Following the conversion of the Brunswick Street cable tram to electric traction on 26 October 1930, route 1 was reallocated to run between East Coburg and St Kilda Beach via South Melbourne.

On 13 September 1953, this was amended so that both tram services ran through the junction, resulting in South Melbourne Beach becoming the terminus of route 1.

The section of track between Queensberry Street (Stop 4) and the junction to St Kilda Road (near Stop 14) is the oldest section of this route, dating back to the Brighton Road cable tram line which opened on 11 October 1888 by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company.

Route 1 traverses the section of this line between Clarendon Street and St Kilda Road.

[3] For a long time, the section between Moreland Road (Stop 129) and East Coburg was built by the MBCTT with a single track and crossing loops.

Route 21 meanwhile was used for services from East Coburg terminating in the city (Flinders Street or Arts Centre).

After crossing the Yarra River it continues south along St Kilda Road, passing The Arts Centre and National Gallery of Victoria before turning west into Southbank Boulevard, quickly turning south onto Sturt Street, passing the Melbourne Recital Hall and Victorian College of the Arts.