This blew my tiny mind.
Speaking of Metro tunnel station names, the project publicity is increasingly talking about (new) North Melbourne station.
It’s a shame the old one wasn’t renamed to West Melbourne (as per the plan) last year when all the maps were reprinted for the opening of the Mernda extension.
Hopefully they get it done soon, well before the tunnel opens.
- September 2017: What should the metro tunnel stations be called?
- November 2017: The names are announced
4 replies on “State Library station”
I’m confused. How are the Museum and State Library the same building?
@number because the Russell street side of the library was the Museum of Victoria until the one in Carlton gardens was built… I believe it still says museum on it somewhere… Maybe on one of the pediments?
Daniel – when I contacted PTV about this late last year in connection with the fourth edition of my Melbourne train map (I was worried that I would print it and that the name would change to West Melbourne soon after), I was told that the change would be made closer to the time of the opening of the new stations.
Number – the Museum used to be located in the that building prior to the opening of the current museum in the 1990s. In fact, until about 1970, the Art Gallery shared that site as well.
In renaming stations we lose a sense of connection to history and some of the story and color of Marvelous Melbourne. Even if it does in some cases seem quirky to contemporary eyes.
Museum Station is a classic example. Renamed Melbourne Central Station but with none of the grandeur of a real central station – just look at the central station examples from around the world. I guess it’s just named for being in the centre of Melbourne (yes, it was named for the commercial shopping development of the same name). How bland. The station is bland (and tired and dirty) and the name is bland. The name Museum Station still has character and a sense of history and is part of the Melbourne story that’s quickly being erased. It’s a good name for the station even if the old museum building is now houses the state library. But that horse has bolted.
I’m in two minds still about Southern Cross Station. I concede in that its now in the heart of the heavily developed ‘Southern Cross Station precinct’ where the western city boundary of Spencer Street is no longer a relevant concept.
Renaming the current North Melbourne station is just silly. There is no need to rename it. Even if it’s not quite perfectly geographically in what’s now known as North Melbourne it remains the North Melbourne transport hub/interchange and legitimately North Melbourne Station.
The station being build near Arden Street should just be called Arden Street. The area is known as Arden Street due to the heavy association with the Arden Street oval. And it’s OK to bring this local color into the stations name.
Geographic station naming philosophy has taken hold in Victoria and rides a bland rough shod over a sense of history, local identity and just plain color. Melbourne’s planners have lost the joy of Marvelous Melbourne and some of it’s lovable quirkiness.