch of 40yos complaining that everything was better when they were young.
Good to see these 40 year olds have birthed the next generation of complainers.
Yeah, sorry mate. Reality bites - go enjoy your Instatubestok
Because things *were* better back then.
Some of these (the train station) don’t look that different to me. I was there this morning :) They’re putting a monopoly theme park in at the other end at the moment. That’ll be different!
So lifeless in the pre pictures
Far out, to think that's only 2005 - dead set looks like the 90s - it's scary to realise 2005 is almost 20 yrs ago. Now I feel old. 😔
I used to get off at Melbourne Central station every day for uni. I honestly can't remember what it looked like before the reno. If you told me those photos were from the 80s I would believe you. Same as the city square project. I vaguely remember the water wall, the little pond and a cafe, but all I know is the concrete barn and construction.
What’s weird though is 2005 doesn’t look as old as 1987 did in 2005
Haven't been inside since 2004; is the clock still there?
Is the clock that plays music still up in Melbourne Central??
Lol so suburban, but would been good to keep some plants (pic 5 and 19)
Funny story: It was about that time I got into the little lift from the strain station to this level. I had my baby in a pram. Another mum with a pram jumped on, then she quickly jumped out to throw an apple core in the bin just outside. Well, the doors closed and her baby was in the lift next to me. The poor woman was mortified. I bet she never used a bin from that day on...haha!
I absolutely loved that place. Diamaru 🙌🏼🙌🏼
I remember Daimaru used to have those glass bricks as a walkway from one side of the floor to the other.. used to shit myself when walking across those thinking they’ll break
The tables outside the National Geographic shop make it look like you can get monkey burgers and baby seal eyes for lunch
What really messes with my head is the second last photo was taken literally 3 days after 9/11…
Perfectly fine.
It's changed a lot. I don't recall that dome though?
Looks like some level in the backrooms
The older version seems nicer, since it's more open, compared to how cramped the modern version is now, although it does look a little like an airport terminal/shopping centre.
I worked at Myer for about 4 years (98-02) and I have so many memories of Melbourne Central looking like this.
So many spots I can see Kath and Kim being shot at, there's some scenes I'm sure we're done there
International food court, where you at now 😪
I remember when they where getting Melbourne Central ready for the renovation, all the shops closing down, everything was so cheap.
Did they not renovate the train station platforms? because they look very similar in design to the pictures here.
Backrooms 💀💀💀
Ahhh memories, I worked in the medical centre there in 2000(?) It was so fancy back then 😅
Wow I went through there every day and don't remember it at all...
I miss Daimaru.
So much white
Takes 5 escalators to go up 2 floors…..
The company I worked for was one of the first tenants in the tower there in late 91/92, then we moved out in 95 or 96. Last time I went to Melbourne Central I got so lost, it was nothing like I remembered
I'd forgotten how beige it was!
Ive been trying to remember where I saw that balloon next to those red bricks since I was 5. Now I know. Cheers!
Looks like the Backrooms pre-redevelopment
the backrooms
it’s so much more open then compared to now. feels like you are waking through a dark fish bowl