B4 you go-go: Melways Map 58

Look Me Up B4 You Go-Go: Tales from the B4 grid square of maps

The Melways, for those of you unfamiliar with Melbourne life, is traditionally THE definitive street directory of Melbourne. There are other street directories, but none captured the popular imagination like the Melways. Grid references, say for a shop or a restaurant, are always given from the Melways.

And why did I choose the B4 grid-square? For no reason other than I could work B4 into a title. Yes, I am truly that shallow in my content choices.

So to kick off this series there is no better place to start than the map I first acquainted myself with when I moved to Melbourne all those years ago…Map 58.

Located at the B4 grid-square of Melways Map 58 is Fawkner Park.

Fawkner Park was created in 1862, and remains predominantly laid out as it was then. The park covers an area of 41.082ha and is criss-crossed by a series of tree-lined avenues (elm, oak and Moreton Bay fig trees). It is named after Melbourne’s co-founder, John PascoeFawkner, who owned The Enterprize, the schooner that brought Melbourne’s first settlers from Tasmania.

The avenues of trees are now very mature.

When I first moved to Melbourne and lived in Prahran, I used to walk to the office on St Kilda Road, meeting up with a colleague on the way. We’d stroll along one of these avenues each day, discussing world events in depth gossiping about celebrities and royals. As the months got colder, the leaves turned to golden hues and fell to create a crunchy carpet underfoot. The air was bracing.

It was the best way to start a workday morning.

Every time I see Fawkner Park now I remember those times.

One of the tree-lined avenues.

The currently lush canopy of trees…which turns to russet golds..and then bare grey branches.

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