Lonely Planet Showcases Stunning New Australian Headquarters

Lonely Planet, the world’s leading travel media company, has moved its Australian headquarters into dynamic new office premises on Levels 2 & 3 of The Malt Store (the heritage-listed former Carlton & United Breweries site), located at 551 Swanston Street in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Carlton, Victoria.

Lonely Planet’s CEO Daniel Houghton says, “We are really pleased to have been able to secure such a stunning site for our new Melbourne office. It is vital for Lonely Planet to continue to have a presence in such a key market for the business, and it feels right that our new home should be in the old premises of another heritage Australian brand - Carlton & United Breweries. Melbourne as a city can be credited with a fantastic creative and progressive culture that has always been part of Lonely Planet's identity. I'm pleased that this will continue to be the case.”

“We are excited that our team in Australia, who are so pivotal to many aspects of Lonely Planet's business, have a workspace that allows effective and enjoyable working, and reflects our brand heritage and passion for travel,” Daniel says.

Lonely Planet has worked closely with the acclaimed Siren Design Group to ensure that the custom design and fit-out of the new premises is inspiring, functional, and true to the iconic Lonely Planet brand. Siren’s portfolio of previous design work encompasses clients of all budgets and sizes, and they are especially adept at delivering cost-effective solutions that make a striking impact.

Excitingly, Lonely Planet’s new HQ is also open to the general public. The Reception area on Level 3 of The Malt Store also doubles as a full retail shop showcasing Lonely Planet's extensive suite of products, including guides, kids’ books, travel merchandise, and gift pictorials.

Conceived as a journey that begins at an ‘arrivals/departures’ lobby lounge, the design of the new Lonely Planet space unfolds over two levels to reveal various destination ‘zones’, spanning from the bright lights of New York City, to the overgrown tropical jungles of Borneo; from the icy landscapes of Iceland to the traditional architecture of Japan’s Edo period.

A combination of reclaimed and recycled furniture from Lonely Planet’s previous Melbourne office was adapted for the new office fit-out. Items such as table bases and lounges were given new life when partnered with new, sustainable finishes. All the products and materials used in the project were chosen for their sustainability. Workstation areas were positioned around the perimeter of the space to capitalise on the natural light entering the building, minimising the need for artificial light sources.

Lonely Planet’s Melbourne warehouse has also relocated. The company’s Melbourne Distribution Centre has now moved to a much larger custom-fit facility at 16-20 Clairmont Avenue in the south-eastern Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh.

Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel media company, providing inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, Lonely Planet has cultivated a dedicated traveller community and printed more than 130 million books in 14 different languages to most destinations on the planet. The Lonely Planet ecosystem also includes digital and mobile apps, a comprehensive ebook portfolio, 12 international magazines and an award-winning website. 

Visit us at lonelyplanet.com, and join us on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet and #lp) and Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet).