Brunswick Voice
Brunswick NOBs 10.7 (67) lost to UHS-VU 14.7 (91) at Brens Oval
IT is 34 years since North Old Boys (now known as Brunswick) left their home ground in Brens Oval in Parkville for Gillon Oval and on Saturday their senior men’s team returned for the first time to face their old co-tenants Uni High School
For three quarters it looked like they might crown the occasion with a famous win
but it was the team in green and tan who handled the moment better
consigning the purple and white to a third straight loss
Played in sunny conditions with a breeze favouring the Royal Parade end
it was the excitement machine in Gus Coverdale
followed by a well taken set shot to Joe Gale
starting with the Pirates’ opening goal from the first bounce
which was immediately cancelled out by Oscar Watt roving the pack in the goal square
before the visitors again narrowed the margin to two goals
Watt again answered for the NOBs before Jaycock slotted a long set-shot to establish a 24-point lead after 12 minutes
starting with a lucky holding-the-ball free kick to the Pirates in their forward line which was duly converted
quickly followed by their fourth and fifth for the term
the last one courtesy of a fortuitous right-angle bounce
An entertaining first half ended with Brunswick seven points in front but the Pirates on the charge
The next twist came at the start of the third quarter
as the NOBs burst out of the blocks with three majors inside five minutes
then new recruit Mitch Hicks roved a defender’s dropped mark and slotted his first major for the club
before Gale’s banana from beside the behind post restored Brunswick’s 24-point lead and had the home crowd jumping
as the Pirates clicked into gear from the 10-minute mark
kicking 4.6 to hit the front for the first time in the game in the shadows of three-quarter time
The Pirates carried their momentum into the final term and by the four-minute mark had opened up a 19-point advantage
Gale kicked his fourth soon after to keep the NOBs in the hunt
killing off the contest with the next three goals
with a late goal to Sam Kiebert good reward for effort
but the Pirates proved to be too strong on the day
Best for Brunswick was the versatile Lewis McKenzie
who is relishing the step up to Division 1
while reigning best and fairest winner Rowan Hogenbirk was another good four-quarter contributor
Gun recruit Fletcher Banfield was again impressive
Will McKenzie battled hard in the ruck and Gale’s four goals kept the NOBs in the contest
After three home games to start the season
the NOBs will be leaving Gillon Oval to return to their old stomping ground in Brens Oval to take on UHS-VU for the first time since 1971
Brunswick Voice is looking for a volunteer correspondent to file a weekly report about the progress of our three local clubs during the 2025 VAFA season. If that is of interest to you, contact editor@brunswickvoice.com.au with an example of your writing
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$50,000 above expectationsNathan Mawby
sold for $710,000 — about $50,000 more than expected as multiple buyers responded to its unusual decor
A pair of Brunswick homeowners who wanted a little Alice in Wonderland whimsy in their lives have had their unique decor turn into a $50,000 premium as they sold
A colourful paint job, tea cup light fittings and fake grass in the laundry of G3/2A Michael St wound up luring in a goodly range of buyers in the lead up to its planned auction on the same day as the federal election
Two days ahead of hammer time it also attracted first-home buyers and a downsizer willing to fight it out pre-auction for the home
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Tiny Timboon townhouse likened to Dr Who’s Tardis could be yours for $310,000
McGrath Northcote’s Luke Brizzi handled the sale and said the home had been loved by most who had inspected it
“It’s the first time I’ve seen a home like that
and I don’t reckon I will see a home like it for a long time
And while the home had been listed for $600,000-$660,000
it ultimately sold to the downsizer for $710,000 — a “great result” Mr Brizzi said had been helped by the decor
The unusual light fittings appealed to most buyers who inspected the home
A bright colour scheme around the home was inspired by travels across South America
“He loved the location and is a Brunswick local
and he loved the tea cups — they were part of the Brunswick vibe,” he said
It’s a win for owners Nick Runia and Maggie “Sunshine” Cooper
who wanted the next owner to love their home as much as they have
The unusual interior design came about over a number of years
In 2016 Ms Cooper and Mr Runia quit their jobs and travelled across South America for a year
Extensive space for books around the home was important for the couple
and showed how the living area could be decorated beyond normal displays
The couple turned a second bedroom into an arts and hobbies space
They’ve since applied that to the apartment
giving it a bright makeover turning rooms a mix of purple
orange and blue during Melbourne’s first Covid lockdown
and it still makes me happy every day,” Ms Cooper said
A set of tea cup light fittings from a Ukraine-based maker were added a few years before that
and we were talking about Alice in Wonderland then we saw these and we were like: ‘those are amazing’,” Ms Cooper said
The pair have also added fake grass in the laundry and turned a second bedroom into a arts and hobbies room
Mr Runia’s Lego creations have been displayed at Brickvention Australia
while Ms Cooper’s sewing time has led to her making outfits for them to attend weddings in
A woodland scene’s wallpaper gave the home’s bedroom a tranquil vibe
An orange bathroom and laundry was balanced with a fake grass floor in the laundry
The pair also used their creative space while working with independent theatre company Artefact
creating the set for 2023 Fringe Festival show Constellation
After realising they needed more space for their creative pursuits the pair decided to sell
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Daft Weeknd is bringing the ultimate electronic dance music experience to Melbourne this May with a celebration of 21st century classics
The retro-futuristic band will take punters on a sonic journey through hits from electronic music heavyweights including Daft Punk
Swedish House Mafia and The Chemical Brothers
Check out our gig guide, our stage guide, our festival guide, our live music venue guide and our nightclub guide. Follow us on Instagram here.
Promising a neon-lit atmosphere that feels simultaneously nostalgic and futuristic
Daft Weeknd aims to create an immersive experience that captures the essence of synthwave EDM
The group’s performance will feature intricate keyboard melodies
fuel the DeLorean and get ready for the ultimate live EDM band
Its retro-inspired beats evoke a sense of nostalgia for an era filled with VHS tapes
prepare your neural network and get ready to be transported to a tech-noir realm where disco meets the future
For more information, head here.
A radical new film festival launches in Brunswick West from May 30 to June 1
The inaugural edition of the Brunswick Underground Film Festival (BUFF) launches in Melbourne, Australia this May. From the minds behind cult cinema collective Static Vision
BUFF seeks to provide a much-needed home for forward-thinking
BUFF will screen at the neighbouring venues Estonian House (43-45 Melville Road) and Static Vision HQ (47 Melville Road)
taking over the precinct in Brunswick West
Multi-film viewing is encouraged with passes available for double features and weekend-long festival admissions at a discounted rate
including World Premiere and Australian Premiere features
anniversary screenings and emerging filmmakers’ newest works
BUFF opens with a triple feature of Jackass: The Movie (2002)
Jackass Number Two (2006) and Jackass 3D (2010) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise
and Johnny Knoxville cemented their status as gonzo stunt performers and wholly original filmmakers with the release of the first Jackass feature film in 2002
they became beloved counter-cultural icons
topping stunts performed in the first film and escalating stakes to never-before-seen heights
Acclaimed and fiercely independent Ukrainian-American writer/director/actor Eugene Kotlyarenko’s latest feature
will have its Victorian Premiere at BUFF Closing Night
this high-concept comedy set in the early pandemic joins a paranoid couple trying to revive their deteriorating relationship by embracing surveillance and spying
Kotlyarenko presents a voyeuristic exploration of the attention economy and our vapid relationship with technology in a staggering feat of filmmaking
will be transformed into its former picture house glory with a program of heavy-hitting crowd pleasers from across the globe
The Pee Pee Poo Poo Man (2024) is a thrilling gross-out comedy which has its Australian Premiere at the festival
A paranoid young man launches a bizarre crime spree against the citizens of Toronto in this Canadian-made underground feature starring Rishi Rodriguez
A favourite from last year’s Sydney Underground Film Festival
(2024) is a wacky hangout movie set in 2007
with the peak of emo-culture in full swing and a stacked ensemble of compelling weirdoes driven mad by the constant threat of the cops
The Visitor (2024) is the latest from anarchic provocateur Bruce LaBruce
a champion of punk art porn since the ’80s
His latest vision re-imagines Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1968 Teorema in sensual
Underground legend Joel Potrykus’s Vulcanizadora (2024) is a queasy
anxious and hilarious story of two friends (Potrykus and Joshua Burge) who trudge through a Michigan forest intending to follow through on a disturbing pact
the haunting consequences of their failure can’t stay hidden for long
Widely celebrated for her genre-bending contributions to queer cinema and media art
Taiwanese-American filmmaker Shu Lea Cheang’s explicit sci-fi IKU (2000) will screen in a special double-feature with the brain-expanding sequel UKI (2023) for the first time ever in Australia
the twisted mash-up between John Waters’ Serial Mom and Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator
Frank Henenlotter’s Frankenhooker (1990) is a bad taste triumph that revels in \ sublime camp
plus an iconic performance by Patty Mullen as the eponymous title character
The landmark documentary Paris is Burning (1990) provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene
even 35 years on from its original release
Underseen triumph of contemporary dance and directed by Stephen Page
former artistic director of Australia’s renowned Bangarra Dance Theatre
Spear (2015) celebrates its 10th anniversary
This coming-of-age tale charts the journey of young Djali (played by Page’s son Hunter Page-Lochard)
who struggles to understand his identity as an Indigenous man with ancient traditions living in a modern world
Innovative Shorts and Groundbreaking Voices
Gaza-born Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi founded the Masharawi Fund for films and filmmakers in Gaza
seeks to provide internally displaced artists with a “canvas for the expression of personal stories.” The resulting collection features 22 three- to six-minute short films which utilise a mix of genres and narrative approaches to present a rich variety of stories that reflect the sorrow
BUFF has unearthed a program of emerging and exciting voices in local underground filmmaking
Proudly showcasing their work in two short film programs
comprising a triple feature of new work from the Adelaide film collective Moviejuice and an Australian Shorts package
The latest from Japanese cult writer/director Toshiaki Toyoda (The Day of Destruction
Pornostar) is both meditation and freak-out — an omnibus of Toyoda’s short films Alive (2022)
all starring Kiyohiko Shibukawa as a searching spiritualist besieged on all sides
For more program information and to purchase tickets, please visit the festival website: https://www.buff.film (website online 9am Wednesday
With the cost of living, it’s nice when dining-out staples such as pasta and cocktails come in under $20. But at Fitzroy North restaurant Good Times
affordable bowls of pasta and carafes of wine have been $9 since it opened in 2019
have brought a similar menu and wallet-friendly ethos to a new Brunswick East sibling
‘We need to put up our prices because we’re not getting any money’,” Davis tells Broadsheet
“But then people aren’t able to keep spending
They’ll have one glass of wine for $16 and that’s it for the day.”
travel spots and more – curated by those who know
She prefers a business model that relies on volume and is backed by regulars who dine multiple times a week or stay for an extra drink because doing so doesn’t kill their budgets
“We’ve got the amount of people to help sustain it,” she says
‘This is the only time I can go out and have some fun’.”
Good Times regulars will recognise the pasta line-up
with six options spanning meat and vegan bolognaise
and there are always vegan and dairy-free options
But while Good Times embraces hearty portions designed to fill up on
Davis identified a gap in the market for snack-sized bowls ideal for pre-gaming with drinks
So alongside standard bowls priced from $12–$18
you can order petite portions of certain pastas for as little as $6
that you can mix and match into your own snack plate
Or order the snack plate for $24 alongside salads like a $12 vinegary number with trout
Most glasses of wine are priced in the low double digits
“We made deals with some good local winemakers,” Davis says
and notes securing well-priced stock and passing the savings back to customers is key
The wine list is all-Australian and leans heavily on Victorian producers the team has close relationships with
“There are a lot of winemakers here who have too much wine
to the point where it gets turned to vinegar and has to be scrapped,” she says
‘Why are we importing stuff when we’ve got really good wine here?’”
and I’m just trying to bring it back,” she says
tinned fruit and ginger ale or red wine with peaches – both from just $6 a glass
Housed in a former Mexican restaurant on Lygon Street
the space is a kitschy interpretation of Rome
with dark timber repurposed from the previous fit-out
Davis says the build generated only four buckets of waste – everything else was recycled or repurposed with the help of friends and former Good Times employees
while a red room at the back is fitted with vintage church pews
complete with a Roman-inspired water feature
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VAFA
The VAFA acknowledge the traditional owners of country
Current issue, Podcasts, NewslettersDeath in Brunswickby Helen Garner Vox
My friend and I found a spot under an umbrella and ordered up
Each of us was secretly longing to talk about the fact that the cops had charged a man with the rape and murder of Jill Meagher
disposed themselves grandly around the next table
The men were throwing back lurid cocktails
“Did you see that Burmese asylum seeker on the news last night,” I shouted
“chucking a mental in a detention centre?”
