BGM_From Public Fountains to Coffee Palaces

Before Naarm - Melbourne became the cafe capital of Australia, the city was shaped by a very different kind of drinking culture-one that had nothing to do with coffee. In this episode of Down the Yarra, we’re diving into the history of Naarm’s public drinking fountains and the subsequent rise and fall of Melbourne’s grand coffee palaces. Why did the temperance’s movement push for public drinking fountains? How did Melbourne’s coffee obsession evolve from alcohol-free palaces to today’s laneway espresso bars? And what’s the story behind those little plates that still come with some coffees? Plus, stick around for a teaser on our next episode, the tragic and shocking true crime story of Jean Lee, the last woman to be publicly excused in Australia at Pentridge Prison in Coburg. So grab your flat white, long black, or however you take your coffee-because we’re about to take a journey Down the Yarra.