Wailing Wall (Melbourne) facts for kids

The Wailing Wall is a special brick wall in Melbourne, Australia. It's located on the Flinders Street Extension. This wall became famous because it was a meeting spot for workers who loaded and unloaded ships, called wharf labourers. They would gather here when they didn't get work for the day.

What is the Wailing Wall?

The Wailing Wall is a long brick wall, about 220 meters (720 feet) in length. At its tallest point, it reaches about 5.5 meters (18 feet) high. It's made of strong bricks and has a top edge of bluestone, a type of durable rock.

There's a stairway built into the wall. Also, a glass walkway bridge crosses over it. This bridge connects to the Melbourne World Trade Centre. It was first built when a temporary casino was in the area. Part of the wall on the western side was shortened to make way for a road called Wurundjeri Way.

How the Wall Was Built

The Flinders Street Extension, where the wall stands, was built in 1890. This project aimed to improve the railway, road, and port facilities in western Melbourne. The wall itself is made from colorful bricks, including red, brown, and yellow.

It gently rises from near Spencer Street to a high point. This high point was once part of a hill called Batman's Hill. Most of Batman's Hill was removed in the 1860s and 1890s to make space for the Spencer Street railway station. The wall then slopes down to the west.

Why Workers Gathered Here

From around 1900 to the 1940s, getting work at the wharves was very competitive. This was known as the "bull system." Workers would gather twice a day to try and get hired. This system made workers compete against each other. They were often chosen based on their strength or how obedient they were.

If workers didn't get picked for a job, they weren't allowed to just hang around. Police would sometimes tell them to leave. So, they started gathering on the other side of the road, leaning against this wall. This is how it got its name, the "Wailing Wall," because it was a place where workers would wait, sometimes in disappointment. A similar system existed in Sydney, known as The Hungry Mile.

In 1917, waterside workers went on strike. They wanted a fairer system for getting work. They asked for one central place to be picked up for jobs. They also wanted to be paid for the time it took to travel to their assigned ships. However, the strike ended when other workers were brought in, and their demands for a central pick-up point were not met.

The wall's location is important because it was built where the road cut through what was left of Batman's Hill. This hill is a significant site in Melbourne's history.

Nearby Landmarks

On the wall, there is a special plaque. It marks the spot where John Batman, one of Melbourne's founders, and his wife Eliza built their house in 1835. A leader named Rupert Hamer officially revealed this plaque in 1977.

Across from the wall, you can see the Mission to Seamen building. This building helps sailors who visit the port. The first Melbourne World Trade Centre is also nearby.

In 2000, the tram line on Flinders Street was extended. This connected it to the tram lines in the Docklands area.