Flinders Street Viaduct

The Flinders Street Viaduct is a railway bridge carrying four train lines that connect Flinders Street Station to Southern Cross Station through central Melbourne. The structure consists of two sections with numerous spans that form a distinctive part of the city's skyline.

The viaduct was first built in 1889 and then expanded in 1915 to create a permanent rail link connecting Melbourne's eastern and western rail networks through the city center. This expansion allowed trains to move more efficiently across the growing metropolis.

The structure became central to how Melbourne organized movement through its heart and shaped the city's urban layout. Today you can see how the railway infrastructure influenced what grew around it.

The best views come from the sidewalks and streets around the structure, where you can photograph it from different angles and observe the engineering up close. Visit during daylight hours for the clearest sight of the metalwork and spans.

Beneath the viaduct sits the Melbourne Aquarium, built between 1998 and 1999, which incorporates the railway structure into contemporary urban space. This unexpected pairing shows how historic infrastructure can be repurposed for modern uses.