“Laying about him with a pool cue!” cried my friend
Computers!” She glanced at the men’s table
To converse we had to shape our hands into trumpets
Thank God they had CCTV in that bridal shop
I was worried that it would be too peaceful
not enough about how women aren’t safe to walk home alone
I was more worried that people would start screeching about civil rights violations
The place where she was dumped is out near Vanessa’s
And in the foreground you could see a disturbed patch
Imagine being a cop and walking towards that shallow grave
He must have just scraped some dirt over her and bolted
Would he have been trying for years to keep a grip
Did you hear that on the CCTV tape he puts out his hand as if to touch her cheek
I heard that another woman came forward with a story from a year ago
Some guy had tried to persuade her to get into his car
It’s when they sound plausible enough to make you pause in your stride and pay attention
Just long enough for them to gain a psychological advantage
when he was doubled over with his hands clasped behind his neck
you could see he was wearing a wedding ring
All the women he’s ever known would be feminists
He would have learnt not to patronise them with his protectiveness
how many times have I walked home feeling invincible
In the ’60s Evie used to stroll across Fawkner Park at midnight
Do you think the flowers and candles in Sydney Road were a bit melodramatic
and not wrapped in horrible plastic like the ones people left in London for Princess Di
I was on a train in France a few days after the crash
A Frenchwoman saw me reading about it in the paper
“Can you explain to me this immoderate mourning?” Do you think the Jill Meagher march was immoderate
but I scotched it – I hated the way it made me feel cynical and ironic
In the Age someone said the march was at noon on Saturday
I stuck some rosemary in my buttonhole and drove up to the corner of Moreland Road
I thought there’d be 50 or 100 people but there was nobody
Only a few women in headscarves doing their shopping
I don’t know how to – I’m stuck in a pre-Facebook world
Some people are saying the whole thing was a social media phenomenon
I wanted to be around other people who were sad
I kept tripping over things and bumping into walls
We gave up on the bar with its thundering men and parted on Bourke Street
On the platform at Parliament Station I read while I waited
he shuffled his bum along the bench until our sides touched
He jumped into the car and floored it from Glenroy to Broadmeadows
He was nearly home when a paramedic called
The ambulance was stationary on the corner of Camp Road and the highway
He burst into the back of the ambulance just in time to see the baby crowning
He thrust the phone into my hand and we bowed our heads over the screen
in the hospital with her white-toothed mother: a stunned scrap of creamy brown in a jaunty cotton cap
He was wiping his eyes with the back of his hand
we hunched over his photos and talked wildly about parents and children and migration
When the train reached my stop we shook hands
a stranger whose life had just been blown wide open
going to look for his car where he’d left it on the side of the road
Helen Garner is a novelist and nonfiction writer
Her most recent books are her diaries Yellow Notebook, One Day I’ll Remember This and How To End a Story
The Monthly is a magazine published by Schwartz Media
For subscription enquiries, call 1800 077 514 or email [email protected]
For editorial enquiries, email [email protected]
As newer commercial businesses come into Brunswick County
existing strip malls with vacancies are trying to compete
Several new strip malls have been built in Brunswick County over the past five years
existing strip malls are fighting to stay relevant
Both beach and some inland towns in Brunswick have a variety of shopping centers and small strip malls scattered throughout
Wilson Glasgow is a leasing agent for Aston Properties out of Charlotte
which has a few storefronts ready to be leased in the Shallotte Crossing Shopping Center
Some strip malls have "anchor tenants," Glasgow explained
Anchor tenants are big-box grocery or retail stores that bring a lot of foot traffic
Belk and Home Depot are the two big anchor stores for Shallotte Crossing Shopping Center
Stuart Davidson is a leasing agent through Mark Properties for both Twin Creek Plaza in Shallotte and Live Oak Village near Southport
LoopNet.com states Twin Creek Plaza was built in 1984
Simple maintenance and routine work to keep the facilities intact and functional is important
"Everything doesn't have to be a 2017 shopping center
Just because it's an older center doesn't mean it looks old or is run down," he added
More on retail development: The latest on Biscuitville, Walmart, Dollar Tree and other Brunswick projects
there are some commercial spaces that have been empty for years
Lowes Foods and CVS used to be the main anchors of Live Oak Village
a new Lowes Foods was built across the street in 2020 as an anchor to a larger shopping center
CVS also relocated to its own building in the same area
A few years after Lowes Foods left Live Oak Village
Owners will sometimes cold call local businesses and local brokers to see if business owners are interested in relocating or opening a new storefront
When it comes to having a lot of vacancies
both Glasgow and Davidson said it is up to the property owners to continue seeking tenants or sell the entire property
New shopping centers are being built all over the county
Leland currently has seven major grocery stores
Aldi and a Walmart Supercenter are all located along U.S
The town also has a Piggly Wiggly and two Food Lion locations
Site plans for the Savannah Branch Town Center shopping center
headed by Branch Properties and Columbia Properties
include a new Publix grocery store along U.S
would be roughly 17 acres and have 10 storefronts and two outparcels
The website indicates plans for a Grand Nails salon and an EmergeOrtho clinic
A Publix and a Walmart are being built in Carolina Shores along U.S
Both grocery store chain plans include additional commercial space and large parking lots
Shopping centers and grocery stores in St. James and Boiling Spring Lakes are also in the early phases of discussion and planning
More development news: More than 100 restaurants and bars opened in the Wilmington area in 2024. See the list.
Over 100 acres of commercial space in Boiling Spring Lakes is up for grabs along N.C
87 while less than 15 acres of commercial property in St
211 is being proposed for commercial development
James is looking at a development called Harbor & Canal
which would feature a grocery store and other retail space
The approximate 14-acre commercial area is expected to be built between the town hall complex and Generations Church alongside N.C
Nine commercial outparcels are outlined in the conceptual master plan
The outparcels range from 1.35 acres to 2.25 acres and line N.C
A popular anchor in a strip mall could cause higher lease prices compared to shopping centers that do not have a "big anchor," Glasgow said
1,600 square feet could cost $25 a square foot
This price would be the yearly cost to rent the space out
The Marketplace at Waterford in Leland also has several 1,800-square-foot vacant spaces leasing for $32 per square foot per year
where the newer Lowes Food near Southport is located
prices outparcel lots at $1,005,882.35 an acre
As Brunswick County continues to see rapid residential growth
people can expect to see more commercial development as well
"The population growth certainly correlates with more retail development and commercial development as a whole," Glasgow said
STAY CONNECTED: Keep up with the area’s latest Brunswick County news by signing up for the Brunswick Today newsletter and following us on Facebook and Instagram
Savanna Tenenoff covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at stenenoff@gannett.com
We’re removing 8 level crossings on the Upfield Line to improve safety
reduce congestion and to pave the way for future upgrades including extra train services on the line in the future
We’re removing these level crossings by building a 2.1km rail bridge over the roads
creating 2 MCGs worth of new community open space and improving east-west connections
We’ll build 2 modern and accessible stations in new locations in Brunswick’s north and south
with direct and easy access between train services and residential areas
We’ll also transform the Upfield Bike Path by delivering separate bike and walking paths
improving journeys for the 2500 bike riders and pedestrians who already use the path daily
About 71,000 vehicles travel through these crossings each day
with the boom gates down for up to 30 minutes of the morning peak
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The level crossings will be gone and the new stations will open in 2030
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the Level Crossing Removal Project is removing 110 dangerous and congested level crossings across Melbourne by 2030
Receive updates and disruption notifications from the Brunswick Level Crossing Removal Project
Singapore-backed Frasers Property Australia has put its $300m build-to-rent development in Brisbane
in the next major test of investment appetite in the sector
Build-to-rent apartments have emerged as one of the hottest areas in property with major investors chasing an exposure as they diversify away from traditional commercial properties
being delivered by Frasers Property in partnership with the Queensland government as part of its build-to-rent Pilot Project
144 will be made available at a discounted rent through a subsidy from the state government
when the building is completed in early 2026
The sale of the Fortitude Valley development
now under construction by Hutchinson Builders
will be settled with the government partnership in place
allowing the new owner to participate in the BTR Pilot Project
The Brunswick & Co project is part of the new wave of buildings which are bringing institutional investors into backing specialist unit blocks directed at renters
Big name investors and operators are expected to team up to chase the building
with more blocks expected to hit the market later this year
Artist’s impression of the 25-storey Brunswick & Co build-to-rent development in Fortitude Valley
The 25-storey building will have a mix of studio
one- and two-bedroom apartments and more than 1900sq m of resident-only amenities including a rooftop pool and dog park
“We’re proud of our work in blending our residential
retail and hospitality expertise to create this new benchmark in the emerging build-to-rent sector in Australia
We have a long history working in collaborative partnerships with governments at all levels
and this project has strengthened our relationship with the Queensland government,” Frasers Property Australia chief executive Cameron Leggatt said
“Consistent with our capital recycling efforts
we are looking to reinvest in new projects where we can leverage our mixed-use expertise in the core eastern seaboard markets
we will seek further opportunities to partner with governments to deliver new and diverse housing choices,“ he said
There is an emerging trade in completed build-to-rent towers and CBRE is handling the latest offer
institutional build-to-rent will comprise 22 per cent of new apartment supply
equating to about 11,000 apartments per annum
Big players are already moving in. US investment giant Hines last year teamed up with Canadian pension fund Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to buy two build-to-rent apartment blocks in Brisbane in a deal worth about $350m
They were sold by the private ADCO Group and the move was one of the first trades involving a completed tower of the specialist apartments
The deal delivered the buyers two build-to-rent assets
In 2021, US private equity company Blackstone bought a well-known “ghost tower” from Chinese-backed firm R&F Property Group
It converted The Lotus Tower at Kangaroo Point into a build-to-rent asset that now runs under its Realm brand
Blackstone has said it wants to build more rental housing in Australia but the costs are high
It also owns another build-to-rent complex in Melbourne
The group shelved plans to sell the buildings in 2023, partly as big investors paused ahead of regulatory hurdles being cleared up by the federal government.
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Artist’s impression of the 25-storey Brunswick & Co build-to-rent development in Fortitude Valley
Big players are already moving in. US investment giant Hines last year teamed up with Canadian pension fund Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to buy two build-to-rent apartment blocks in Brisbane in a deal worth about $350m
In 2021, US private equity company Blackstone bought a well-known “ghost tower” from Chinese-backed firm R&F Property Group
The group shelved plans to sell the buildings in 2023
partly as big investors paused ahead of regulatory hurdles being cleared up by the federal government
Brunswick has an asking price of between $850,000 and $900,000
That’s almost $400,000 less than the median house price of $1.2 million for the area, according to Domain’s December 2024 House Price Report.
Though, it would appear from the listing photos that what a new buyer saves on the sale of the home, they’ll need to put back in for renovations.
Outside the crumbling paint, cracks in the wall and, in some cases, chunks of missing plaster, the home doesn’t have a functioning kitchen.
There are appliances, a sink and bench space. Though, none of these are in working order.
The once solid Victorian brick home located between Sydney Road and Lygon Street has attracted much interest online
One of Australia's most incredible homes: Rare private peninsula views in Bass Coast Shire for sale
Young couple win chic $1.4m townhouse with strong bidding strategy
Historic Port Melbourne home selling for first time in 135 years
“Its got a big skylight and plenty of natural light,” one person wrote on Reddit.
“You think they’d accept $840,000 if I went unconditional without a Pest and Building inspection?” a third person wrote.
“207 square metres of rubble,” another person wrote.
“The house itself these days is worthless. Brunswick is what you’re paying for,” yet another said.
The property is on the market with Jellis Craig Fitzroy. They don’t shy away from the state of the home in the property listing.
“Currently in need of some TLC to bring it back to full functionality, this wide solid brick terrace has all the charm of a captivating opportunity with 2 good-sized bedrooms and a living and dining room,” the listing reads.
“While the rest is set for an outstanding transformation overlooking a spacious and sunny garden with off-street parking space.”
