Down the Yarra Podcast

BGM_The Heart of Bourke Street: Naarm - Melbourne’s former GPO

Once the Epicentre of communication in Victoria, Naarm - Melbourne’s former General Post Office has stood through gold rushes, Royal visits, fires, protests, reinvention- and tragedy. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we trace the story of the former GPO from its colonial post hub to the fashion retail giant that we see today, and uncover the shifting soul of Bourke Street Mall.
We explore an urban legend (yes, the lost purse), the enduring elegance of Royal Arcade, and we reflect on the 2017 Bourke Street Massacre- a moment that forever changed the CBD’s heart.
Plus, a teaser for our next episode: Naarm - Melbourne’s long-lost Eastern Market- once more iconic then what is now the Queen Victoria Market, now almost entirely forgotten.
Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to real-life events that maybe distressing to some listeners. Please take care.

BGM_Eastern Hill: Whete Power, Faith and Fire Colllide

In this episode, we climb to the top of Eastern Hill - one of Naarm (Melbourne)’s oldest and most powerful precincts, where churches, sirens, and stones collide . From the quiet defiance of St Peter’s Eastern Hill to the towering might of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the legacy of Archbishop Daniel Mannix, even a cheeky gargoyle flipping the bird to Victoria’s former premiere Jeff Kennett - this is a place where faith mets fire and medicine rose beside politics.
We’ll explore the Fire Services and Ambulance Museums, peek inside the Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, and ask: what does the future hold for this sacred , chaotic hill?
Plus, a teaser for our next episode, where we head downhill to the steps - and secrets - of the Victorian State Parliament.
Trigger Warning: This episode includes references to fire, injury, colonial violence, and medical trauma.
Down the Yarra - whether you’re a local or just curious, this podcast is for you.

BGM_Spring Street Secrets: The Wild Ride of Victoria’s State Parliament

Perched above Parliament Station and steeped in power, scandal, and unfinished dreams - Victoria’s State Parliament is anything but boring. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we journey from its colonial foundations to the main who famously rode a horse named Cicero into the chamber, through decades of political deal, dodgy behaviour, and dramatic reforms.
We uncover the past, present, and future of one of Naarm - Melbourne’s most iconic institutions- and ask the question what it means to govern on stolen land, under an unfinished dome.
Trigger Warning: This episode includes references to political misconduct, corruption, and colonial violence. Listeners discretion is advised.
Plus: A teaser for next episode’s grand destination - just across the road at the legendary Hotel Windsor.

BGM_The Paris End of Collins Street

Welcome to the Paris End of Collins Street- where elegance meets mystery, fashion meets graffiti, and gold-painted trams once rolled past the grand facades and whispered scandals, in this episode of Down the Yarra, we unravel the past, presen, and future of one of Naarm - Melbourne’s most iconic stretches - from the colonial beginnings and haute couture heyday to it’s hidden laneways, late nights secrets, and its ever growing calls for change.
We explore the street art, rooftop bars, mini galleries and the underground tales - alongside the uncomfortable truths and elitism that still continue to echo through its heritage walls.
Trigger Warning: This episode includes references to colonial elitism and exclusionary institutions as well as its practices. Listeners discretion is advised.
Plus, don’t forget to hang around for our teaser on the mysterious, exclusive, and still very much still - standing Melbourne Club - our next stop on Down the Yarra.

BGM_Stream, Smoke and a shot in the Dark: The Eastern Market & the Russell Street Bathhouse

Long before it was just another CBD intersection, the corner of Bourke and Exhibition Streets was actually home to one of Naarm - Melbourne’s most colourful as well as chaotic spaces - the long-lost Eastern Market. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we dive into the history, its hidden secrets, dodgy dealings, and greasepaint-smeared ghosts of the Eastern Market and the near-by old Russell Street Bathhouse.
We also revisit the shocking 1899 shooting by Emery Gordon Medor who opened fire in the middle of the market-killing his neighbour and injuring several others-yet somehow wasn’t charged with murder. For the full deep dive into this jaw-dropping case, we highly recommend the Melbourne podcast Dead & Buried’s brilliant episode “Fortune Killer”.
Trigger Warning: This episode includes themes of violence, murder and mental illness. Listeners discretion is advised.
And stick around ‘til the end-we’re teasing our next stop into the heart of Naarm - Melbourne’s East End Theatre District, where the curtains never really close.

