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Named after its designer, Robert Hoddle, the Grid was laid out in 1837. It is one mile long by half a mile wide, and orientated with its long axis rotated slightly anticlockwise of the east-west plane, to better align with the course of the Yarra River. However, most Melburnians consider the Grid's streets to be aligned either east-west or north-south.

1 East-West Streets

These streets run parallel to the Yarra River.

• Flinders Street (Southernmost)
• Flinders Lane ¹
• Collins Street
• Little Collins Street ²
• Bourke Street, incorporating Bourke Street Mall
• Little Bourke Street ³
• Lonsdale Street
• Little Lonsdale Street ⁴
• La Trobe Street (Also written as LaTrobe) (Northernmost)

¹ One-way to the west; two-way between Market and Spencer Streets
² One-way to the west; two-way between King and Spencer Streets
³ One-way to the west
⁴ One-way to the east

2 North-South Streets

These streets run perpendicular to the Yarra River.

• Spring Street (Easternmost)
• Exhibition Street
• Russell Street
• Swanston Street
• Elizabeth Street
• Queen Street
• Market Street¹
• William Street
• King Street
• Spencer Street (Westernmost)

¹ Market Street only runs between Flinders and Collins Streets, and is the single major deviation in the Grid.

3 Surrounding Localities