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• Meet the candidates• Where to vote on Saturday• Ballot to barbecue: democracy sausage guide
SHOULD Samantha Ratnam fall short in her quest to seize the federal seat of Wills from Labor this Saturday
Ratnam has been campaigning non-stop since September last year and her Greens operation in Wills is reputed to be one of the largest – if not the largest – the party has ever mounted in a federal electorate
But Labor MP Peter Khalil has also met thousands of voters over the past few months and is not giving up his seat without a fight
And while his local operation may not be as big as Ratnam’s
it has made up for with the spending power of the Treasury
Khalil has also called in big name supporters including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who made a brief visit to Pascoe Vale South early last month to promote improvements to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
from whom a letter has been mailed to Wills voters this week
Khalil is defending a nominal margin of 4.6% and the result of one of the most-anticipated races in the country is expected to be tight
A Greens win would make history; Wills has been a safe Labor seat ever since it was established in 1949
apart from about three years when independent Phil Cleary won the seat at a by-election in 1992
Khalil was first elected in 2016 and has increased his margin at two subsequent elections, but a redistribution has almost cut it in half
He is also facing a backlash against the two main parties
and a localised campaign over the war in Gaza
By the time voting closed on Thursday night
29,362 pre-poll votes had been cast in Wills
representing about 23.5% of enrolled voters
16,948 have been at the Brunswick Masonic Centre in Davies Street
Despite the resources the Greens have thrown at the electorate
Khalil remains “quietly confident” he can win again
But he is only half-joking when he says he still has PTSD from the 2019 election when Labor looked set to win only for Scott Morrison to score a surprise victory
every vote matters,” Khalil said earlier this week at the end of another long day speaking to voters at the Brunswick pre-poll centre
“And every Labor seat counts to form government
and every Labor seat lost means [Peter] Dutton gets closer to forming government
So I say to people if you want an Albanese government
a Samantha Ratnam victory would be the culmination of a two-decades long mission to win the seat and the next step in a political career that began on Moreland Council in 2012
followed by leading the Greens in the Victorian Parliament
Ratnam insists that electing a Greens MP in Wills is greater insurance against a potential Coalition government
“This is the nerve-wracking part of the campaign as you get closer to election day,” Ratnam said during a break from greeting early morning commuters in Brunswick East last month
giving people a real choice about who they can vote for
if less than one in 10 people change their vote the Greens can win for the first time
“I think people are really feeling like change is possible.”
apart from his face on a few posters at the pre-poll centre
Liberal candidate Jeff Kidney has not been sighted in the electorate since the campaign began
But most other minor party candidates have been a regular presence at the Brunswick pre-poll
Continued below ▼
I’m running in the federal election because the political system and the major parties have failed to serve the interests of working people
Imagine a society where the wealth that is created could be used to provide everyone with a high quality of life
we have a society where one-third of large corporations don’t pay a single dollar of tax and fossil fuel companies get $14.5 billion in handouts
are paying for the services and infrastructure that Australian society needs
Many thousands of people can’t afford to rent or buy a home
Governments have left it to developers and the market to provide housing
governments addressed the housing crisis by building a massive amount of public housing
And we need to freeze rents to stop people being thrown onto the street
would fund a massive program of public housing program
We need 100% renewable energy within five to 10 years through public investment
We need to reverse the privatisation of essential services like childcare
the Liberal and Labor parties’ support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza reveal their double standards
How can we trust politicians who refuse to condemn a genocide
Governments that continue to send weapons to Israel while it is committing genocide
won’t stand up for the community against the billionaires who are ripping us off
We need a real alternative that puts people and planet before profits
Vote 1 Sue Bolton (Socialist Alliance) in Wills
my priority is serving and delivering for our community
Labor is working to make things easier for everyone
It’s why we delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer
It’s why Labor has committed to make the biggest ever investment in Medicare so that everyone has access to a free GP again and will cap the cost of PBS medicines at no more than $25
It’s why we’re investing nearly $1 billion in women’s health
we will open a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Coburg
I grew up in public housing – I know the importance of a safe home
It’s why I have advocated for more places to buy and affordable properties to rent in our community
first home buyers will only need a 5% deposit to get into a home
The Liberals drove the cost of university degrees up
I have always believed in the power of education
and will wipe a further 20% off HECS debts if re-elected
We enshrined net zero into law and increased renewables to 46% of the grid
is at risk under a Dutton-led right wing government
The party that wins the greatest number of seats will be best placed to form Government
we risk Anthony Albanese falling behind Peter Dutton in the national race
I will keep working for Wills to build Australia’s future
I am proud to stand as the Legalise Cannabis Australia candidate for Wills in the upcoming Federal Election
I have lived in the electorate with my family for over 25 years
I have been actively involved in school and community groups
building strong local connections and a deep understanding of the issues that matter to residents
Recently retired after a 40-year career spanning publishing
I have worked with numerous cultural and community organisations
My experience has given me first-hand insight into policy and the challenges faced by local communities
exploring local markets and experiencing live music
I am also a passionate electric bike rider
embracing the fun and fitness it brings to my daily life
I believe that outdated laws and political privilege have led to ineffective approaches to key social issues
I know the war on cannabis has failed and I am committed to fighting for sensible
community-driven policies that deliver real solutions
I will be an approachable and transparent representative
committed to fairness and meaningful change
Wills will have a strong advocate for health
Fusion has big ideas to tackle the problems in our society at the root cause
• Reducing tax incentives so houses are treated as homes instead of investments
• Moving to Georgist land tax so government funding is aligned with projects like high-speed rail
so our grid can store weeks’ worth of intermittent renewable power and we can close coal and gas generators
so we can do away with the energy-intensive
cruel practices of growing animals on deforested land
• Giving a universal basic income to all adults
so they have enough money to live and to pursue their dreams
and a dignified safety net to change jobs or living arrangements
to unlock research funding for the core workings of our physiology
• Releasing government software open-source
so processes are transparent and anyone can contribute to our societal operations
so criminals must prove they didn’t retaliate against whistleblowers
These sorts of fundamental changes will only ever happen with new
minor parties who have nothing to lose and who still have the hope that there’s a whole lot more that’s possible for Australia
I have dedicated my life to fighting for our community
I have represented you on council and in state parliament and now I ask for your support to be your strong voice for Wills
mortgages or food and you think the Labor government is failing to act
Right now one-in-10 big corporations pay $0 tax
We should tax them to get dental into Medicare
given billions in handouts to the wealthy property investors that stop renters buying their first home
approved new coal and gas projects and they are backing the invasion of Gaza
We should be represented by someone who shares our values
not a politician who relies on corporate donations and won’t act on the things that matter
Vote 1 Greens to keep Dutton out and get Labor to act
I’m fighting to take on the big corporations
stop their price gouging and tax them to fund the things everyone needs
I’m fighting to stop new coal and gas and end the invasion of Gaza
If the experts are right and there is a minority government
Last time there was a minority government we got dental into Medicare for kids and world-leading climate laws
the first step is voting for someone who will fight for you and the things you believe in
rents and mortgages all having risen dramatically under the Albanese Labor government
Albo is still blaming the LNP for our situation
however after he wasted $522 million on the Voice Referendum which only divided us
he has repeatedly shown himself incapable of not overspending our money
By doubling our debt from $600 billion (May 2022) to $1.2 TRILLION (2025-26)
(Unless you’re on the Net ZERO Gravy Train!!)
LNP and especially Greens only have policies that will reduce our freedoms and cost us more in taxes
to supposedly give us some relief – Tired old policies
NEVER forget that Greens MP Samantha Ratnam
voted for tyrannical Dan Andrews to extend his egregious Emergency Powers in 2020 and 2021
which were supposedly based on ‘scientific’ and ‘medical evidence’
however these were “made up” by Brett Sutton and the ‘evidence’ has never been released to the people those powers were used to abuse!
Australia is currently falling from a plane
We need a new direction that takes us out of Net ZERO madness
and onto a path of recovery and prosperity
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has the policies and enthusiastic candidates that will always put Australians and our future FIRST
Vote for positive change – Vote for an Australia in which our grandchildren can thrive
Find our policies to put more money back in Australians’ pockets at www.onenation.org.au/issues
You need to vote 1 – Bruce Stevens PHON in Wills May 3
Candidates are shown in the order they will appear on the ballot paper
Khalil is proud to stand on his record as a local MP and he believes this will stand him in good stead with voters
Labor has announced more than $28 million in local funding commitments for the electorate
and that figure does not include a Medicare urgent care clinic in Coburg which is likely to cost more than $10 million
and the work that I do with the community to get outcomes for the community
and they see that I’ve delivered outcomes in the first term
particularly now that we’ve been government,” Khalil said
“The minor parties will make all these promises
I deliver it … what we we say we’re going to do
“And that’s the difference being in the Labor Party
you can actually deliver through the budgetary process.”
But Ratnam says voters are looking for a change in Wills
Her campaign is the largest fielded in Victorian Greens’ history with more than 700 active volunteers who have knocked on more than 70,000 doors and made 20,000 phone calls to voters
They have also distributed 1100 placards for front fences and letterboxed the entire electorate
“It’s really pronounced this election how many people don’t want to vote for the major parties anymore,” she said
“They really feel like they’ve been let down and neglected
and they really like what the Greens are proposing
the more people are open to that message of hope and change.”
Continued below ▼
Funding commitments made by Labor since the start of the election:
Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Coburg = unquantified
Upgrading of Fawkner Netball Courts = $4.5 million
New facilities for Bachar Houli Foundation and Islamic College of Sport in Coburg = $15 million
Merri Creek vegetation and other improvements = $1.9 million
Sport and recreation facilities at the Fitzroy North Linear Parklands = $3.7 million
Gillon Oval grandstand and lighting = $3.3 million
Improved accessibility at Pontiaki Estia in Brunswick = $49,500
Commitments will be delivered if Albanese government is re-elected
Funding promises made by the Greens since the start of the election:
Increased public school funding and upgrades = $45 million
Merri and Moonee Ponds creeks improvements = $10 million
Greens to lobby a future government for promises to be converted into concrete funding
“Almost every day now I’m talking to people who are saying they’re changing their vote because of Gaza,” Ratnam said
“They feel like Labor has not been strong enough
They [Labor] took months to even call for a ceasefire
they are not proposing sanctions on Israel
“They feel really let down by Labor’s lack of leadership
and they want people to have moral courage
and it is influencing so many people’s votes.”
Khalil’s approach has been to patiently explain the Australian government’s position and the things it has done since Israel’s military offensive began in late-2023
including its support for a ceasefire in the United Nations
and the refugee program that has allowed escapees from Gaza to settle in Australia
But he bristles at what he describes as misinformation that has been spread
He sees this as a symptom of what has become a “nasty” political environment
“I think there’s been a lot more populism
“Some of the pamphlets that have been distributed have distorted images or doctored images of me ripping up a page that says
‘Free Palestine’ … That’s a bit nasty
I think most people that I speak to understand that
and they see through some of this misinformation
and are really interested in to hear what I’ve worked on
people can make a judgement about Australia’s foreign policy
And I’m open to having that conversation with people
and they’re good and mature conversations.”
Khalil is still favourite to retain the seat
Sportsbet has him at $1.60 and Ratnam at $2.15
while TAB has them at $1.50 and $2.40 respectively
but this election is too close to call and it’s possible we may not even know the result until early next week
St Margaret Mary’s Parish Hall68 Donald St
Brunswick North Primary School144 Pearson St
Temple Park Senior Citizens Centre24 Gray St
Merri-bek Primary School157-163 Moreland Rd
Brunswick East Primary School195A Stewart St
Brunswick South West Primary School5A South Daly St
Brunswick South Primary School56 Brunswick Rd
Brunswick North West Primary School3 Culloden St
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needs plenty of TLC but that did not deter bidders at a hotly-contested Saturday auction
A dilapidated Brunswick house where squatters had formerly lived for about a decade unexpectedly sold for more than $1m on Saturday
Owned by the same family for a 115 years, the two-bedroom home at 28 Barry St went under the hammer with a $760,000-$835,000 asking range
About six bidders competed for the keys to the circa-1910 abode
that had been graffitied and fallen into disrepair
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Ray White Brunswick’s Trish Di Vito said despite this
the house featuring a heritage-listed facade had attracted plenty of interest from buyers thanks to its character and renovation potential
The online listing racked up more than 12,500 online views including at realestate.com.au before the auction
Ms Di Vito said she believed that squatters had previously lived at Beatrice for between 10 to 15 years
“Squatters had been living there for years and it was boarded up to keep them out,” she said
was originally constructed by the prolific local builder Victor Heiberg
The home is set on a 351sq m block of land
The owners spent two days clearing rubbish from the residence before it was put up for sale
Ray White auctioneer Hassan Allouche described Beatrice as the perfect property for anyone who has “DIY is in your DNA”
Mr Allouche said urged the first bidder who put forward a $685,000 offer to raise it to $750,000
A Hills hoist clothesline in the back yard
Soon after the house was placed on the market at $900,000
a cheeky driver going past jokingly yelled “$1m” out their window before driving away – causing laughter among the crowd watching the auction
But it wasn’t long after this that bidding surpassed $1m before reaching $1,005,500
an impressive $110,000 above its $900k on the market figure
Ms De Vito said the brothers who purchased the home had previously renovated other properties in the local area
and were planning to do the same with Beatrice
Private inspections were held in the lead-up to the auction
Inside the home which had been vacant for some time
“A lot of people were super keen to see how it would go because it has been sitting vacant for quite some time and they wanted to find out what happened to it,” she said
“They wanted Beatrice to find a new owner.”
