Seniors in Melbourne

Join us for Journey to Dairy Hall — an informative wander through one of Melbourne’s most beloved traditions. We’ll meet on the steps of the historic General Post Office on Bourke Street before heading to Hardware Lane, a vibrant pedestrian strip filled with cafés, bars and classic Melbourne charm, and Guildford Lane, now a leafy retreat tucked behind the city’s bustle. We’ll make our way to the Queen Victoria Market, the city’s fresh-produce hub since 1878. You’ll get a taste of the market’s character, from heritage halls and long-running family stalls to fresh produce, specialty foods and the lively atmosphere that has kept the market thriving for generations. When: Thursdays, 10 am – 1 pm Where: Meet at 9.45 am on the steps of the General Post Office, Bourke Street Tickets: $60. Tour price includes tea or coffee. Maximum of 10. Meet your Guide – Paul Daffey Paul is a lifelong Melburnian, journalist and storyteller whose love of local character brings every corner of the city to life.

Join us for a story-filled walk through Melbourne’s historic heart — starting right under the famous clocks at Flinders Street Station. Block of Gold is a 90-minute guided walking tour that explores a compact but richly layered part of the city, where grand arcades, narrow laneways and European-style cafés tell the story of Melbourne’s early ambition and enduring charm. We’ll begin at Flinders Street Station before wandering through Centre Place, a laneway that captures Melbourne’s café culture at its most intimate. From there, we step back in time inside two of the city’s most beautiful arcades — the Block Arcade and the Royal Arcade — where decorative floors, glass ceilings and long-standing shops reflect a golden era of city life. This tour is ideal if you’re short on time but still want a deeper understanding of how Melbourne’s CBD took shape. When: 2.00 pm - 3.30 pm Where: Meet at 1.45 pm on the steps of Flinders Street Station (under the clocks) Tickets: $40. Maximum of 10 people. Meet your Guide – Paul Daffey Paul is a lifelong Melburnian, journalist and storyteller. His easy manner and deep knowledge bring Melbourne’s history to life, revealing small details and stories that most people walk past every day.

Melbourne’s city pubs aren’t just places to grab a pint, they’re part of the city’s living history, filled with stories of student days, six o’clock swills, and unexpected characters. Many of these old watering holes have disappeared, but the ones that remain still carry the spirit of Melbourne through their walls. Join this 3-hour walking tour to explore the history and stories behind some of Melbourne's best pubs. Tour highlights include: - Toast the history of the Mitre, which is in the city’s oldest building - Raise a glass to Chloe, our barroom icon of art, at Young & Jackson’s When: 2 - 5 pm Where: Meet at 1.45 pm outside the Mitre Tavern in Bank Place, just off Collins Street Tickets: $60. Tour price includes one drink at the end of the tour. Maximum of 10. Meet your Guide – Paul Daffey Paul is a lifelong Melburnian, journalist and storyteller whose love of local character brings every corner of the city to life.

Join us for a walk through Melbourne’s heart — starting right under the clocks at Flinders Street Station. On this Melbourne 3-hour walking tour, we’ll set off from the steps of Flinders Street Station to explore the lanes, alleys and arcades that encapsulate Melbourne’s history and, these days, underlie the appeal of the city for locals and visitors of all ages. When: Fridays, 10 am – 1 pm Where: Meet at 9.45 am on the steps of Flinders Street Station (under the clocks) Tickets: $60. Tour price includes tea or coffee. Maximum of 10. Meet your Guide - Paul Daffey Paul is a lifelong Melburnian, journalist, and storyteller. His love of local history and character comes through in every step of his tours around Melbourne. Whether he’s recounting tales of a century-old pub or pointing out a detail most people miss, Paul has a knack for making the city’s past feel alive and wonderfully human.

Some of Melbourne’s most interesting stories are tucked away just out of sight. The Guildford Files is a 90-minute guided walking tour that explores the laneways and backstreets behind Bourke Street, where old warehouses, service lanes and quiet corners reveal how the city has reinvented itself over time. Starting at the historic General Post Office, we’ll make our way into Hardware Lane, the original paved laneway, and the warehouse grandeur of Niagara Lane before stepping into Guildford Lane — a once-gritty service lane that has transformed into one of the CBD’s most charming pockets. This tour is ideal for anyone curious about how Melbourne’s laneways evolved from purely practical spaces into destinations in their own right. When: 2 pm – 3.30 pm Where: Meet on the steps of the General Post Office, Bourke Street Tickets: $40. Maximum of 10 people. Meet your guide – Paul Daffey Paul is a lifelong Melburnian, journalist and storyteller who delights in uncovering the layers of history hiding in plain sight. His tours focus on the human stories and small details that give Melbourne its distinctive character.

Melbourne’s stories aren’t only found in books — they’re written into its streets, laneways and meeting places. City of Literature is a 3-hour guided walking tour exploring how Melbourne became a city shaped by writers, readers, publishers and ideas. From early newspapers and publishing houses to bookshops, cafés and laneways filled with words and colour, this tour traces the literary life of the city across time. We’ll gather at the State Library Victoria before heading further into the CBD, following a trail that reveals where stories were written, debated, printed and shared. Along the way, Paul Daffey brings together well-known names and lesser-known tales, showing how Melbourne earned its place as a UNESCO City of Literature — and why it was named the second city in the world to receive the title. This tour is ideal for curious readers, history lovers and anyone interested in the cultural forces that shaped Melbourne. When: 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm Where: Meet at 1.45 pm on the steps at the entrance to State Library Victoria Tickets: $60. Tour price includes tea or coffee. Maximum of 10 people. Meet your guide – Paul Daffey Paul is a lifelong Melburnian, journalist and storyteller whose deep connection to the city’s cultural life adds richness and context to every walk. With an eye for detail and a love of language, he reveals the stories that have helped define Melbourne.

Flinders Lane has lived many lives — and its story is written into the buildings, laneways and corners that most people hurry past. The Life and Times of Flinders Lane is a 90-minute guided walking tour exploring how this once-industrial street evolved from the heart of Melbourne’s Rag Trade into one of the city’s most celebrated dining and laneway precincts. Starting at the eastern end of Flinders Lane, we’ll trace the area’s changing fortunes, from clothing factories and warehouses to small bars, creative spaces and acclaimed restaurants. Along the way, Paul Daffey brings the street’s past to life with stories of workers, makers and mischief — and asks whether AC/DC Lane really deserves its rock-and-roll reputation. This tour is ideal for locals who think they know Flinders Lane, and visitors curious about how Melbourne’s laneway culture came to be. When: 2.00 pm - 3.30 pm Where: Meet at the corner of Spring Street and Flinders Lane Tickets: $40. Maximum of 10 people. Meet your guide – Paul Daffey Paul is a lifelong Melburnian, journalist and storyteller whose deep knowledge of the city’s working past and creative present adds colour and context to every walk. His tours focus on the small details and human stories that give Melbourne its character.