White noise in Melbourne
IT HAS BEEN four years since I moved to Melbourne and began a new, uncharted chapter of my life, building and starting over my career from nothing as many migrants do. And aside from the consistently good-tasting coffee, which is thanks to the high-quality natural spring water compared to other states’, I noticed that Melbourne offers generous spaces with a calming and soothing white noise.
Here is one of them, initially written as a content piece for a community newsletter for international students in Melbourne by Future Forte, followed by a couple of recommendations nearby.
For international students and migrants in Melbourne, there would be recommendations galore of cafes, bakeries, patisseries, croissanteries, restaurants, art exhibitions and galleries, and even public parks and spaces. However it’s fair to say that everyone here in Melbourne has their own favourite corners and nooks and things to do there scattered all over the city.
White noise @ 181 William Street
It’s totally a no brainer choice for us to go to the State Library of Victoria (SLV) as it provides plenty of space and free open internet access. If internet access is not an issue, he would recommend the lobby of GPT Building at 181 William Street as a perfect place to experience urban white noise. Yes, it’s the lobby!
You don’t need security clearance or entry access. It has a beautiful and spacious interior with designated seating areas for individuals or groups where you can open your laptop, write in your journal, read or sip a nice cup of latte from the pop-up cafe inside the lobby.
“How did you find this place?” You asked.
Well… my partner and I love a good coffee, even more with an additional discount, cashback offer, or bundle deal. The pop-up cafe I mentioned before is Abacus and they serve fantastic coffee. It was a pleasant surprise to find a branch of Abacus right in the lobby of that building. And that’s why we sometimes love to work remotely from there, while enjoying their lattes and croissants for brekkie.
Rock The Wok
If your tummy is grumbling while enjoying the atmosphere at 181 William Street, simply walk around the building and you’ll find a line of another cafes and restaurants of any sort in Goldsbrough Lane. My easy pick is Rock the Wok, a Thai-style eatery offering quick and affordable meals. Choose your type of carb, select your protein and your choice of sauce.
The Parliament House free public tour
Did you know that the Parliament of Victoria offers a free limited public tour? After enjoying a small box of your glass noodles with green curry chicken from Rock the Wok, hop on tram routes 86 or 96 right outside Goldsbrough Lane and head to the Parliament House at the eastern end of Bourke Street. The tour is free but limited. Check the schedule here and arrive 15-20 minutes before your tour is due to start.
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