Historic documents show the house was last transferred for £89 and five shillings in 1889
a figure which the Reserve Bank of Australia’s online inflation calculator puts at an equivalent $15,951 today
Victoria achieved a preliminary 61.6 per cent clearance rate from 680 early auction results this week
A total of 186 auctions are scheduled across the state next week during the traditionally quiet week that includes Easter Friday
Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox
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MORE than 1400 votes were cast at the Brunswick pre-poll centre on Tuesday as early voting got underway ahead of the May 3 federal election
Only a few voters were at the doors when the centre at the Brunswick Masonic Centre in Davies Street opened at 8.30am
but the crowd quickly grew with a line stretching through the car park all the way to Sydney Road by mid-morning
Such was the demand that the Australian Electoral Commission had to scramble to call in extra staff
2489 people enrolled in Wills cast their votes on Tuesday
representing just under 2% of all voters in the electorate
Wait times of longer than half an hour were common for much of the day
with some potential voters turning away once they saw the length of the queues
Most candidates for Wills spent much of their day speaking to voters as they waited in line
including Labor MP Peter Khalil and the Greens’ Samantha Ratnam
Khalil has held the seat of Wills since 2016
Wills has been held by a Labor MP for all but three years since it was first established in 1949
who resigned as leader of the Greens in the Victorian Parliament to run for the seat
needs to overcome a nominal 4.6% margin to claim victory
In addition to volunteers for the candidates
advocacy groups including the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Muslim Votes Matter also handed out information
See below candidates’ statements and details of where and when pre-poll voting is available in the Brunswick area
More details: Australian Electoral Commission
POLICE are investigating a suspicious fire on Sunday at a building in Brunswick that has been the subject of a five-year legal dispute between Merri-bek Council and a community organisation.
The fire caused internal damage to the Dar-Alawda (Wendel Street) Community Centre hall in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The building is part of a property in Wendel Street that the council has been seeking to regain ownership of.
A Fire Rescue Victoria spokesperson said it had responded to a structure fire at 3.24am on Sunday after callers to Triple Zero reported seeing flames through a window of the building.
Firefighters arrived on scene within seven minutes to find a fire at the rear of the single storey weatherboard hall
crews worked quickly to contain and extinguish the fire
with the scene declared under control at 3.41am
Firefighters conducted a thorough secondary search of the building and found no occupants
and handed the scene to Victoria Police after deeming it suspicious.
Police forensic officers visited the scene
Witnesses said the interior of the building appeared to have been badly burnt.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be established however
the fire is being treated as suspicious,” police said in a statement.
The building is part of the Montfort Park site which has been the centre of a legal tussle between the council and Dar-Alawda for five years
commenced legal action against Dar-Alawda in 2020 following complaints from local residents that the organisation was preventing public access to the basketball court it built at Montfort Park
Public access was a key condition attached to the sale of the land
on the corner of Wendel and Henkel streets
by the council to Dar-Alawda for $100,000 in 2004
Victorian Supreme Court Justice Melinda Richards found Dar-Alawda was in breach of the 2004 sale conditions and ordered the organisation must sell the land back to the council for $579,500.
That ruling was reinforced by the Victorian Court of Appeal in September
and last month the High Court of Australia refused an application by Dar-Alawda seeking leave to appeal.
A council spokesperson said the transfer of the site has not been finalised
and Dar-Alawda currently remain the registered owners of the property.
Dar-Alawda president Anthony Helou did not respond to messages by phone or SMS.
Police have urged anyone who witnessed the fire, has CCTV/dashcam vision or information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Eight candidates have nominated in Wills for the May 3 election
PETER Khalil has gained an early edge in his fight to keep Wills a Labor seat
drawing a position on ballot papers four above Greens’ challenger Samantha Ratnam
with Khalil drawing second position on Friday and Ratnam sixth
Socialist Alliance candidate and Merri-bek councillor Sue Bolton will appear in first position on ballot papers
followed by Khalil and Liberal Jeff Kidney
Margee Glover from Legalise Cannabis Australia is fourth
Fusion Party’s Owen Miller fifth and Ratnam is sixth
The bottom two places are taken by Rachel Versteegen from the Libertarian Party and Bruce Stevens from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation
Khalil is defending a 4.6% margin as he seeks a third term as Member for Wills and fights to prevent the seat falling into the hands of the Greens for the first time in its history
he won by 8.6% but a redistribution has made the seat marginal
Pauline Hanson’s One NationSource: Australian Electoral Commission
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles – an avid Geelong supporter – visited Brunswick on Saturday to join Khalil in announcing more than $3.3 million in funding for Gillon Oval
Most of the $3.325 million election commitment will go towards the renovation of the historic A.R
which has fallen in to disrepair over the years
Funding will also be provided to upgrade ground lighting to support night matches at the oval
Gillon Oval is home to the Brunswick football and cricket clubs
while Brunswick Netball Club also trains at nearby Raeburn Reserve and shares facilities at Gillon Oval
“This election commitment will make Gillon Oval fit-for-purpose not just for those playing sports
but for spectators and other community members using the grounds for generations to come,” Khalil said
Brunswick’s The Retreat hotel played host to a Greens’ policy announcement on Friday of tax relief for live performance venues
Sarah Hanson-Young joined Ratnam in announcing the live performance tax offsets program which would see venues like The Retreat gain access to a 10% tax offset to reduce their upfront costs
“Wills is home to so many artists and venues like The Retreat,” Ratnam said
“But we know so many live music venues are struggling to stay open
Our community would lose so much heart and soul without live music.”
Conservative lobby group Advance is letter boxing Wills residences with election materials attacking the Greens
The flyers have begun turning up in letter boxes in recent days bearing a message “Can’t Vote Greens
Advance – best known for funding the No campaign during the Voice referendum in 2023 – has boasted of raising almost $10 million to target left of centre parties
with three-quarters of that money to be used to attack the Greens
It is also bankrolling other third party organisations to produce anti-Greens materials
The Australian Christian Lobby has also letterboxed Wills residences with pamphlets attacking the Greens support for gender affirming healthcare
despite no specific reference to any such policy in the party’s 2025 election platform
The ACL pamphlets were roundly criticised on social media platforms
Liberal candidate Jeff Kidney has maintained his radio silence despite several attempts by Brunswick Voice to contact him
He has also been notably absent from election forums since the campaign began
There is a good reason for his low profile: due to some excellent sleuth work by The Age
we now know that Kidney calls home a suburb roughly 40 kilometres from Brunswick
It would take Kidney 45 minutes to drive from Boronia to Brunswick
The cultural differences between the two suburbs are even wider
The Age has also reported that last year Kidney pleaded guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception
Kidney pleaded guilty in March 2024 to the charge and was ordered to pay $10,640 in compensation to the Victorian Work Cover authority for breaches which took place between May and October 2019
No conviction was recorded so he is still eligible to run for political office
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Amnesty International are hosting a Wills candidates forum on Monday night in Coburg
Bolton and Miller have all accepted an invitation to attend the forum
Deputy CEO and Head of Systemic Change at ASRC
It is being billed as a chance for candidates to state their positions on the ASRC’s key policy priorities for this election: protection
safety and humanity for refugees and people seeking asylum
The event will begin at 6pm at Schoolhouse Studios
On Tuesday, Free Palestine Melbourne and Muslim Votes Matter have organised a forum
Bolton and Heidelberg Mosque Imam Alaa Elzokm have been invited but have not confirmed their attendance
At that time on Tuesday, Khalil will be appearing at a forum on the arts industry policies of the respective parties hosted by community radio station 3RRR at its Brunswick East building
the event will begin with a panel featuring local artists Sui Zhen
before turning to responses from Kahlil and Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May
A fourth forum
on public education and community infrastructure
BRUNSWICK’S new $30 million arts and community precinct is open for business
Temporary fencing was removed from around Balam Balam Place on the corner of Phoenix and Saxon streets in the last week of February opening it to the public
and the space is now actively seeking tenants
“The fence came down at 6am on Wednesday [February 25]
and I think it was by 7.30 that the first people were walking through,” said Joseph Norster
whose company These Are The Projects We Do Together will manage the site
The redevelopment of the site has taken more than 18 months and was delivered at twice the original budget
With a budget of about $30 million, Balam Balam Place is one of the largest single capital investments ever undertaken by Merri-bek Council
“It’s been worth every penny,” Norster said
in 2010 for about $7 million after the closure of Trinity Catholic Regional College and for several years it was known as both 33 Saxon Street and Siteworks
The project has delivered 3500 square metres of floor space for arts and community activities
The highlight is South – a new five level building on the south-eastern corner of the site that will house a cafe
The new building also has numerous spaces for hire for events
The centrepiece of the area is the original 1888 mansion of industrial pioneer Joseph Cornwell
which during the 20th century was owned by the Catholic Church as the St Ambrose Presbytery and later part of Trinity College
The two storey mansion has been refurbished inside and out and will also be available for hire
The shell of one of the school buildings has been retained as a dramatic entrance into the precinct from Phoenix Street with a columned walkway leading through to the open space in front of the mansion
this will provide much-needed shade in summer and will also be an open air performance space
Renowned Kamilaroi artist Reko Rennie – fresh from designing the new match shirts for the Socceroos and Matildas and recently the subject of a retrospective exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria – has been commissioned to design a huge mural that has been painted on the eastern wall of The Steps
The entire site is surrounded by 2500 square metres of open space
including native gardens which incorporate existing trees and offers plenty of luscious grass for nearby workers or visitors to the Brunswick library and baths to relax upon
Balam Balam Place opened for business on Monday
Merri-bek Mayor Helen Davidson said it would provide the community with inclusive
and flexible spaces for a range of cultural and creative activities
“It is the culmination of many years of planning
community consultation and anticipation,” she said
“We are very much looking forward to creativity and cultural diversity flourishing.”
The site’s name is derived from the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung word for butterfly
which was the most popular choice in a public vote last year
The precinct is managed by These Are The Projects We Do Together
who also managed Siteworks at the same location before the redevelopment
Norster, who runs These Are The Projects We Do Together with his partner Millie Cattlin
said Balam Balam Place would be available to community organisations and arts workers of all shapes and sizes and a key to this was to make the spaces as affordable as possible
The spaces available for hire in the South building come in a range of different sizes and configurations and are deliberately designed for multiple uses
The largest of the hire spaces on the ground floor includes a commercial kitchen
Norster said it was likely people would come from all over Melbourne to hire space at Balam Balam Place once word got out
“Our fundamental job description is providing access to spaces,” he said
We would rather rooms be used from dawn to dusk every day of the week and make it affordable rather than so expensive they are never used.”
South is anchored by Blak Dot Gallery on its ground floor and the maternal and child health centre
Permanent tenants in the upper levels of the building will provide regular income that will subsidise the public spaces to ensure they are affordable
These will range from shared co-worker spaces for several dozen people to full offices that could accommodate up to 15 staff
Norster said there had been more than 100 expressions of interest in becoming tenants
but those who are successful would need to have the right fit with the precinct’s culture
“We’re being very thoughtful in that we want to run a rigorous process so people see the space and understand the culture of the place and contribute to becoming part of that,” he said
“We want to give as much time for people to see the space and hold off until April before we start confirming tenancies
“It’s not just handing them the key like in most commercial tenancies
“We will very thoughtfully curate the spaces and the tenants because we’re interested in culture and place … Because we’re within the Brunswick Design District
You could expand that out to arts organisations that support practitioners.”
Tenants will have 24-hour access to the building and benefit from high-speed internet
An open day will be held for members of the public to explore Balam Balam Place on Saturday
Concerns a new owner could demolish all but original building’s facade
NEIGHBOURS of a 115-year-old Brunswick house currently on the market have launched a pre-emptive campaign to warn any moves to demolish it will be met with a fight.
Residents in Barry Street fear the rundown house at number 28
could be fully or partly demolished by a new owner
They are concerned that it is being marketed as development opportunity.
Beatrice was until recently occupied by squatters and has fallen into disrepair over the years.
The weatherboard house is in a street that has a heritage overlay but this would only protect the facade from being demolished.
who was responsible for a number of significant houses in Melbourne’s inner north in the first decades of the 20th century.
The house is now on the market with an auction set for April 12
The agents are quoting between $760,000 and $835,000 – more than 30% below the median price for the area
It is being advertised as having been held by the same owners since it was built.
Neighbours say the house has been empty for more than a decade
it does not need to be demolished and rebuilt.
the corrugated iron roof is sagging and rusted
but the brick chimney is intact and the name ‘Beatrice’ above the front verandah is clearly visible.
an architect who lives next door and has seen inside the building
said he was concerned that planning laws could allow all of the house to be torn down and a new one built behind its facade.
“It’s totally salvageable,” he said.
it would be problematic but being timber framed it just needs to be restumped
“The last squatters actually did some renovation work and put in a new window
It’s a big project and a lot of work but it’s salvageable.”
Ben Campbell, who restored a house of similar vintage on the corner of Barry and Dawson streets last year
a builder whose business specialises in restorations of period homes
said it had great potential to be preserved for future generations.
“Compared to what the condition of our house was
this is in a really good nick,” he said. “It’s got good bones.”
A planning permit was issued in 2018 for the partial demolition of the house including alterations and additions to the existing dwelling
This would have resulted in a new four bedroom
but it is understood that the permit has expired
who visited the house at the request of its neighbours
said it would be a shame to see part of Brunswick’s history destroyed by a developer.
“It’s relatively well protected by council’s existing heritage overlays,” Iwasaki said.
the biggest issue would have been demolition by neglect but there are now strengthened powers against that
but it does come down to structural soundness.
“Brunswick has a really interesting mix of historic architecture and heritage that is juxtaposed against new things coming up
“This is such a beautiful building and it’s not great to hear that it is being marketed as something that could be torn down.
“This is a good example of the historic architecture and heritage that we want to keep which can be an asset to the neighbourhood for a long time.”
left his mark on Brunswick with several eccentric houses which still remain in the suburb.
Heiberg came to Melbourne early in the twentieth century in his 20s
and raised four children in Brunswick with his Australian-born wife.
He established a small fish and chip stall in Albert Street but was targeted during World War One in a protest against German immigrants
who continued building and renovating houses after the war.
Updated Sunday, April 13: The house was sold at auction on Saturday
Brunswick NOBs 10.8 (68) lost to Oakleigh 15.17 (107) at Gillon Oval
ON the hottest day in living memory for a home-and-away game at Gillon Oval
there was plenty of heat in a high-quality Round 2 encounter between Brunswick and Oakleigh on Saturday
but it was the Krushers who were able to absorb the pressure and execute their skills better for longer
the visitors got off to a quick start with three early goals before two majors in a minute to Brunswick’s Lachie Pearson and Tom Wilson made it a one-goal game
but then the Krushers replied with a couple of their own
including a third to their gun full forward
but a very late goal to Oakleigh gave them a 20-point lead
which would prove to be a valuable buffer for the remainder of the day
The NOBs began the second term brightly with a nice bit of team play ending in an early Oscar Watt major
but Ashen continued to be a thorn in their side as he replied with his fourth
before star recruit Fletcher Banfield slotted one to again make it a 14-point game
The Krushers then steadied as the game became more of an arm wrestle
capitalising on defensive turnovers to extend their lead to 28 points at the main break
Watt caught fire and had his second and third goals on the board inside two minutes as Brunswick pressed hard
but Ashen’s fifth soon after gave Oakleigh a crucial 22-point lead
which they followed up with the next two goals
The NOBs fought back hard as the term wore on
with majors to Paul Scamporlino and Will McKenzie
and could have been closer had a couple of late set shots been on target
The first goal of the final term would be critical and
it was Oakleigh who scored it to make the gap 29 points
before resting ruckman Ben Young calmly slotted a set shot and then looked to have a second major in a minute
but his snap was adjudged to have glanced the padding on the post
and the final margin was probably not truly reflective of the closeness between the teams on the day
who copped extra attention all day and still showed his class
Lewis McKenzie played in a number of positions and did well in all of them
while Tahj Haddock led a defence that was under pressure all day with skill and courage
Banfield continues to impress with his hard running and ability to win the ball
while in the forward line Watt was always dangerous and Tom Wilson was back near his best
The challenges keep on coming for Brunswick in Division 1
with Old Peninsula at Gillon Oval on April 26
This Preston home sold $60k above price guide as buyers chased space and charm
A young Brunswick couple has snapped up a charming Preston home for $1.16m at an auction that saw bidding rocket well past expectations
The three-bedroom house at 38 Spring St had a price guide of $1m-$1.1m
but competitive interest on the day pushed the final sale $60,000 above the top of the quoted range
Ray White Preston director Ian Dempsey said the buyers
had been drawn to the home’s natural light
character detail and location near Preston Market
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“They’re from Brunswick — so still inner north — but they were excited to step into something with long-term potential,” Mr Dempsey said
While the property’s period charm played a big role in the result
Mr Dempsey said the couple were also looking for flexibility — and the bonus of a detached backyard studio sealed the deal
A private backyard studio adds work-from-home flexibility to this character-rich Preston property
Sunlight floods the open-plan living and dining space at 38 Spring Street
The classic weatherboard home features timber trims
and a sunny rear sunroom that spills out to a paved courtyard framed by leafy hedges and a pergola
A modernised kitchen with checkerboard tiling overlooks the back yard
while a detached home office adds value in today’s work-from-home era
Three spacious bedrooms offered buyers comfort and potential in one of Preston’s best pockets
Competitive bidding saw the Preston home smash reserve as a Brunswick couple claimed victory
Mr Dempsey said the auction result reflected a shift in buyer behaviour
with many young couples upsizing out of apartments in Fitzroy and Carlton and hunting value in Preston and Reservoir
“We’re definitely seeing more buyers coming out this way,” he said
“Preston still has that Thornbury-Northcote vibe
but the price point is more accessible — that’s what’s really driving demand.”
The updated kitchen connects to a sunroom and flows to a lush courtyard
The Ray White Preston director said the sale came amid a busy weekend for the agency
with several auctions drawing strong crowds and strong bidding — even as the federal election looms and talk of another interest rate cut bubbles in the background
they’re trying to get in before any more price movement,” Mr Dempsey said
“There’s a real window of opportunity right now
and sellers in this pocket are in a good position.”
MORE: Government gives up on one million renters in latest budget
Rental option many tenants don’t know about
Aussies now more confident they’ll escape mortgage prison in 2025
and total redevelopment of an old business and overgrown lot
Market 42 in Brunswick is set to open Friday
This is a story we've covered for the last three years
RELATED: Brunswick's Market 42, bringing Vegas flair, nears completion
The Pearl Road destination in Brunswick is said to have something for everyone
The doors of Market 42 will open to customers from across Northeast Ohio
While there have admittedly been some delays along the way
the owner and vendors say it will be worth the wait
Brunswick's Highly Anticipated Market 42 is ready for the masses and is officially entering its era of operation
Video game machine area for the kids," Grant Aungst
Brunswick Community and Economic Development Director
"The buzz has been building for a long time," Pete Cooper
Pete Cooper's Goldberry Roasting Company started with humble beginnings at home
He was just roasting coffee for himself in his basement for a long time and in 2008 we opened our first shop," Cooper said
Market 42 now marks their third coffee shop
after success in Cooper's hometown of Ashland and then at Oberlin College
but the ecosystem operation with other vendors at Market 42 sealed the deal
We can kind of all feed off of each other a little bit," Cooper said
Lifelong Brunswick resident Patti Carter says she's been longing for something like this in her community
It's where she says she can take her husband and grandchildren to hang out year-round
We're going over there to get some muffins in a little bit and the coffee
We're just so excited it's here," Carter said
Aungst says the walkability and a newly developed community behind the property are the perfect complement
and so you have people who are making their living here
experiencing the community and raising their families here," Aungst said
He's now eager for the economic boost for the long term and is celebrating Kyriazis
"Thank you for staying with us the whole three years—and I appreciate the support," Kyriazis said
Every vendor booth is occupied at Market 42
A ribbon cutting is planned with city and state officials at 4:30 p.m
For the full list of vendors and ways to apply, click here
but things get complicated when he accidentally kills a fellow worker
Now he must turn to his best friend Dave to help him dispose of the body
DirectorJohn RuaneCastSam Neill, Zoe Carides, John Clarke, Yvonne Lawley, Nick LathourisExtrasTrailerTrailerTRAILERDuration: 59 seconds59sDown-on-his-luck Carl Fitzgerald falls for Sophie while working as a cook
ABC iview HomeWatch all your favourite ABC programs on ABC iview.
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
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Restoration works commenced in September 2023 at the Brunswick Street Depot (Old Helicopter Building) to repair the site after it suffered significant damage during the 2020 natural disaster (AGRN1012)
The project was completed in early 2024 and included building new internal stairs
and painting throughout along with installing new air conditioning and floor covering
Lismore City Council acknowledges the Widjabul/Wia-bal people of the Bundjalung nation
traditional owners of the land on which we work
We acknowledge their continuing connection to the land
We pay our respects to the Widjabul/Wia-bal people
Now, this Saturday, the long-held c1910 property at 28 Barry Street, Brunswick, will go under the hammer for the first time.
An ornate plaque on the front gable bears the boarded-up two-bedroom house’s name of Beatrice.
“With over 12,000 online views and strong inquiry numbers
Saturday’s auction is shaping up to be one of real interest,” she says
Di Vito and fellow listing agent Jamil Allouche have fielded almost 100 enquiries for the property
which is available to view by private inspection only
The home has been unoccupied for over a decade
and Di Vito says its period pedigree gives plenty of opportunity for a top-notch restoration
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“Renovators and home owners are drawn to the opportunity
and the scope for transformation is enormous,” she says
The rundown property is a well-known fixture among Brunswick residents
largely intact original condition and its age
a prominent turn-of-the-century builder in Brunswick and its neighbouring suburbs
Many of his homes still stand tall in the area
The house is located within the Brickworks Housing Precinct near the original Hoffman Brickworks site. Having operated as a major brick and pottery factory from the 1870s to early 1990s, the site is of historical and architectural significance to the City of Merri-bek, according to the Victorian Heritage Database.
“The home has sparked plenty of conversation within the community, with locals even creating a Save Beatrice page in support [of the home],” Di Vito says.
“There’s a strong desire to see it rebuilt and restored, keeping the beautiful facade and heritage charm intact.”
Located on a 351-square-metre parcel with on-site parking, the home’s generous proportions are a desirable feature in Melbourne’s inner north.
In addition to the attraction of the home itself, the listing’s comparatively low price range of $760,000 to $835,000 – compared to other live listings in the area – is also piquing buyer interest.
The median house price in Brunswick is $1,236,944, according to the Domain House Price Report for the December 2024 quarter.
The suburb has also yielded steady capital growth, with the median house price increasing by 20.4 per cent in the past five years.
With the home’s rich history and an inner north lifestyle on offer, Di Vito is excited to see what happens at this Saturday’s auction and who will be its next custodian.
Only one question remains: Will the new owners call Beatrice home for the next 115 years?
This property is open for private inspection only and scheduled for auction on Saturday, April 12.
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Melbourne
If only all of our apartment complexes were this cool – and convenient
East Brunswick Village has transformed into an idyllically situated apartment building (just 6 kilometres from the CBD) into the inner-city retail and foodie hub of our dreams
East Brunswick Village is a space designed to be an "urban village"
with open spaces and amenities for the whole community
And it's central to everything you could want — a market-style supermarket
Also inside East Brunswick Village are captivating public art installations and gardens.
Hip Lebanese wine bar? Of course that's here – welcome to Rocket Society, run by the same folks who operate nearby Middle Eastern trailblazer restaurant Rumi. Want to catch a flick? Check out Fomo Cinemas
a one-of-a-kind movie theatre offering a dine-in experience for all your in-film snacking needs
If the aforementioned offerings aren't enough
consider yourself sold with one of the best butchers in Melbourne
you can browse only the finest quality meat
all grown on farms close to home and delivered with a level of service that'll forever have you avoiding the major supermarket butcher delis
we're going to get our next Chrissie ham here
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Brunswick and Coburg to gain thousands of new homes under government plan
THE areas around Brunswick and Coburg railway stations have been chosen by the state government for more high density housing
prompting calls fresh for improvements to the Upfield line so it can cope with the increased population using it.
The two stations have been named among 50 “activity centres” where the government aims to deliver more than 300,000 additional homes close to jobs
They will be governed by new planning controls that transfer decision making over large projects from councils to the state government to allow faster approvals to achieve the ambitious target
Announcing the final 25 activity centres this week
Premier Jacinta Allan said Brunswick and Coburg were selected because of their proximity to existing train and tram services.
But Merri-bek Mayor Helen Davidson said there will need to be major investment in the Upfield line
including duplication of the northern section of the line
to cope with the expected increased commuter usage under the government’s plan.
“An improved Upfield train line is a priority for our community today and is key to any future population growth,” she said.
The locations of train and tram zones have been chosen based on an analysis of transport capacity
The Allan government’s vision for train and tram zones like those around Brunswick and Coburg stations is “gentle density”
with more multi-storey residential buildings in the immediate ‘core’ at the station or tram corridor
and scaled height limits and more low-rise apartments and townhouses alongside existing houses in the walkable catchments surrounding them.
The government will progressively introduce new planning controls to deliver the vision.
It insists it will engage with councils and locals to understand and that heritage and landscape overlays will not change.
But the government says it aims to cut lengthy planning processes to about 12 months
It says some structure planning changes can take up to five years to get through councils.
Davidson said the current Merri-bek planning scheme had the capacity for the provision of an extra 7500 dwellings in Coburg and 8500 more dwellings in Brunswick
they would make up more than 5% of the government’s target.
the council’s Planning and Related Matters committee backed a new development in Victoria Street next to Brunswick Station that will deliver 284 apartments and 3770 square metres of office and retail space.
“We are keen to understand the state government’s targets for housing and jobs for Coburg
and Brunswick and to continue working together to deliver them,” she said.
But Davidson said the current state of the Upfield line was a constraint on future growth
and improvements must be a priority to deliver population growth.
“Council recognises the need for more housing to fix the housing crisis; and investment in public transport services to meet community needs
which must be built along with housing,” she said.
“The Upfield train line has the poorest service levels of all lines in Melbourne and the status quo of one train every 15-20 minutes in peak hour is not enough.
“We have been calling on the state government to urgently prioritise duplicating the Upfield train line between Gowrie and Upfield stations to improve frequency and reliability of this service.”
