Southbank’s new streets

Melbourne Square has further cemented its position as a new mini suburb within Southbank through the creation of two of its own new streets.

As a testament to Southbank’s world-class Arts Precinct, Melbourne Square developer OSK Property has created two new thoroughfares through its precinct celebrating two of Australia’s most notable women of the arts – Dr Ursula Hoff and Alice Bale.

The new streets, Hoff Boulevard and Bale Circuit, are open to pedestrians, with vehicles expected to use the new internal arterials for the first time in the coming months.

With six towers being developed on a plot of land bigger than the Melbourne Cricket Ground along Kavanagh St between Power and Balston streets, the new streets provide added accessibility for Melbourne Square’s residents and visitors.

The decision to name the streets after the two women pays homage to Melbourne Square’s arts-centric location and Southbank’s deep-rooted connection to the arts.

Born in London and migrating to Australia in 1939, Dr Hoff was the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV’s) first female curator and assistant director, while the Melbourne-born Alice Bale was a highly regarded artist and loyal staffer of the NGV who played an active role in the early years at the gallery •