The police bomb squad was called to investigated a suspicious package found inside the gardens behind Victoria’s Parliament House on Monday afternoon.

Emergency services conducted safety checks in the area after an unattended backpack was found on a bench in Parliament Gardens around 4.30pm.

Roads blocks were put in place in Albert, Nicholson, Spring and Gisborne streets, causing major traffic headaches.

Suspicous pkg found under park bench near Parliament House. Bomb squad en route and streets blocked off.@9NewsMelb pic.twitter.com/2hR6Gu9bF4

— Alexis Daish (@LexiDaish) January 5, 2015

Trams were also diverted in Melbourne’s CBD.

The area has now been declared safe after the bag was found to contain shoes and a jacket.

The bomb squad inspected the area for more than an hour.

All streets and gardens have been re-opened to the public.

Several streets around Parliament House in Spring Street have been locked down amid a possible security scare. #9News pic.twitter.com/PtA2UfW2IV — Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) January 5, 2015