BGM_The Diva from Down Under: Dame Nellie Melba’s Life, Voice, & Legacy

She was the voice that silenced rooms and shook empires - Dame Nellie Melba, Australia’s first global superstar. In this special episode of Down the Yarra, we trace the life, times, and towering legacy of the diva from Richmond. From her early years as Helen Porter Mitchell to her troubled marriage, groundbreaking operatic debut and career as well as her iconic performance at the opening of Canberra’s Old Parliament House in 1927, Melba’s story is one of talent, grit, and triumph.
We explore her role to fame, her enduring cultural imprint, and the way she not only helped yet inspired to shape not just the arts in Australia - but Australia’s place on the world stage.
Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to domestic abuse and mental health struggles.
Plus, stay tuned for our next episode on the Long-Lost Jobs of Old Melbourne.

BGM_The Windsor: Ghosts, Grandeur & a Burning Liquor Licence

Step inside the grand old dame of Naarm - Melbourne-The Hotel Windsor. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we explore the Windsor’s glittering past, scandalous moments, and its uncertain future. From its birth during Marvellous Melbourne boom period to Victoria’s premiere James Munro’s fiery temperance protec, ghost stories in the hallways, and its brush with demolition in the early 2000’s, this iconic cultural landmark has seen it all.
We peel back the layers of history, scandal, and luxury - and we reveal what’s next for this archeological treasure.
Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to alcohol, temperance movements, and the near lost of a major cultural site.
Plus, stay tuned for a teaser on our next episode - when we head just across the road to the chic and storied Paris End of Collins Street.

BGM_The Curtains Up: Secrets of Naarm - Melbourne’s East End Theatre District

In this episode of Down the Yarra, we lift the curtain on Melbourne’s legendary East End Theatre District- exploring its glittering origins, hidden secrets, ghosts stories, and the tragedies woven into its velvet-draped past. From the haunting tale of Frederici at the Princess Theatre to the rebirth of the district in post-COVID, we walk the line between spotlight and shadow in one of the CBD’s most iconic cultural quarters.
We also spotlight two brilliant podcast recommendations:
*Dead & Buried’s myth-busting episode on Naarm - Melbourne’s urban legends
*Things That Go Bump In The Night’s eerie deep-dive on the ghost of Frederici at the Princess Theatre,
Plus, stay tuned for a special teaser on our next episode where we dive into the life, times, legacy and the operatic stardom of Dame Nellie Melba.
Trigger Warning: This episode includes references to death and ghost stories. Listeners discretion is advised.

BGM_The Grid Beneath Our Feet: Robert Hoodle’s Game-Changing Vision

Before the skyscrapers and laneways, there was a plan- a man named Robert Hoodle. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we uncover the grid beneath our feet: how it came to be, why it doesn’t quite run north to south, and what secrets lie beneath its neat, straight lines. From colonial ambition to modern transportation, we trace the past, present, and future of Melbourne’s iconic Hoodle Grid in the CBD - and ask why it still continues to shape the CBD today.
Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to colonial expansion and the dispossession of Aboriginal land.
Plus, stay tuned for a teaser on Melbourne’s most confusing road rule - the infamous hook turn.

BGM_The Infamous Hook Turn: Naarm - Melbourne’s Beautifully Bizarre Traffic Dance

Naarm - Melbourne’s hook turn - iconic, confusing, and uniquely ours. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we take a deep dive into the past, present, and future of this beautifully bizarre traffic move. From its surprising origins in Sydney to the hidden secrets behind its intersections and fines, we explore how the hook turn became a symbol of Naarm - Melbourne’s tram-filled streets and its urban character. Plus, why it might not be around forever.
Trigger Warning: This episode has a brief reference to historical road accidents and urban planning decisions that maybe be upsetting to some listeners.
Also, stay tuned for our teaser in Naarm - Melbourne’s former General Post Office - once the beating heart of the city’s CBD.