Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

[SonofScray]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

Any hipsters spotted in Braybrook yet? Seriously, I do not know how people cope with the commute from the eastern suburbs into the city. Indeed the commute from the western suburbs (some of them at least) must be just as bad. There are places out west I'd never heard of - Delahaye, Tarneit, Truganina, Watergardens - the west is huge now. When I was living in Braybrook the west ended at Deer Park and Sunshine West. Beyond that it was all scotch thistles, falling down dry stone walls and tiger snakes.

The Braybrook Hoel has been getting a facelift, all new International Buffet and what not. There is a restaurant called West of Kin opened up where the old Barkly Transport warehouse was which is the sister venue to Kin on Chapel St and is a ripper. Speedy's Pizza is about to be challenged by Burger-Nomics for the 2nd best take away in that strip after the Sri Lankan joint.

The west has sprawled every which way. Brim bank is a massive municipality. When my wife and I decided to buy a house or land, we were keen on Avondale Heights / Footscray or Maribyrnong but it was too competitive a market. Sunshine was the next best bet, close to work, still easy to get into the city and plenty of access to trains and buses. The area is going gang busters at the moment. A house around the corner from us went for $1m+ !

[Bornadog]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

It's probably not just the blow-ins BAD. Particularly with meth, that stuff's indiscriminate and people from all suburbs and all walks of life hit it.

I forgot to add the big grin.

[Bornadog]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

Sunshine West. Beyond that it was all scotch thistles, falling down dry stone walls and tiger snakes.

We moved from Footscray to Sunshine West in the early 60s and behind the houses over the road, that is exactly what it was. Hall st Sunshine West is only 14k from the CBD. There was nothing beyond us. Tarneit is 17k away and the suburbs reach beyond that.

[Eastdog]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

We moved from Footscray to Sunshine West in the early 60s and behind the houses over the road, that is exactly what it was. Hall st Sunshine West is only 14k from the CBD. There was nothing beyond us. Tarneit is 17k away and the suburbs reach beyond that.

What were areas like Point Cook, Tarneit, Caroline Springs today were known as back then as obviously at that time they were just paddocks.

[Twodogs]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

Any hipsters spotted in Braybrook yet? Seriously, I do not know how people cope with the commute from the eastern suburbs into the city. Indeed the commute from the western suburbs (some of them at least) must be just as bad. There are places out west I'd never heard of - Delahaye, Tarneit, Truganina, Watergardens - the west is huge now. When I was living in Braybrook the west ended at Deer Park and Sunshine West. Beyond that it was all scotch thistles, falling down dry stone walls and tiger snakes.

When I was a kid back in the '60s the old couple who lived next door moved into Ballard st. Kingsville just after the war and said that's what it looked like across from them. They said there was just the cemetery in the distance and a training track for trotters (of all things!) and that was it.

[Twodogs]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

It's probably not just the blow-ins BAD. Particularly with meth, that stuff's indiscriminate and people from all suburbs and all walks of life hit it.

I lived just near Victoria Street Richmond/Abbottsford for a number of years and it was rife through there. I found the more I looked out for it the more I could see it.

As for Footscray, the reality is if I want to buy close to the city it's likely I'll be doing so either west or north. Having worked on Footscray road for a couple of years recently the idea has grown on me. There's something authentic about the community that isn't tangible, and as it gentrifies it's slowly becoming more appealing to people like my partner.

If you get that then you should be living here.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

When I was a kid back in the '60s the old couple who lived next door moved into Ballard st. Kingsville just after the war and said that's what it looked like across from them. They said there was just the cemetery in the distance and a training track for trotters (of all things!) and that was it.

Small world, TD. I lived the first 7 years of my life in Adeney Street, Kingsville, a cross street with Ballard Street. I barely remember it, we moved to Newport in the mid 1970s.

[Bornadog]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

Small world, TD. I lived the first 7 years of my life in Adeney Street, Kingsville, a cross street with Ballard Street. I barely remember it, we moved to Newport in the mid 1970s.

I was born at Footscray and District Hospital and we lived on the other side of Somerville rd in Wales st for the first 4 years , before moving to Sunny West, then back to Barkley St and then back again to Sunny West

[Twodogs]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

Small world, TD. I lived the first 7 years of my life in Adeney Street, Kingsville, a cross street with Ballard Street. I barely remember it, we moved to Newport in the mid 1970s.

Did you go to kinder at Ballard st?

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

Anderson street Yarraville then Bena Street Yarraville for me a long time ago.

[jeemak]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

If you get that then you should be living here.

I've always loved returning to the West. Mum was from Altona and dad Kingsville, and we spent a lot of time at grandparents houses growing up until about the time I was 11 or 12, only visiting occasionally for the footy and to see my father's mother afterwards. It was when I got my first repping job and was allocated the western territory that I really got it, six years after the last game at Whitten Oval.

[Twodogs]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

I was born at Footscray and District Hospital and we lived on the other side of Somerville rd in Wales st for the first 4 years , before moving to Sunny West, then back to Barkley St and then back again to Sunny West

When I was a kid I had quite a business mowing lawns and doing odd jobs for old ladies who lived on that side of Somerville rd. Wales st and chirnside st and Kingsville st and empress avenue. I used to collect beer and soft drink bottles and push them home in an old pram as well.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

Did you go to kinder at Ballard st?

I can't honestly remember. It was in Kingsville in 1974, but can't recall much more than that.

[Bornadog]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

When I was a kid I had quite a business mowing lawns and doing odd jobs for old ladies who lived on that side of Somerville rd. Wales st and chirnside st and Kingsville st and empress avenue. I used to collect beer and soft drink bottles and push them home in an old pram as well.

My father had friends and relatives in each of those streets and we often visited them in the 70s

[Twodogs]

Re: Footscray: melting pot turned hipster hotspot

My father had friends and relatives in each of those streets and we often visited them in the 70s

My mums sister married a Greek guy so we knew lots of Greek people. One of them was George who had the fish shop in Somerville rd. One day toward the end of the year my dad said he would come around to his house one day before Christmas. The next time my dad saw him George said "where were you. You said you'd come around on Christmas Eve and you didn't turn up" dad thought about it for a bit and said "hang on when I said one day before Christmas.."