Daily Photo: Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station

Hidden above the hustle and bustle of Flinders Street Station, where thousands of Melburnians rush about trying to catch their trains, is something you probably wouldn’t expect to find: a grand old ballroom. Complete with a history of music, dancing and railway workers letting their hair down. 

Back in the day, the ballroom was part of the Victorian Railways Institute, where railway employees could enjoy dances, concerts and various other social activities. After a hard day’s work shifting passengers around the city, employees could unwind with a spot of dancing and presumably, no announcements about platform changes halfway through the waltz. The ballroom eventually closed in the 1980s and gradually slipped into obscurity. For years, it became something of a hidden treasure, despite being perched above one of the most recognisable buildings in Australia.

I rather like the thought of it. A grand ballroom, complete with its own history of music, dancing and social gatherings, sitting above Melbourne’s daily commuter chaos – a secret hiding in plain sight.