Open the gate please? (Spencer Street Station) c. 1980

Summary

This photograph by Terry Young captures a crowd of passengers waiting before a gate at a platform at Spencer Street Station (now Southern Cross Station).

“These images of the people of Melbourne were taken during my formative photographic years. Inspired by the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange, Eugene Smith, Walker Evans and many other influential photojournalists. It is not to say that these images are anywhere in the same category of these famous photographers, far from it. But we are all motivated by great artists as we look for a connection with the subject matter around us. Interestingly, I would not take this type of imagery now. The photographs were taken over 45 years ago and surprisingly they still resonate with me. They portray a time, a place and people who no longer exist as they do now. Eventually all our images become records of history. I hope you can see what I saw in them so many years ago.” - Terry Young, 2025