Becoming Post-industrial: Victoria Street, Fitzroy, c.1970 to Now1

1. This article derives from a larger ARC-funded project (DP0663310).

Abstract

This article provides a historical approach to the study of deindustrialisation and re-use of former industrial spaces in Melbourne's inner city Fitzroy. Essentially a biography of the formerly industrial, now residential, educational and ‘creative’ northern side of Victoria Street, it is argued that chronology must be included alongside the spatial in analyses of urban change. It is asserted that there is a need for more historically informed studies of the local impacts of recent economic, social and cultural change in inner cities worldwide

Keywords:

• Deindustrialisation
• Fitzroy
• gentrification
• history
• post-industrial

Notes

1. This article derives from a larger ARC-funded project (DP0663310).

2. Unless otherwise specified, the following information comes from State Library of Victoria (SLV) Manuscripts Collection 12283: Permewan Wright Limited; Box 3040.

3. City of Yarra, Building Files, Application Number 1190.

4. This information comes from the SSNT website. See: http://www.ssnt.vic.edu.au/

5. See the MIECAT website: http://www.miecat.org.au

6. Beverley Rochester, Company Secretary. Interview, Melbourne, 27 May 2008.

7. This information came from the Abito-Fitzroy website: http://www.hamton.com.au/abito/index.html in September 2008. The site has now been archived and is no longer publicly available. For current information on Hamton see: http://www.hamton.com.au/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

8. An apartment in the Universal complex, which sold off the plan for under $325 000 in 2002, was resold at auction in June 2007 for $647 000. Beverley Rochester, Interview 2008; Age, 2 July 2007.