All Roads Lead to Kew: the story of Kew Junction

Kew Junction, or 'Five Ways', has been a notorious intersection for well over 150 years, referred to as a "death trap" (The Argus, 1933), "dangerous" (The Age, 1922) and just simply "puzzling" (The Argus, 1951).
So how did it get to be this way?
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I acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which this video was filmed, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people. I pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and their extensive and ongoing connection to the land, water and country.
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My website: philipmallis.com
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SOURCES AND CREDITS
Image source: 'Stephen's map of Melbourne and suburbs', W.B.Stephens: State Library of Victoria: handle.slv.vic....
Image source: 'High Street Kew in the 1890's': State Library of Victoria: handle.slv.vic.... (public domain)
Image source: Lithograph of Kew, Rudolph Jenny: State Library of Victoria handle.slv.vic.... (public domain)
Image source: 'The Yarra Bend and Lunatic Asylum from the road to Kew', D. McDonald: State Library of Victoria handle.slv.vic.... (public domain)
Newspaper source: 'A Dangerous Corner at Kew', The Age - 28 April 1922: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla....
Image source: 'High Str, Kew': State Library of Victoria handle.slv.vic.... (public domain)
Image source: 'High Street Kew, Vic', Rose Stereograph Co: State Library of Victoria handle.slv.vic.... (public domain)
News source: 'Death Trap', The Argus - 4 April 1934: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla....
Image source: 'Cars ruled the road', The Herald - 13 April 1954: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla....
Image source: 'How Kew's Lights Untangle Traffic', The Herald - 14 April 1951: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla....
Newspaper source: 'Lights Were Puzzling at Kew's Five Ways', The Age - 12 April 1951: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla....

[@keithpadbury9818]

My Great grandfather A W Padbury manufactured coffins and later a funeral parlour or in Cotham rd close to Kew Junction. The building can still be seen where Kew vet and Cattery is now, clearly marked est 1859 above the main door.

[@hypercomms2001]

I used to go to school at Burke Hall in 1970, and have found memories. When I was at Xavier I remember at lunchtime going up to Arthur's Cafe. Thank you ... these days I live in outback Croydon....

[@DatKidJohnny]

As a Caulfieldian Which has nothing but grid, Kew Junction was always something exciting to see.

[@DCCXXjay]

awesome videos mate!! as a transport enthusiast recently moved to melbourne, this type of content is just up my alley. excited for more :)

[@MrAndyshanahan]

I spent some wonderful years early 90s living atop 'Arthur's Cafe' about 3 shops up High Street on the northern side. Even ran my first (very budget) recording studio in the front room. Alex who owned the shop and his lovely wife were sensational people.

[@phillipnoone8044]

I used to work at Leos Fine Food & Wines, and this is a crazy intersection!

[@HughCampbell]

Would love a similar vid about St Kilda Junction / St Kilda High Street etc. My old man described what it was once like, but I've always struggled to imagine how it worked before they demolished half of St Kilda High Street to carry all that traffic over the top of the hill.

[@philipmallis]

Great idea, thanks! I'll add it to my list

[@clarefreeman3909]

Hi Philip, thank you for making these videos. I grew up in Chadstone in the 60s and 70s, now living in Perth, and am familiar with most of the eastern suburbs. Its great to see what they look like now.

[@railtrolley]

Another one is at Mooroolbark. Five way junction: Hull Rd, Lincoln Rd, Cambridge Rd, Manchester Rd. 2 roundabouts and 3 traffic islands. The junction is the lowest point in the area. Only Manchester Rd is not a grade dropping down to the junction.

[@richardleonard2946]

3 roundabouts. I did a defensive driving course run by some friends of friends about 30 years ago. In the theory class the instructor drew a diagram of a roundabout on the whiteboard to explain the basic rules. Being the obnoxious person that I was... am... I said "Draw the one in Mooroolbark!" He turns and says to me, "you mean the THREE in Mooroolbark?" There was a license testing centre near there for ages. If any learner could pass their test by navigating that thing during peak or school times, they deserve to get their license!

[@simonnaughton2272]

That one is a Total nightmare.

[@c.a.marsupial.1282]

Excellent. I'm living in Brisbane now but we used to go up high St to get home to Kilsyth. More short stuff like this would be great. Thanks.

[@chanakaranasinghe9292]

Normanby vibes

[@easyfreakine]

A recent effort (about 10 years ago) by Boroondara council to prevent traffic blocking trans at High St and Barkers Rd was to divert the traffic down Denmark St and make a right turn onto Barkers Rd. Nature strips were narrowed, clear ways added to accomodate a new right turning lane from Denmark St into Barkers Rd.

[@letsseeif]

Thanks for your informative video Philip. I wouldn't say navigating Kew Junction was a nightmare but at times it has come pretty close. [A Boorondara resident]

[@MrLeedebt]

Many thanks for another great video. Seemingly has not changed much since I first came to Melbourne in the early 70s. My first girlfriend lived at the freeway end of Walpole St.

