Lonsdale Street is located in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid, it runs roughly east-west. Lonsdale Street's eastern end intersects with Spring Street while its western end intersects with Spencer Street. It is home to multiple office buildings, courts, restaurants, stores, apartments, two churches and other buildings. It was named after William Lonsdale, the first administrator and magistrate in Melbourne.
During the late 19th century the home and principal business venue of brothel proprietor Caroline Hodgson, better known as 'Madame Brussels', was located at 32-34 Lonsdale Street, not far from the Parliament of Victoria in Spring Street, from which it derived much of its clientele.[1]
Lonsdale Street crosses Swanston Street where the Queen Victoria Village project was completed recently. QV village is an integrated city block development consisting of residential units, retail outlets, and office blocks. Two shopping centres, Myer and Melbourne Central Shopping Centre, can also be found on Lonsdale Street.
The St Francis Church, which is situated on the intersection between Lonsdale and Elizabeth streets, is a Roman Catholic church listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. Wesley Church, a Uniting Church, is located on the stretch of Lonsdale Street between Russell Street and Exhibition Street.
The intersection with William Street is Melbourne's legal precinct. The Supreme Court of Victoria, County Court and Melbourne Magistrates' Court are all nestled on this intersection.
Major bus routes run along Lonsdale Street with services down the Eastern Freeway out towards the Eastern suburbs. It was formerly served by a line of Melbourne's cable tram network. The cable trams were replaced by an electric tram network in the first half of the 20th century but the line along Lonsdale Street was not converted to electric traction and thus removed.
Running parallel to Lonsdale Street is the historic Little Lonsdale Street.
Between Swanston Street and Russel Street, along Lonsdale Street, there is a large concentration of Greek restaurants and shops.
At the corner of Lonsdale and Russell Street is 24 hour Greek restaurant Stalactites, which is famous, amongst other things, for being the celebration place of Cypriot tennis player Marcos Baghdatis during his 2006 Australian Open campaign.
The Helenas Centre of Melbourne is also located on the corner of Lonsdale and Russel streets.
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