The Hot List is our guide to Melbourne’s most essential food and drink experiences, updated weekly. Learn more
it’s undoubtedly one of Australia’s most important and influential migrant cuisines
Melbourne itself is famously home to the largest Greek-speaking population outside of Greece and Cyprus – not that you’d know it from our restaurants. While institutions like Stalactites, Jim’s Greek Tavern and the plethora in Oakleigh continue to draw lines
Greek restaurants just aren’t as ubiquitous as Chinese and Italian restaurants
who shares the head chef role here with Michael Carins
But it’s exceptional hospitality that’s landed Taverna on the Hot List so quickly – this despite the liquor licence still pending
ferrying plates to the table with a smile and
sometimes a proud statement about what each dish means to the Greek community
broadsheet.com.au/hotlist/melbourne
Click here to see Canada's most comprehensive listing of projects in conceptual and planning stages
FREDERICTON — New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt has written to Prime Minister Mark Carney calling for urgent action to develop national trade and resource corridors to provide an alternative to trade with the United States
She also urges the newly elected Liberal prime minister to make full use of Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in her province to train soldiers for “new challenges.”
Carney promised during the election campaign to create a $5-billion Trade Diversification Corridor Fund that he said would accelerate port
Holt says trade and resource corridors can help move goods across the country for export through New Brunswick’s seaports
as well as improving the province’s access to Canadian markets
President Donald Trump first threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canada
the premiers and prime minister have been working to tear down interprovincial trade barriers and improve the flow of goods and services with other countries
Holt also says the military base in Gagetown has space to support training of soldiers and help strengthen Canada’s Armed Forces
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Coburg artist has gone from animation to illustrating books
COBURG-based artist Laura Stitzel draws on her local neighbourhood when she brings stories to life through her intricate and thoughtful illustrations
is a children’s book written by Kirsten Ealand
and it explores sustainability and community through her bright
four kids whose families live in neighbouring houses
The best friends want to knock down their fences so they can all share one big backyard
and has worked in the television industry for over 15 years
creating background art and character animation for Emmy award winning shows like Arthur
eight years ago and has illustrated another seven books
Stitzel spent four months working on the illustrations for The Big Backyard Plan
She began with sketching rough illustrations digitally and then used a combination of pencil and watercolour for the final artworks
She says it was tricky to get the perspective right for the houses and backyard so to accurately depict them
Stitzel built miniature models of the home out of cardboard and paper straws
Through taking thousands of photographs and making adjustments to the miniatures
Stitzel was able to perfect the angles and details
bringing the interactions between the book’s characters and their environment to life
Stitzel began the process with drawing the families
She had plenty of artistic liberties about the appearance of the families and their backgrounds up to interpretation
Stitzel wanted the four children to be from diverse families
and Jack is from a multi-generational household,” she said
she was able to imagine their houses and gardens
“I was able to design their backyards and their houses according to what I thought was suitable for their family.”
She drew inspiration from local houses and gardens around Coburg
Stitzel wanted to show how the garden changed and grew as the families and their backyards became more interconnected
“I think that a nice way to show that sustainability is working is when wildlife is making its way into a space”
Plants continue to grow throughout the story
and get bigger as the backyards become one
and Stitzel added more butterflies and bees and native birds to show how the garden was thriving
“I love to add in little animals wherever I can
I think that’s a really fun thing for kids to find in the book – and the kind of thing that you maybe don’t notice on the first read.”
Stitzel has found her own shared community in the apartment building where she lives
We help each other look after our gardens and our pets.”
She extended her search for community by working on the book in a coworking space in Brunswick
It is lovely to share ideas with fellow artists and have some encouragement as you’re working illustrating.”
The Big Backyard Plan is published by Affirm and is in stock at bookshops including Brunswick Bound
but there’s nothing quite like catching a flick under the stars
Fomo Cinemas is setting up outdoor screenings in the centre of East Brunswick Village’s Bluestone Way
Nights will kick off at 7pm with a range of one-off menus and dishes at all food venues within the East Brunswick Village
Get HSP croquettes from The Rocket Society
Fomo’s antipasto box and muffulettas from Hagen’s filled with poached turkey
There’ll be chairs set up to use on a first-in basis
but you can also BYO chairs and rugs to make sure you don’t miss out on a seat
@eastbrunswickvillage
Fusion Party was formed from a merger of four minor parties
WHEN Owen Miller tells voters he is the Fusion Party candidate for Wills
more often than not he is met with blank stares.
That lack of recognition is Fusion’s biggest hurdle as it prepares to make its debut in Wills at the upcoming federal election but it hasn’t discouraged Miller, a Brunswick resident who unsuccessfully ran in the Merri-bek Council elections last year
a software engineer who moved to Brunswick three years ago after a period living in the United States
has been working hard to raise both his own profile and that of the Fusion Party
which he joined shortly before he ran in the byelection for the outer eastern suburban seat of Aston in 2023
He said Fusion will seek to attract voters who are looking for an alternative to Labor and the Greens
“I don’t fully agree with the premise that The Greens are the only challenger [to Labor in Wills],” he said
where most people haven’t heard of Fusion
when I tell them about what Fusion stands for
So I think the only thing holding us back is who’s heard of us?”
which currently has nine candidates for both houses of Parliament with more expected to be announced soon
brings together elements of four minor parties with long histories
the party wants to influence the public dialogue about climate change
Fusion was formed in 2021 from the amalgamation of the Science
As the national convenor of Fusion, Miller has been heavily involved in writing the party’s comprehensive policy platform
The party supports a universal basic income; wants to see the adoption of more cutting edge technology
to combat global warming; and embraces Artificial Intelligence and open source software to spur a national innovation agenda
As an admirer of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange
Miller was also attracted to Fusion by its advocacy for whistleblower protections and Freedom of Information law reforms
which include the establishment of a Whistleblower Protection Authority and government-funded legal support for whistleblowers
Miller says he would fight for the Upfield and Craigieburn lines to be upgraded so there were trains at least every 10 minutes
Miller says Fusion has the benefit of years of policy development by its predecessor parties
“There’s a lot of love for independents at the moment
and I guess we both – minor parties and independents – share the fact that we’re still ambitious and sort of more pure
“But I guess where Fusion is unique compared to independents is that we have people who have been thinking about these issues for years
“It’s not reinventing the wheel in each electorate.”
Miller says Australia could learn a great deal from the small northern European nation of Estonia
which has a “digital first” government and consistently ranks among the top nations in the world for quality of life
“Australia has fallen completely behind in research and development funding,” Miller says
“Wage growth hasn’t kept up with productivity ever since the ‘70s
Australia just keeps falling further and further behind.”
Miller began to be politically active while living and working in the United States in 2020 out of frustration at what he saw as the political status quo
the Sydney-born 36-year-old bought an apartment in Brunswick because of the suburb’s similarities to the ultra-hip neighbourhood of Bushwick in New York where he had lived for a period
Offering his candidacy for Merri-bek Council’s Bulleke-bek ward last year was a dry run for the federal election
Miller got 4.5% of primary votes and concedes there is a lot of work to do in explaining Fusion’s policies and raising both his own and the party’s profile
“I had already been intending on running federally
but some people were asking let’s get these ideas out now
let’s get them into Council and make this option available
That’s their choice … The biggest problem holding me back is just people aren’t aware of us [and] what we stand for.”
Miller has had hundreds of posters printed featuring his distinctive pink hair (he began dyeing his hair well before he contemplated politics) and has welcomed the opportunity to take part in community forums
including the recent Merri-bek climate forum in Coburg
including Brunswick Baths and Uniting Church
and an electronic sonic collage are among the unique events on offer at this year’s Brunswick Music Festival
The eight-day festival will venture outside the usual bars and clubs to explore unusual venues including the Brunswick Baths
and the Brunswick Uniting Church in Sydney Road
Gilpin Park will also feature again as an outdoor venue for two concerts, and the recently opened Yubup Park in Frith Street will feature a free performance by legendary First Nations singer-songwriter Kutcha Edwards to close the festival on March 10
Forty gigs will be held over the festival’s nine days
Festival programmer Juliette Lalli has sought to represent and champion diverse voices in the community this year
“In 2025 I’m focussed on intersectional accessibility which includes considering the cultural
physical and sensory needs of our community across the entire festival program,” she said
a deep listening experience that offers a nourishing and comfortable environment for audiences to experience improvised sounds while being invited to sit
Brunswick Baths will host Saturate
described as “an underwater sonic artwork by Sara Retallick” on March 9
listeners will swim and float in amplified sound – bodies moving through a submerged sound installation to access the omnipresent
internalised and tactile qualities of listening underwater
intimate evening celebrating Queer talent on March 5
With storytelling and songs from local stars Ruby Gill
this special event offers a rare chance to dive into the meaning and lore behind their music
The penultimate day, March 9, will see the return of Bulleke-Bek Journey
the day offers a rich variety of sounds to explore
Classical music and jazz fans will not miss out with shows at Tempo Rubato and The JazzLab during the festival
The full program is available at the Brunswick Music Festival website
VICTORIA’S Planning Minister has approved an apartment building bordering Clifton Park in Brunswick that has been likened to the Great Wall of China a day after Merri-bek Council voted not to support it
The Minister granted a permit to the developer of the nine-level building
The previous night councillors voted unanimously to tell the Department of Transport and Planning that the project in its current form was opposed by the council
a collaboration of Hip V Hype and Austin Maynard Architects
had bypassed the council’s planning process by applying directly for approval from the Minister for Planning under the state government’s controversial Development Facilitation Program
At the Planning and Related Matters committee meeting on March 26
councillors heavily criticised the design of the building
because it would block access to Clifton Park from the road
Councillors unanimously voted in favour of a recommendation from the council staff not to support the $29 million development because of a number of design issues
including the lack of physical breaks that would create a continuous wall between Albert Street and Clifton Park
Staff had already conveyed the council’s opposition to the Department of Planning on March 6
The 1188 square metre site on the northern side of Albert Street
currently occupied by a single storey brick building
will fill the missing link between two multi-level apartment buildings that have been approved immediately to its east and west
At 34.6 metres in height across nine levels
it will contain 61 dwellings plus ground level
Councillor Sue Bolton led the criticism of the project and was joined by councillor Jay Iwasaki
“It is a bit like the Great Wall of China around Clifton Park,” Bolton said
it would block off a walkway not just into the park but through that whole region north and south
I think this would be really dangerous if this developer gets away with this … I think this would be a disastrous precedent if the minister agrees to this and it shows how rotten this developer is if they’re thumbing their nose to the community and running off to the minister.”
Bolton added that the small contribution towards affordable housing – equivalent to 3% of the project cost – was “worse than pathetic”
Politis said the project was “one of the most hostile to the community that I’ve seen in a long time”
while Iwasaki said it was a missed opportunity to integrate the building into the neighbouring park
“We desperately need housing and it’s not something I want to do to block the approval of more housing … It would’ve been relatively easy to do a better design that integrates into the community but this doesn’t show that,” he said
The developer has already begun marketing the project to buyers
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Lendlease’s third residential building in the Collins Wharf precinct of Victoria Harbour.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 28-storey building at 971 Collins Street in Melbourne’s Docklands will deliver 312 homes in a mix of one
two and three-bedroom apartments as well as townhouses and penthouses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to Lendlease
the project has already secured more than 50 per cent in presales.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHickory is the construction contractor—it completed the precinct’s first development
in 2019 and is also working on LendLease’s second tower
Regatta.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor Ancora
Hickory is implementing several technical construction methods including various piling techniques and precast concrete solutions that enable a parallel-track construction program.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe building’s facade designed by architect Warren and Mahoney uses a three-stage design incorporating double-glazed glass
and textured precast concrete with Reckli and brick finishes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structural design transitions from a solid podium base to lighter upper levels
“reflecting a maritime theme” aligned with the Collins Wharf design objectives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAncora will connect to the neighbouring Regatta development via a podium
allowing resident access to shared amenities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesigned as an all-electric building that includes electric vehicle infrastructure
the development is targeting a 5 Star Green Star certification
Completion is expected in 2027.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegatta
including build-to-rent and build-to-sell units.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtensive wharf works
including remediation of pre-existing wharf piles
installation of raker piles and construction of the extension to Australia Walk
are also part of the project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnical challenges include constructing on the finger wharf and co-ordinating extensive above-wharf road reserve and public parkland works.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Collins Wharf precinct will ultimately comprise six residential buildings of more than 1800 homes surrounded by over 5000sq m of parks and community space.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease is developing the parkland concurrently with the residential components
including the extension of Australian Walk that forms part of the City of Melbourne’s Greenline project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease executive director of development Adam Williams said Collins Wharf “is fast becoming a sought-after address ..