[@markblanch2905]

C'mon Phillip, remiss to omit Robin, The Dancing Man Of Kew

[@CowboyJojosAdventures]

I remember him very well.

[@markblanch2905]

@@CowboyJojosAdventures A legend and important part of K Junc's history

[@CowboyJojosAdventures]

@@markblanch2905 Absolutely.

[@Alexander_Dunn]

1:20 I think it stopped being called five ways because there is another five ways near Cranbourne. Thanks for the video! :)

[@jasonclarke2345]

Also Wantirna Junction.

[@bury_the_elite65294]

Also the ones at Mooroolbark & Croydon North.

[@EJP286CRSKW]

I lived there from 1963 and never heard it called Five Ways at all. It was always 'the Junctoin'..

[@Zankoran]

I always liked the junction between High Street and Whitehorse Rd a little further up with the very impressive war memorial and the old post office and courthouse

[@davidjustdavid3955]

As a Boroondara resident for 5 years, this was eduacating. Thankyou

[@dinom8450]

Great videos and information….living near Kew Junction and using it daily, it seems to work extremely well.

[@nampomusic6378]

Very good video, but i was hoping for mention of the dancing man

[@1mmickk]

Studley park Road and Princess St were remodeled in the late 60s, buildings removed, roads realigned etc It used to be a lot more boxed in. Many bad accidents there over the years, a tram jumped the tracks and speared into the Clifton. A truck took out the people waiting in the tram safety zone another took out the people waiting for the bus, to name a few.

[@EJP286CRSKW]

Correct. Not in 1958 as stated. I lived in the area from April 1963 and took the bus down the un-widened Princess St and Studley Park Rd every schoolday for 7 years. There were shops in Studley Park Rd where the traffic island is now.

[@xr6lad]

You should do one on Springvale Junction. 6 roads feeding in.

[@SirHarkanVonBeck]

Now THAT is a bowl of spaghetti! Kew Junction looks a dream in comparison

[@bury_the_elite65294]

Excellent video as always :) Suggestion for another video - the junction at Croydon North. Another 5-way intersection; Maroondah Highway (SW-NE), Dorset Road (south), Exeter Road (west) & Bellara Drive (east). As a Maroondah resident of 10 years, I've lost count of the number of times they've tried to fix that one up! But it doesn't seem to matter what they do, it's still a bottleneck, especially at school & other peak times... :/

[@garynewton1263]

I remember driving through this back in the late 1980s after work and it was a nightmare back then, especially heading north along Denmark st towards the junction. What's it like now as I'm living in Adelaide?

[@simonnaughton2272]

It’s as bad as ever. Often traffic turns right well after the lights indicated so causing a general nervousness by entering traffic. They tram stops on both sides are still very close to the intersection itself and leave passengers very close to traffic streaming in to make the green/Amber light. The lane markers for the 4 directions you can turn towards when entering the junction from the east are far too short meaning people are often turn left from the right lane and vice versa. Confusion starts at the no rules situation of traffic merging from Cotham rd into high St some hundred meters to the east and continues.

[@garynewton1263]

@@simonnaughton2272 oh ok. Well I'm moving bsck home to Melb mid year so I guess I'll see it. Thanks.

[@senorliamy17]

The only junction I have heard of being called 'Five Ways' is Mooroolbark Five Ways, which is a group of three roundabouts with roads heading in 5 directions.

[@TomMathesonColes]

Would be cool to see a little history vid like this about camberwell junction

[@BrettDalton]

Interestingly there is a roundabout in mooralbark which is called 5 ways by a lot of the locals. Wonder if it's a hold over.

[@CowboyJojosAdventures]

Great history. Unfortunately the Clifton Hotel is about to go. We have associated with the area for 60 years . Well done 👍🏽

[@skibby0]

do you know what they intend to replace it with?

[@CowboyJojosAdventures]

@@skibby0 looks like appartments

[@skibby0]

@@CowboyJojosAdventures typical 🙄

[@RadioSnivins]

They should never have got rid of the topless barmaids.

[@user-kk4zw5jo4t]

Great video!

[@danniemck]

honestly i wonder how a round about would go in Kew Junction. would it even be possible to put one in? chuck some lights on it and possibly improve the flow... or would it make only the north south streets drivable?

[@to101md]

A roundabout with trams? Even if you allowed the tram to go through the roundabout, people would follow the tram line and probably end up smashing into someone.

[@xr6lad]

@@to101md there’s a round about with trams at the top of Elizabeth St in the city and works well. There’s are multiple round abouts with trams on Park St and no accidents.

[@damienbull9291]

And the proximity of Kew Railway Station!

