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A playground for creative self-expression, limited only by imagination.
The Trainscendence storyTwo friends.
Two friends.
Two trains on a roof.
One creative wonderland.
Trainscendence is a ten-floor creative venue in Collingwood. The building came with three trains on the roof. The rest, we made up.
The building came first.
Long before Trainscendence existed, the building did. And the building had trains on its roof.
Easey Street, Collingwood, has long been the kind of address that sticks in Melbourne's memory. Local musician and visionary architect Zvi Belling reimagined the rooftop with something nobody had tried before in this city: three vintage Hitachi train carriages craned into place, side by side, as a permanent part of the building. The project — End to End — went on to be recognised by Good Design Australia.
On the weekend of 31 August–1 September 2013, the operation went down. The first carriage came up by crane on the Saturday. The other two went into position on the Sunday. Each one weighed around 30 tonnes. The cranes had to lift them with very tight tolerances — get it wrong and you're dropping decommissioned rolling stock onto an inner-city street.
They got it right. The trains have sat there ever since, looking like they were always meant to.
A common mix-up
Most Melburnians know the building because of Easey’s — the rooftop burger spot famous for diners eating inside one of the carriages. We’re not Easey’s, and although we love Jimmy, Phil and their burgers, the two businesses aren’t affiliated… although we did once build a flying fox so burgers could be delivered straight to our jacuzzi from their kitchen. Easey’s has one full carriage running from the front of the building to the back.
The other two carriages were cut in half. The front halves became Carriage Studios (a working recording studio) and Harry’s Hip Hop Shop. The back halves are us: two trains side by side on Trainscendence’s rooftop. Three carriages, four operators, one shared roof. Look up at the back of Easey Street and you’ve found us.
Trainscendence is what happens inside the building beneath them — across ten floors and seven themed rooms. We didn’t build the trains. We just understood what the building was waiting to become.
Then two friends walked in.
In 2025, two friends — Harley Hefford and Luke Thomas — found themselves looking at the building and at each other and asking the same question: what if?
They didn't know it at the time, but they were about to become brothers in a dream so large that it would forge a bond strong enough to weather almost anything. The only thing they've found capable of testing it so far is a single piece of incorrectly placed decor. The bond holds. Mostly.
Between them: backgrounds in arts, theatre, hospitality and festivals. They'd spent years inside the kind of communities that turn up around bonfires and stages and dance floors and somehow build something real in a weekend. And they kept watching the same thing happen — festivals shutting down, one after another, under the weight of insurance, weather, regulation, rising costs, and the myriad of risks that come with putting people in a paddock for three days.
So they asked the obvious question. Wouldn't it be amazing, they said, if there was a place in the city that felt like the community of a festival — but you didn't get too dirty, you could go all year, you could build real relationships, collaborate on the things you always said you wanted to do, and actually start making a difference in your life and your community?
That's how Trainscendence was born. Not as a venue. As an answer.
A place for all. A place to dream, create, share, grow. A place for imagination with no bounds — that doesn't take itself too seriously, but is dead serious about making an impact.
Our values.
Trainscendence aspires to be a movement towards deeper collaboration, meaningful connections and shared creativity. Our HQ in Collingwood is a creative hub for gathering, events and collaborating — guided by five values that shape every call we make.
Respect
A respectful, nurturing and brave space, where we celebrate our differences, and use clear guidelines, communication and boundaries.
Co-operation
A place to dream collaboratively, build connections and support each other's growth.
Service
A kind and inspiring hub for meaningful gatherings, driven by the care and service we want to see in the world.
Innovation
A home for novel ideas, which boldly challenges the status quo, grows through what we discover, and inspires change. The train is always moving.
House rules.
It’s a pleasure to host you at Trainscendence for events, workshops and co-working. To ensure everyone’s experience with us is memorable for the right reasons, we ask you to respect the following.
ID and bag checking
For licensed events, we may ask you to produce ID if you look under 25. Please take it as a compliment.
Our security personnel are empowered to exercise discretion in denying entry to any individuals deemed unsuitable for access. Entry will be refused to individuals exhibiting signs of intoxication, carrying hazardous or prohibited items, or engaging in disruptive or antisocial behaviour.
Responsible service
We are committed to the responsible service of alcohol. If you appear intoxicated, or under the age of 18, we will refuse to serve you. This is the law and we have to follow it.
Zero tolerance
We want all guests to have a safe and enjoyable time. We are inspired by the ‘no dickhead’ policy of events like Meredith Music Festival. They put it well: “In part it means looking after yourself and others. Just as importantly, it means treating each other with respect.”
If you behave like a dickhead — intimidating others, disrespecting the venue or not respecting consent — then Trainscendence isn’t for you. Anti-social, rude or aggressive behaviour, including not following directions of staff or security, may result in you being asked to leave. Non-consensual behaviour will not be tolerated. Reports of repeat breaches may result in temporary or permanent exclusion from the venue.
Regarding ticketed events
Trainscendence Pty Ltd reserves the right to make changes to the program and production of any event without prior notice or limitations. Individuals denied entry to or removed from the event by management, security, or law enforcement, for any reason, may not be eligible for a refund.
In the event that a scheduled event is postponed, ticket holders will be able to hold onto their ticket for the rescheduled event or apply for a refund.
Sneaking into ticketed events without a valid ticket is strictly prohibited. Any individual caught attempting to enter the venue without proper authorisation will be immediately removed from the premises by security personnel. Names and details of individuals involved will be recorded for documentation purposes.
These house rules
These measures are implemented to ensure the safety, security, and enjoyment of all attendees at our events. Management reserves the right to amend these House Rules at any time without prior notice.
How to get here
You're closer than your map thinks.
Trainscendence sits in a secret laneway behind 6/48 Easey Street, Collingwood. Maps will drop you on Easey Street outside Easey Burger restaurant — that’s almost right. Walk one street east to Budd Street, turn left and look for the laneway “Rolling Stock Laneway”, and follow it in. Enter through the Trainscendence archway on the left.
Come and find us.
The trains are on the roof. The rest is up to whatever you're building, throwing, making or learning.