which took just a handful of hours to emerge on Saturday night
the Coalition’s failure to sway voters has
come under intense scrutiny.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts lack of policies around property that resonated with voters has been a large part of that criticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong those policies was a $5-billion infrastructure program to unlock up to 500,000 new homes
was greeted with no small amount of scepticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Coalition also campaigned on its previously revealed plan to allow first home buyers to draw down on their superannuation
giving access to up to $50,000 to help fund mortgage deposits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile that proposal had won some support
it got the thumbs down from many of Australia’s top economists
who said the measure could prove highly inflationary
among other issues.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilarly
its plan to allow mortgage interest for first home buyers to be tax-deductible was roundly criticised for its likely inflationary and regressive effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt has also been pointed out
that the Coalition’s rejection of the Green’s policies around housing supply
affordable housing and help for renters did it no favours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ALP
went to the polls spruiking an extension of schemes introduced during its previous term
including a $10-billion promise for its first-home buyers’ scheme to encourage 100,000 more homes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt also had its Help to Buy shared equity scheme
under which the Government pays up to 40 per cent of the house price
to point to.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf it was these policies per se
or the lack of detail and depth to the Coalition’s
the nation's ready for the Albanese government to act.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is clear
been endorsed to follow through on its policies
and fix the crisis that is crippling the Australian property sector.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Urban Taskforce Australia chief executive\u0026nbsp;Tom\u0026nbsp;Forrest has pointed out
it is time for the Federal Government to get back to work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Housing affordability and housing supply featured large during the campaign,” Forrest said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The key now is for the Government to strike while the iron’s hot.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If legislation is needed to support the delivery of Labor’s $10-billion
100,000 new homes commitment—then pass it through the parliament now and get on with it.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe states have
made many changes to how they enable home development
The Federal Government’s support of that is crucial to its success
material supply assistance or any other factor that affects getting homes out of the ground.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis has been a pivotal election
Then Cities for Total Fan Immersion\",\"slug\":\"billionaire-arsenal-rams-denver-nuggets-sports-anchored-precincts\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-30T00:00+10:00\",\"tags\":[],\"summary\":\"Why your next home might be stadium-adjacent; sports are the hook
Pitch will be part of planned $10 million-plus redevelopment of McDonald Reserve
BRUNSWICK Hockey Club’s campaign for a second pitch for its swelling membership has taken a giant leap forward after Merri-bek Council endorsed a masterplan for the redevelopment of McDonald Reserve in Coburg.
Under the plan that will now be put out for public consultation
the hockey club would share facilities with East Coburg Tennis Club and Brunswick Juventus Football Club in a major redevelopment costed at close to $15 million.
McDonald Reserve was identified as the preferred site in 2023
and the new designs would include a synthetic hockey pitch running parallel to a reconfigured soccer pitch with shared lighting
additional tennis courts and dedicated pickleball courts
and extra car parking. The facilities would also be available for use by Coburg High School.
The first stage of the redevelopment would consist of the hockey field
The $3.5 million cost of stage one will be referred to the council’s 2025-26 budget
with the remaining works estimated to cost more than $10 million.
The masterplan was unanimously endorsed by the council meeting on February 12.
Brunswick Hockey Club, which celebrated its centenary in 2023 and is one of the oldest clubs in Victoria
first approached the council in 2021 seeking land for a second pitch
With a lack of available space in Brunswick
a feasibility study in 2023 looked at several locations in other parts of Merri-bek before recommending McDonald Reserve
which is located on the corner of Bell Street and Pentridge Boulevard.
Brunswick Hockey Club committee member Dean Paatsch said the club had well and truly outgrown its existing facilities of a single pitch and changing rooms which are on land belonging to Brunswick Secondary College.
“We are one of the largest sporting clubs in Merri-bek,” he said.
“We’ve got over 540 registered players across 35 teams
cricket clubs and tennis clubs.
no seating … We’ve got as far as we can with our existing infrastructure.
“The feasiblity study has shown we have an overwhelming case and the council’s foresight in making available and investigation of McDonald reserve as the most suitable location has made our wait worth the while.”
A key issue that still needs to be resolved will be the type of synthetic surface used for the new hockey pitch
Competition field hockey is only played on synthetic surfaces
but there are environmental concerns about the impact microplastics and other pollutants produced from surfaces that use so-called PFAS synthetic turf as they age and deteriorate
particularly when they get into waterways.
John Englart from Climate Action Merri-bek urged the council to explore non-chemical synthetic surfaces as a way to mitigate their environmental impact.
“Hockey is one of those sports that has locked itself into synthetic surfaces so there’s no other option for that sport
there’s no alternative to synthetic surfaces so I think we have to look at limitation,” he said.
Paatsch said the hockey club would do whatever was necessary to achieve a new pitch.
“We’re at the point now where I think we’ve got the agreement of most of the major users of the facility
but we know that there will be issues as we move forward – there always will be for a major project of this size.
It’s taken such a long time to get to this point and I really beg you that we keep moving forward
“We know that repurposing McDonald is a privilege
it’s a privilege we’re grateful for and an opportunity we respect
we don’t want to build a gilded cage for old men
We want the community to use the facility and for Coburg High in particular to have the use of that facility during the day
will be considered by the council in April
after public consultation has taken place.
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The bid to revitalize an uptown landmark is gaining ground just months after it was removed from the real estate market
says a leasing officer tasked with reducing the vacancies in Brunswick Square
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associate vice president with Cushman & Wakefield Atlantic
only began recently working with Ravelin Properties
there’s already been interest expressed from both retail businesses and others to locate in the once-bustling location
“We were approached as new members of the Cushman & Wakefield Atlantic team to take on the listing of the retail and office component of Brunswick Square and I was pretty excited about it,” said Turner
“I see tons of potential so we talked about what approach we were going to take to re-energize the leasing activity
has restructured and rebranded to Ravelin Properties and they have also restructured internally to lower their overhead so they are able to be more aggressive in offering competitive rents and deals and they’re keen to work with tenants.”
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The blog post has served as a “catalyst” to get the message out and spark interest in having businesses consider locating in the uptown centre, said Turner.
“We’re trying to remind people how strategically positioned it is, the pedestrian traffic, daily tourists, locals just navigating their way around, workers who work in the nearby office towers and it’s a bit of a captive audience there that we feel is underserved,” she said.
Turner added the timing to revitalize Brunswick Square is good with current major developments in the uptown that place the shopping centre in an even more strategic location. She pointed to the development at 99 King St. and the Fundy Quay development as providing not only a “renewed energy” in the uptown but also more residents who will be calling those developments home in the future, residents who will need places to shop.
While it’s still “the early days” of looking for new tenants there have been some successes, Turner said. Dots Event Planning has secured a lease on the pedway level and will soon open a vibrant storefront, including with a children’s entertainment centre featuring arcade-style games, ride-on plush toys, and a birthday party room.
“We also have toured some of the office space and we do have a tenant that is very close to signing on the atrium level,” she said. “It’s not official so I can’t disclose who that is, but it should be coming out very soon.”
Turner said there are “a lot of vacancies” in the building and she’s hoping to see it return to it’s previous state, which included myriad businesses ranging from clothing, book, music and other retailers. That incarnation of Brunswick Square, she said, met a “perfect storm” of varying factors.
Cindy Alcorn, manager of Cricket Cove, a yarn and knitting store that has called Brunswick Square home for about 15 years, said she’s happy to hear there’s now a more concerted effort to bring the shopping centre back to life. She recalled, fondly, how busy the site was years ago and the camaraderie among the many merchants that once operated in the building.
“Brunswick Square, I’ve said for years, when we were full, we were like a family,” said Alcorn. “The merchants looked out for one another. The merchants were concerned about what was happening in people’s lives. They were very helpful and it was more than just a job, it was a community.”
Like Turner, Alcorn said people need to embrace the uniqueness Brunswick Square offers as it play a major role in Saint John’s pedway system. She pointed to the fact people can travel from the waterfront straight through to the market without ever having to step outside. On days of inclement weather, she said, that’s important. And in the heart of that pedway, she said, is Brunswick Square.
“When Brunswick Square was full…. Oh, I’d love to see that again,” she said. “We’ve been through thick and thin. We’ve seen multiple changes. It was just a hub and a busy time here and now…. I want to see it busy again. I’ve said for years I’d love to see an uptown medical clinic here on the third floor. If they wanted to put a grocery store down on the first floor… There’s a lot of things that they could do to make it a going centre again.”
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It’s been seven years since he started releasing his own pieces. Over that time, his aesthetic style and design eye have sharpened. Yvon is part of a new guard of queer Australian designers – like Gary Bigeni, Jordan Gogos and Alix Higgins – who inject bold emotion
brash colours and a dose of camp into their designs
Occupying this space for the better half of a decade
Yvon has formed a tight-knit community of fellow creatives from different cultural backgrounds
When he realised he was outgrowing his old studio space
“I really wanted to create this space where we could come together as queer and/or people of colour and just have a space where we [could] share our stories and create our beautiful garments – and just represent and show the world what we can do,” Yvon tells Broadsheet
The word “dussy” is a tongue-in-cheek portmanteau of “daddy” and “pussy” – common
non-derogatory colloquialisms in the queer world
It’s this sort of irreverent and silly energy that underpins Shop Dussy
Its core focus is on uplifting marginalised voices
but the multi-brand boutique is determined to have fun while doing so
Shop Dussy stocks a range of independent makers
Almost every designer stocked identifies as queer or as a person of colour. But Yvon is adamant that this doesn’t get in the way of being a welcoming environment for everyone, regardless of race or sexuality.
“It’s not one of the stores where you can’t come in because you’re straight or because you think a certain way. Everyone is welcome to shop, everyone’s welcome to come and chat with us, but we really want to support and give a space for marginalised people and bodies,” he says.
Yvon’s commitment to playing fair doesn’t stop at his choice of what to stock. As the owner of an independent label that’s been stocked at various boutiques, Yvon has first-hand experience with retail commissions (the percentage a store takes from sales of a brand’s items).
“At the moment, the industry is running at a 40 per cent commission, which feels very close to a wholesale set-up,” he says. “The retail space is quite harsh at the moment … everything’s getting more and more expensive, and the commission’s reflecting [that].” Instead, Yvon has slashed his store’s commission to 20 per cent. “I want to keep it like that for quite a long time [so designers] can try and earn a bit more.”
From its exterior, framed by hanging plants and colourful floral decals on the window, to its interior’s pale green walls, lavender curtains and faux fur trimmings, Shop Dussy is soft, warm and welcoming. It’s only been three months since it opened, but Yvon says it’s coming together nicely. “We are still building and fine-tuning, but it just feels cute and welcoming, camp and playful.”
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A new report forecasting a recession later this year pegs New Brunswick with the slowest growth in the country
The latest economic outlook released by Deloitte Canada now predicts the province’s economy to grow by 0.6 per cent in 2025
nearly slicing in half numbers forecasted by the New Brunswick government less than two months ago
A lower GDP typically means lower tax revenue for government
Deloitte now predicts negative growth across the country in both the second and third quarters of this year
meaning the Canadian economy will enter into a technical recession
A recession is defined as two back-to-back quarters of negative GDP growth
The new outlook has growth coming in at –1.1 per cent in the second quarter and –0.9 per cent in the third quarter
“Declining exports and investment will result in job losses with employment already starting to decrease in March,” the new report states bluntly
“More job losses are likely to come and nudge the unemployment rate above seven per cent this year
“Job losses combined with decreased consumer confidence and more precautionary savings will translate into soft consumer spending over the middle of the year.”
An economic outlook issued by the Holt government alongside its March budget projected real GDP growth in 2025 to be 1.1 per cent, suggesting “slower population growth and trade uncertainty” would outweigh the effects of lower interest rates.
Still, it warned that the forecast didn’t fully weigh the imposition of tariffs and potential Canadian countermeasures on the economy, as it was uncertain.
It also noted that an average of private sector forecasters suggested 1.4 per cent growth.
But since then, the Holt government has forecasted that New Brunswick will lose between 2,100 and 6,600 jobs over four years and the province’s GDP will drop by about $3.5 billion if the current slate of U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports stands.
Further tariffs would mean even tougher economic times.
Strong growth was recorded across the country in the first quarter this year.
The outlook suggests those gains will be enough for every province to record overall growth in 2025, weathering a “modest downturn” over the next two quarters, although acknowledging that will be felt differently across the country, including in New Brunswick.
“All provinces are expected to experience growth this year, although gains will be subdued in the manufacturing heavy provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick,” reads the outlook.
The report does note that uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s policy direction means “a wide range of potential outcomes and a lack of clarity on the path forward.”
The fate of the economy largely depends on tariff rates, what specific goods they’re applied to, and their size relative to tariffs imposed on other countries.
The degree of retaliation also matters, it adds, making imports more expensive and dampening demand.
The forecast goes on to say that it has already been a “trying number of weeks” for Canadian exporters, given sudden shifts in the global trading system.
But it adds that exports recorded strong gains in January as U.S. importers sought to frontload some purchases in a bid to skirt tariff impacts.
“The tough reality of the current climate will manifest later in the year however, as a series of U.S. sector-specific tariffs on steel and aluminum, lumber and autos act as major drags on the Canadian export and manufacturing outlook,” it states.
