Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LOCAL LIFE: FOOTSCRAY & THE WEST
The city's remaining working docklands divide the city from the western suburbs - which have long been proudly
working class, though this has changed in the last 15 years, with many young professional families taking advant-
age of the area's cute cottages, close-to-city-centre location and community feel.
The area's 'capital' is the fabulously unfussy Footscray. Almost half of Footscray's population was born over-
seas, the majority in Vietnam, Africa, China, Italy and Greece. The
Footscray Market
(cnr Hopkins & Leeds St;
7am-4pm Tue, Wed & Sat, to 6pm Thu, to 8pm Fri;
Footscray) is testament to the area's diversity, and
definitely worth a visit.
The areas around Barkly St and Irving St bring those in search of Vietnamese, Ethiopian and Indian cooking
and produce. Try down-to-earth
Hung Vuong
( 03-9689 6002; 128 Hopkins St, Footscray; mains $9;
9am-8.30pm; 402, Footscray) for tasty Vietnamese vermicelli topped with crunchy spring rolls,
Nhu
Lan
(116 Hopkins St, Footscray; rolls $4; 6am-6pm; Footscray) for fresh and tasty
bánh mì
(Vietnamese
baguettes), the Ethiopian
Cafe Lalibela
(
www.cafelalibela.com.au
;
91 Irving St, Footscray; 11am-9pm Mon-
Thu, to 10pm Fri, noon-9pm Sat & Sun; Footscray) for flavoursome dishes accompanied by injera bread, and
the old-school
T Cavallaro & Sons
(
www.tcavallaroandsons.com.au
;
98 Hopkins St, Footscray; Footscray),
an Italian cafe that's been serving strong espresso with life-changing ricotta-cream cannoli since 1956. Further
afield,
Salaam Namaste Dosa Hut
(
03-9687 0171; 604b Barkly St, West Footscray;
10.30am-10.30pm)
serves authentic South Indian street food.
Heading south from Footscray are the fashionable residential neighbourhoods of Seddon and Yarraville. The
latter centres on its train station, with a beautifully well-preserved heritage shopping area around Anderson St; it
also boasts some good restaurants, bars and cafes.
For those interested in the west's unique history, head to the
Living Museum
( 0419 154 265, 03-9318
3544;
www.livingmuseum.org.au
; Van Ness Ave, Maribyrnong; by donation; 11am-3pm Fri & Sun; 57),
set in the grounds of Pipemakers Park, featuring a wetlands area and indigenous gardens. Venture further west
still and you'll hit the charming maritime neighbourhood of Williamstown (
Click here
)
.
St Kilda & Around
Come to St Kilda for the sea breezes, seedy history and a bit of good ol' people-watching.
St Kilda was once a playground full of dance halls, a funpark, an ice-skating rink,
theatres, sea baths and gardens. It got divided up (as many good things do) and now its art
deco apartments are worth astronomical real-estate prices. There are still mansions dotted
around, and its leafy backstreets are worth a wander (just keep in mind that its reputation
as a red-light district is not unfounded). There's some great punk history here: the Boys
Next Door, fronted by Nick Cave, were based here, and played gloriously chaotic gigs at
the George Hotel (then known as the Crystal Ballroom).
On weekends the volume is turned up, the traffic crawls and the street-party atmosphere
sets in. It's still a neighbourhood of extreme, and often exhilarating, contrasts: backpacker
hostels sit beside fine-dining restaurants, souvlaki bars next to designer shops.
