Stop 1- Union Lane

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The first stop of this tour is in an alleyway along one of Melbourne’s best known streets, Bourke street. Stepping into this lane, you enter an atmosphere different from that of the lively street behind. The walls are painted with outbursts and criticisms towards society. The phrase in the first picture has served as a political outcry for decades and was first introduced through a protest song. It is commonly used to express anarchic distrust and hate towards authorities and to insult the views of the general public.

The second portrays the prohibited act of smoking marijuana and claiming its illegal with discouraging body language at the same time. This ironic juxtaposition sheds light on the cultural norms people often claim but do not necessarily adhere to, thereby pointing the limelight at society's double standards. Counterculture can be observed here in how the behaviour and values of the masses are opposed. Street art is also used as an outlet for more unpopular opinions to be expressed and observed by any passer by.