Physical description
Black and white photograph taken from St Pauls Cathedral Melbourne, looking south over Princes Bridge, early 1950's. Has nine trams in the view, mainly W2's, but one W3 and many motor vehicles, trucks etc. Shows the gardens in the now Southbank area, the junction just past the bridge of South Melbourne tram line, Wirth Bros Circus and other buildings, Prince Henry's Hospital.
In particular is an Olympic pool direction sign hanging below the Batman Ave tram sign. This would have been the pool in Batman Ave, nearer to Flinders St, within the Flinders St yard complex, not the 1956 pool. Directly below is a female pedestrian dress in the classic 1950's "Dior" look.
Over the bridge on the west side is "The Trocadero" formerly The Green Mill Dance Hall opened on 07/09/1926.
West of that again is "Olympia" run by Wirth's . In the distance is Prince Henry's Hospital, the tall section was built in 1942, since demolished. Rod Atkins noted that the Olympia burnt down in the early fifties about the same the Trocadia closed, so pre 1953.
Note the centre pole is still place at the Sturt Street intersection.
In Batman Ave we have two W2's 401 and earlier one.
In St Kilda Road we have four W2's in foreground in then W3 - No. 667 then a W4 then a SW6 in the distance. Outbound on route 4D is 578, behind it is 340 on route 5. A safety zone is between 578 and 340.
Inscriptions & markings
Stamped on rear "Australian Official Photograph / Department of Information" and the number "L3121" in pencil.