Gas Lighting in Carlton and North Carlton

In the days before the advent of electricity, the streets of Carlton were illuminated with gas lighting. There were gas lamps on many street corners and several examples still remain, as truncated lamp post bases. The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) detail plans, drawn up in the late 19th and early 20th century, include codes showing the location of gas lamps (G.L.) and electric light posts (E.L.P.). The two methods of illumination co-existed for a time, but electric lighting eventually took over and the gas lamps were decommissioned. The upper portions of the lamp posts were removed, leaving the decorative bases.There are gas lamp bases at the following locations: Corner of Amess and Pigdon Streets, North Carlton ; Corner of Canning and Fenwick Streets, North Carlton ; Corner of Canning and O'Grady Streets, North Carlton ; Corner of Nicholson and Pigdon Streets, North Carlton (removed in October 2019) ; Corner of Amess and Richardson Streets, North Carlton ; Corner of Lygon Street and Argyle Place, Carlton ; Corner of Swanston and Pelham Streets, Carlton ; Corner of Rathdowne and Barkly Streets Carlton.

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