Melbourne Map Poster: the Hoddle Grid and a bay-bound river
Why Melbourne works so well as a map poster
Melbourne's heart is the Hoddle Grid — a perfect golden-ratio rectangle of streets and famous laneways laid out in 1837 — set at a jaunty angle to the Yarra River, which wanders past the MCG and Botanic Gardens on its way to Port Phillip Bay.
Around the grid, the inner suburbs each bring their own weave: Fitzroy and Carlton's Victorian terraces, St Kilda curving along the bay, and the parks — Melbourne keeps a quarter of its centre green.
Best palettes for Melbourne
- Forest — the signature pick: garden-city greens for Australia's garden city.
- Noir — laneway-culture cool in black and white.
- Blueprint — the tilted Hoddle Grid reads beautifully as a technical drawing.
Where to centre the map and which radius to use
Centre on Flinders Street Station with a 6 km radius: the tilted grid, the Yarra's curls, Albert Park's lake and the bay's edge all share the frame. The grid's angle gives the poster natural dynamism.
Ready-made Melbourne posters
We have already rendered 5 Melbourne designs at 300 DPI (Forest, Blueprint, Midnight Blue, Noir, Warm Beige). Download the files for 9.99 € and print them anywhere, or order a premium matte print (A4 to 60×90 cm) with shipping included.
See all Melbourne designs Order it printed
Design your own Melbourne poster
Pick any of the 17 palettes, set the exact centre and radius described above, choose the size and the label text (Melbourne, or a neighbourhood name), and we render it for you from live map data after checkout. From 14 €, usually ready in 5–15 minutes.
Which size to print
City maps with lots of fine streets reward size: 30×40 cm is the sweet spot for a desk or hallway, 50×70 cm and 60×90 cm turn the map into a statement piece where individual streets remain legible from across the room. Stick to matte paper so the dark palettes do not reflect. Read the printing and framing guide.