It adds that while the oil and gas sector is expected to be less impacted by tariffs, a recent sharp drop in oil prices may affect investment in the sector.
“If Canada secures more exemptions from these tariffs, there may be some upside risk to projected investment numbers,” the outlook states. “However ongoing uncertainties and the U.S.’s ambition to bring manufacturing back home will weigh heavily on Canada’s business investment outlook in the near-to-middle term.”
That said, the outlook ends on a positive note, suggesting the tariff crisis “may be the catalyst for much needed change” focusing a spotlight on the need to boost productivity and diversify exports.
Plan your visit to Brunswick Street Mall and Chinatown Mall
Brunswick Street and Chinatown Malls (the Valley Malls) are vibrant shopping and entertainment hubs in the Fortitude Valley precinct.
nationally and internationally as Brisbane’s premier night-time entertainment destination.
The Valley Malls host more than 100 events annually that celebrate Brisbane’s cultural diversity
The malls attract more than 130,000 visitors each week.
Brunswick Street and Chinatown Malls (the Valley Malls) are vibrant shopping and entertainment hubs in the Fortitude Valley precinct.
nationally and internationally as Brisbane’s premier night-time entertainment destination.
The malls attract more than 130,000 visitors each week.
Find the information you need to plan a day or night out in the Valley Malls.
Businesses in the Valley Malls trade 5-7 days a week
Each store is responsible for its own opening hours
most businesses in the Valleys Mall trade 9am-2am
Find the information you need to plan a day or night out in the Valley Malls.
Businesses in the Valley Malls trade 5-7 days a week
The Valley Malls are in the Brisbane Central Traffic Area. Street parking in surrounding streets is limited and metered. Before you head out, check local parking restrictions.
Paid parking is available at 31 Duncan Street
Privately owned car parks are also located across Fortitude Valley
For quick and easy pick-up and drop-off, use the on-street passenger loading zones in Fortitude Valley
The Valley Malls are in the Brisbane Central Traffic Area. Street parking in surrounding streets is limited and metered. Before you head out, check local parking restrictions.
For quick and easy pick-up and drop-off, use the on-street passenger loading zones in Fortitude Valley
The easiest way to get to the Valley Malls is by bus or train.
There are many bus stops a short walk from the Valley Malls
The closest train station is Fortitude Valley
located inside the Valley Metro shopping centre on Brunswick Street
Plan your trip with Translink's Journey planner
The easiest way to get to the Valley Malls is by bus or train.
Plan your trip with Translink's Journey planner
There are public toilets in 281 Brunswick Street Mall
People with visual disability can find their way using the Braille trail
It runs down both sides of Brunswick Street Mall and Chinatown Mall
Accessible toilets are located in the middle of Brunswick Street Mall
Australian Disability Parking Scheme permit holders can park in all Council metered or regulated parking areas for free
Request permission to use the Valley Malls for commercial and non-commercial activities
The Fortitude Valley precinct hosts many music and cultural events throughout the year
You can’t ride non-motorised or electric bicycles
skateboards and segways in the Valley Malls areas
skateboards and segways in the Valley Malls areas
Riders must dismount and walk or carry their device through the city malls areas
A $322 fine applies for violations.
PDF • 113 KB • Last modified 2025
Tea brand T2’s first store in Fitzroy was established by the co-founders Jan O’Connor and Maryanne Shearer (left)
while Brunswick East’s The Beast is home to the Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship which Greg Barlow competed in 2023 (right)
A Brunswick East building leased by well-known live music venue The Beast has sold for $3.75m
less than a month after hitting the market
A Melbourne-based investor snapped up The Beast in just 21 days
far ahead of its scheduled December 5 auction
RELATED: Salta offloads Burnley site for $20.5m amid $330m+ Melbourne divestment spree
Steeped in history: Landmark circa-1863 Preston church set to sell
Portelli Block dilemma: Take the homes or the cash?
Commercial real estate agent Fitzroys’ Chris Kombi
Mr Niyaz said the new owner viewed the address
which had been expected to fetch $3.4m-plus
as both an ideal passive investment and a landbanking opportunity
sitting in Brunswick’s retail village – that little area is humming in the evenings – and the tenant were the main attractions,” Mr Niyaz said
The Beast has a 10-year lease with options on the double-storey building
where it has already been based for 12 years
Mr Kombi said ongoing residential growth in Brunswick East has boosted trade and led to minimal commercial vacancies in the area
and also served to create competition in the auction campaign
“The surging location has in recent years seen a number of residential towers completed in
and the precinct is set to benefit from yet further planned high-density
residential development in the area,” Mr Kombi said
Iron Gut Oceana Champion Greg Barlow at the Melbourne Chilli Eating Championship 2023
which was held at The Beast in Brunswick East
The shopfronts at 340 and 342 Brunswick St
In nearby Fitzroy, popular tea brand T2’s first-ever retail outlet has also sold
In 1996, the iconic brand’s co-founders Jan O’Connor and Maryanne Shearer established their first store at 340 Brunswick St.
which is now owned by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners and has expanded to more than 70 stores worldwide
The two-storey site fetched $1.72m after selling to an investor
And another separate investor purchased the shopfront next door at 342 Brunswick St, home to bar and restaurant next door Blackout Lounge
Ben Liu and Shane Mills had the listing for the two addresses
which had been owned by four families since 1976
Mr Niyaz said both buyers “were attracted to the strong cashflow from quality tenants
great rental uplift and value-add prospects in the coming years”
“There’s consistently strong competition between tenants for space along the prime trading section Brunswick St,” he said
“We saw a number of investors in these campaigns looking to get a foothold in the high-
Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox
MORE: Victorian government set to put Mt Baw Baw, Lake Mountain up for grabs
Justin Leppitsch: Former AFL premiership star reveals big job to restore Port Welshpool pub
High profile location to drive interest in Belmont property
RELATED: Salta offloads Burnley site for $20.5m amid $330m+ Melbourne divestment spree
Steeped in history: Landmark circa-1863 Preston church set to sell
Portelli Block dilemma: Take the homes or the cash?
In nearby Fitzroy, popular tea brand T2’s first-ever retail outlet has also sold
In 1996, the iconic brand’s co-founders Jan O’Connor and Maryanne Shearer established their first store at 340 Brunswick St.
And another separate investor purchased the shopfront next door at 342 Brunswick St, home to bar and restaurant next door Blackout Lounge
Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox
MORE: Victorian government set to put Mt Baw Baw, Lake Mountain up for grabs
Justin Leppitsch: Former AFL premiership star reveals big job to restore Port Welshpool pub
High profile location to drive interest in Belmont property
The two-bedroom Edwardian at 28 Barry Street, known as Beatrice, was originally purchased for 89 pounds and five shillings in 1910.
The property was one of 1363 scheduled to go to auction in Melbourne this week. By evening, Domain Group recorded a preliminary auction clearance rate of 64.4 per cent from 897 reported results throughout the week, while 122 auctions were withdrawn. Withdrawn auctions are counted as unsold properties when calculating the clearance rate.
The property, which was built by prominent local builder Victor Heiberg in the historic Brickworks Housing Precinct, had been boarded up. Its interiors were covered in graffiti.
It was listed with a price guide of $760,000 to $835,000, with the reserve set at $900,000.
Bidding kicked off at $750,000. Six active bidders, including developers and families, competed for the home on a 351-square-metre block. The auction ran for almost 25 minutes and ended in a bidding war with $500 increments until it sold for $1,010,000.
An accountant from Pascoe Vale bought the house with two of his brothers. They plan to develop the home, while keeping its heritage facade. The underbidder was a young couple.
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Trish Di Vito from Ray White Brunswick said the property attracted strong interest from renovators and families.
“Most people wanted to renovate it for themselves or build something new while keeping the facade, they just loved the area,” she said.
In Prahran, a small Victorian cottage sold for $1,213,500, well above its price guide.
The two-bedroom home at 45 Wrights Terrace attracted four bidders, with a price guide of $1 million to $1.1 million. The reserve was set at $1.1 million.
Bidding opened at $1.08 million and quickly escalated in a competitive auction among four bidders. Over 15 minutes, 74 bids were placed, with increments slowing to $500 at the end.
The successful buyer was a young woman planning to move in and renovate. The underbidder was bidding on behalf of a young couple with similar plans.
Michael Tynan from BigginScott Stonnington said the home’s location near Hawksburn Village and potential for renovation drew in a crowd of 60 people.
1 Bath− .css-12a1b0h{position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px;margin:-1px;padding:0;-webkit-clip:rect(1px,1px,1px,1px);clip:rect(1px,1px,1px,1px);border:0;overflow:hidden;-webkit-clip-path:inset(100%);clip-path:inset(100%);-webkit-clip-path:none;display:none;}ParkingView listing “It was a charming, single-fronted Victorian, and then the option to renovate and put their own stamp on it was really appealing to people,” he said.
Tynan said despite economic uncertainty, confidence in the property market was returning.
“We always find when the stock market crashes and there’s a bit of uncertainty in that area, people usually come back to bricks and mortar as an investment,” he said.
A renovated home in Kingsville sold for $1.73 million after auction, passing in following a single bid from first home buyers.
2 Baths1 ParkingView listing The four-bedroom house at 78 Coronation Street had a price guide of $1.59 million to $1.69 million. The reserve price was not disclosed.
The auction began with vendor bids of $1.6 million and $1.65 million, attracting only one bidder. A young family from nearby Seddon, after looking for a home for two years, placed a $1.66 million bid and secured the home in post-auction negotiations.
“They’ve been looking at large family homes, turnkey properties which are typically less available. When they saw this one, they were quite enamoured,” said Raymond Abilameh from Village Real Estate.
“It had 10-feet high ceilings, multiple living areas and off-street parking. It ticked a lot of the boxes for families.”
1 Bath− ParkingView listing A small terrace sold for $1.3 million in Carlton, after bidding between a first home buyer and an academic.
The two-bedroom home, set on 84 square metres with a four-metre width, had a price guide of $1.2 million to $1.3 million. The reserve was set at $1.25 million.
The auction opened with a vendor bid of $1.18 million and three bidders took part. The winning buyer, a young woman, bid in person with her mother and a friend. The underbidder, the academic, bid over the phone from an overseas conference.
The vendors were an older couple whose daughters lived in the property while they were at university. The terrace was later rented out and recently used by the couple’s grandson while he studied.
Peter Stephens from Nelson Alexander Carlton described the architecturally designed home as “very practical”.
“It didn’t feel small,” he said. “There was a good-sized dining space, a good-sized lounge, a study, and two bedrooms divided by a central bathroom.”
you’ll be able to snack on California-inspired bites such as tacos and lobster rolls in Hotel Brunswick’s beer garden or in the pub restaurant
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ShareThe sprawling Three Blue Ducks food empire has opened on a farm, in a ski resort and even at a wave park
But in a first for its surf- and snow-loving chef owners
maybe not entirely hidden – it took a reported $68 million bid in 2021 by MA Financial Group to prise it from its former owners
1 / 9Hotel Brunswick is a 20-minute drive north of Byron Bay.Kitti Gould2 / 9Shell-on king prawns with Marie Rose sauce.Kitti Gould3 / 9Classic caesar salad.Kitti Gould4 / 9Australian Bay lobster roll.Kitti Gould5 / 9The hotel was opened in December 1940
and retains original features.Kitti Gould6 / 9Trees and umbrellas shade the hotel’s large beer garden.Kitti Gould7 / 9Oysters
and flatbread.Kitti Gould8 / 9Ducks parma and a grass-fed rump steak and chips.Kitti Gould9 / 9 Kitti GouldPrevious SlideNext Slide“It’s a partnership with the pub – we’re calling it The Ducks at Hotel Brunswick,” Three Blue Ducks co-owner Darren Robertson says
An Englishman, Robertson admits he has a love affair with pubs. The former head chef at recently closed Sydney fine-diner Tetsuya’s, Robertson stumbled on the “The Bruns” on a road trip 15 years ago
and there’s this great pub with a long history of live music and a big garden,” Robertson says
you’ll be able to snack on “Cali-inspired” Ducks bites such as tacos and lobster rolls in the beer garden or in the hotel’s restaurant
From left: Andy Allen from Three Blue Ducks
regional head chef of Three Blue Ducks Sam Morton and group general manager food at Hotel Brunswick Ben Turner.Paul LiddleThey’re dropped in a new pizza oven
and lobster pizza is on the way to accompany menu items such as ceviche and pickled octopus
Robertson says they haven’t drifted from the reality that the Bruns is “still a pub”
He’s worked with Ducks co-owner Andy Allen and the pub’s head chef Loki Lynch to rework classics such as chicken parmigiana
beer-battered fish and chips and chilli chicken wings
“Loki has a great pedigree,” Robertson says
They settled on The Ducks moniker so as not to confuse customers headed to its nearby farm-based venue
“Restaurants like Fleet have already put Brunswick Heads on the food map – the Bruns is one of the icons of the area,” Robertson says
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