[@planetdrinker5385]

About 20 years ago there used to be an old man that would drink at the pub on the corner and then dance and wave at the cars passing through the junction. If you drove through there in the evenings it seemed like you had about a 50% chance of seeing him. Let me know if you ever saw him.

[@philipmallis]

The Dancing Man? Yes I saw him all the time! Always great to watch. He passed away a few years ago unfortunately: www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/last-spin-for-dancing-man-20120601-1zmvk.html

[@ALFAGOMMA]

Worth mentioning that the small space on the north-east corner of Kew Junction is a garden dedicated to Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg. He saved thousands of Jews in Hungary during the Nazi occupation by issuing them with the equivalent of a Swedish passport. In the confusion of the closing stages of the war he was arrested by the Soviets as a spy and reportedly died in Russia in 1947.

[@philipmallis]

Yes very true, and an amazing story! Might be worth doing a full video on him in the future

[@turn567]

I've had to deal with this junction nearly my whole life!

[@robertdavey319]

I remember that junction well. In the early sixties, my step father and his mate played a trick on my mum and his mates wife at that spot. The 2 men sitting in the front seat somehow convinced the ladies that something was wrong with the car and that they needed to get out and push the car through the busy Kew junction embarrassing as it was. Ofcourse the car was fine , it was just a prank.

[@SiblingCreature]

I wonder if the Five Ways name dropped out of usage to avoid confusion with the locality called Five Ways (which marks what was probably once a 5 way intersection, but is now effectively 3 T intersections if I'm reading the map correctly) on the South Gippsland Hwy between Devon Meadows and Clyde.

[@kendawg_mcawesome]

To be fair to people of the time, the lights at Kew Junction are still a bewildering mess, judging by the number of misunderstandings I watch play out almost every time I travel through there.

[@maxsteelMountainLover]

isn't camberwell junction more complex with 6 roads meeting up?

[@jhfearon1052]

Good point!

[@SiblingCreature]

Oddly enough, I think that actually makes it simpler. It's not actually 6 different roads terminating, it's 3 through roads intersecting. I'd argue that Springvale Junction is actually a lot more complex because the three through roads that make it up don't all intersect at the same point, so it's actually 3 interlinked intersections making up a single junction.

[@ht8286]

Camberwell used to not have traffic lights in the junction in the eighties. Wild times...with three trams crossing it too

[@cricketgc6826]

Kew junction's messy intersection and confusing hook turns in the city, Kew and Melbourne overall is a very nice place to live.

[@fauzirahman3285]

That satay signboard just makes me crave for some. I wonder if that shop is still open.

[@philipmallis]

Unfortunately I think it closed a few years ago!

[@bloggaloggs]

I enjoyed this and have subscribed. Your channel is like an antipodean Map Men.

[@graemehart4094]

Great video…

[@dieterkoch8414]

You should visit the 5 ways roundabouts in Mooroolbark. Got to be one of the most confusing places to drive in Melbourne.

[@xr6lad]

Australians can’t handle round abouts full stop. I’ve never seen a collection of people so confused by the concept that you can have multiple cars in a round about at once and also entering from multiple directions at once. The only rule is not to cut any one off when you enter.

[@danielsavvinos7757]

Near Kew or Far Kew?

[@hypercomms2001]

Tram route 109, used to be Tram route 42, and 45.

[@jacksonmeli3803]

Great video mate 👍👍

[@Hendrik-jan-de-tuinman]

So how do you think it should or could be fixed/improved?

[@Hendrik-jan-de-tuinman]

for example an fly under for the trams

[@1greenMitsi]

nuke it

[@phillipnoone8044]

Its hilarious that drivers initially couldnt handle traffic lights

[@MrTimstaaa]

So that junction has been a disaster from the beginning ? Wow

[@lachlanmillsteed6825]

there’s a 5-ways in mooroolbark. would make a great video

[@radic888]

I don’t think Cotham Rd is actually part of the junction. It’s more of a T intersection with High St.

[@EJP286CRSKW]

More of a Y intersection with High St, but definitely not part of the Junction. The T intersection is at Cotham and Glenferrie Rds.

[@johnd8892]

Years ago I have heard people born in the thirties and earlier listing all the five ways around or that used to be around. So not always used for one location but as a description of a dreaded road layout. Gone out of use gradually as coordinated traffic lights have made them far less of a safety and stress issue Newspaper headline documented later use.

[@davemustaine7504]

why not convert it into a roundabout?

[@whya2ndaccount]

Oh its in Melbourne -- figures. :)

[@mjames4709]

What a mess that junction is. Worst in Melbourne.

[@chrispbacon3042]

Near Kew or Far Kew either way ya can get lost.

[@ordinaryman2299]

build tunnel system, i'm glad i dont live near it, i have driven throught it many times like most melbournians !!!

[@rexhunt4824]

The whole city is a hole. Who cares