View source for North Melbourne

{{For|the football club|North Melbourne Football Club}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| name      = North Melbourne
| image     = North_melbourne_from_the_air.jpg
| caption   = Aerial view of North Melbourne
| state     = vic
| type      = suburb
| lga       = City of Melbourne
| alternative_location_map = Australia Victoria metropolitan Melbourne
| elevation = 13
| area      = 2.4
| coordinates = {{Coord|37|47|57|S|144|56|48|E|display=inline,title|region:AU-VIC_type:city}}
| pushpin_map_caption  = Location in metropolitan Melbourne
| city      = Melbourne
| est       = 1850s
| postcode  = 3051
| pop       = 14,953
| pop_year  = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name=ABS2021>{{Census 2021 AUS | id = SAL21966 | name = North Melbourne (Suburbs and Localities) | accessdate = 19 July 2022 | quick = on}}</ref>
| stategov  = [[Electoral district of Melbourne|Melbourne]]
| fedgov    = [[Division of Melbourne|Melbourne]]
| near-nw   = [[Flemington, Victoria|Flemington]]
| near-n    = [[Travancore, Victoria|Travancore]]
| near-ne   = [[Parkville, Victoria|Parkville]]
| near-w    = [[Kensington, Victoria|Kensington]]
| near-e    = [[Carlton, Victoria|Carlton]]
| near-sw   = [[West Melbourne, Victoria|West Melbourne]]
| near-s    = [[West Melbourne, Victoria|West Melbourne]]
| near-se   = [[Melbourne central business district|Melbourne]]
| dist1     = 3
| location1 = [[Melbourne central business district|Melbourne]]
| local_map = yes
| zoom      = 13
}}

'''North Melbourne''' is an inner-city suburb in [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]], {{convert|3|km|abbr=on}} north-west of Melbourne's [[Melbourne central business district|Central Business District]], located within the [[City of Melbourne]] [[Local government areas of Victoria|local government area]]. North Melbourne recorded a population of 14,953 at the [[2021 Australian census|2021 census]].<ref name=ABS2021/>

North Melbourne is bounded by the [[CityLink]] freeway to the west, [[Victoria Street, Melbourne|Victoria Street]] to the south, O'Connell and Peel Streets to the east and [[Flemington Road, Melbourne|Flemington Road]] to the north. Since July 2008 its local government area has been the City of Melbourne, when it took over the administration of parts of [[Kensington, Victoria|Kensington]] and North Melbourne that were previously under the [[City of Moonee Valley]], resulting in an increase of approximately 4760 residents and almost 3000 workers (2006 Census).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/AboutMelbourne/PrecinctsandSuburbs/suburbprofiles/Pages/NorthMelbourne.aspx|title=Suburbs – City of Melbourne}}</ref><ref name="lgaboundaries">{{cite web|url=http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/38146/2007_LG_Kensington_Panel_-_Final_Report_-_10Dec07.pdf |title=Review of municipal boundary in Kensington and North Melbourne |date=November 2007 |work=www.dpcd.vic.gov.au |publisher=Department of Planning and Community Development |access-date=9 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712111859/http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/38146/2007_LG_Kensington_Panel_-_Final_Report_-_10Dec07.pdf |archive-date=12 July 2012 }}</ref>

Formerly known as '''Hotham''', it was essentially a working class area, with some middle class pockets,<ref name="auto">{{cite web|last1=Murphy (Webmaster)|first1=Guy|title=Hotham History Project|url=http://www.hothamhistory.org.au/about_hotham.php|website=Hotham History Project Inc|publisher=Hotham History Project Inc.|access-date=24 April 2015|quote=Surrounding it (the Asylum) was housing stock which varied greatly in quality, more working than middle-class}}</ref> and was one of the first towns in Victoria to be granted Municipal status.

Today it continues to undergo [[gentrification]], noted for its Victorian architecture, cosmopolitan demographic, commercial and older industrial areas.

==History==

North Melbourne's first institutions were built in the 1840s, beginning with a cattle yard. At this time the area was not well defined and included [[Parkville, Victoria|Parkville]] and [[Royal Park, Melbourne|Royal Park]], as well as a part of [[West Melbourne, Victoria|West Melbourne]].

In the 1850s a Benevolent Asylum was built between Abbotsford and Curzon Streets, coinciding with the desire to find space to accommodate the growing population from the [[Victorian Gold Rush|gold rush]]. (The Asylum remained a feature of the area until its move to Cheltenham in 1911.<ref name = "Asylum">.{{Citation
  | last = Kingston Historical Website  | title = The Melbourne Benevolent Asylum Comes to Cheltenham | url = http://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/htm/article/302.htm | access-date = 15 September 2013}}</ref>) In 1859 the area separated from the City of Melbourne and proclaimed as the municipal [[Town of North Melbourne|Borough of Hotham]], after the Governor of Victoria [[Charles Hotham]].<ref name="Brian Carroll p.510">Brian Carroll, 'North Melbourne' in Andrew Brown-May and Shurlee Swain (ends) ''Enclyclopaedia of Melbourne'' Cambridge UP, 2005 p.510</ref> Hotham Post Office opened on 20 March 1860.

By 1861, Hotham had a population of over 7,000.

In 1869, some of these decided to form the Hotham Football Club that later became a foundation member of the [[Victorian Football Association|VFA]] ([[Australian rules football]]), today known as the [[North Melbourne Kangaroos]]. On 26 August 1887, the Borough was renamed North Melbourne. By this time it included an imposing [[North Melbourne Town Hall]] and the [[Metropolitan Meat Market]],<ref name = "PostOffice">.{{Citation
  | last = Phoenix Auctions History  | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*North*Melbourne* | access-date = 22 January 2021}}</ref> both designed by the architect [[George Raymond Johnson]].

Although there were pockets of [[middle class]] housing in the wider tree-lined streets such as Dryburgh, Chapman and Brougham, by the 1880s the suburb had become a predominantly working class area with most of the male population employed in local industry.<ref name="auto"/>

In the 1890s [[Tram#Oceania|tram]] routes had entered the area as far as Abbotsford Street, walking distance from the [[Arden Street Oval]].

In 1905 North Melbourne was absorbed once again into the City of Melbourne.<ref name="Brian Carroll p.510"/>

In the 1930s many areas of North Melbourne, in particular the laneways, became overcrowded and defined as slums. As such, large [[public housing|government housing development]] projects were proposed, which were eventually completed in the 1960s.

The North Melbourne Court of Petty Sessions closed on 1 January 1968 and the former courthouse was sold to a private buyer in 1981.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/19860901-Special-Report-4-Court-Closures-in-Victoria.pdf | title=Special Report No. 4 – Court Closures in Victoria | publisher=Auditor-General of Victoria | date=1986 |pages=46 | access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>

==Commercial centre==

The main shopping strip of Errol Street is located largely between North Melbourne Town Hall and Victoria Street, with some further shops to the east, west and north of the intersection of Errol and Queensberry.

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
|2001|9181
|2006|9962
|2011|11755
|2016|14940}}

North Melbourne's real estate is above the Melbourne median and the suburb remains an overwhelmingly middle-class community.<ref name="yourinvestmentpropertymag.com.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.yourinvestmentpropertymag.com.au/top-suburbs/vic-3051-north-melbourne.aspx|title=Free Suburb Profile report for North Melbourne VIC (3051)}}</ref> However, the median weekly household income was $1,236 at the {{CensusAU|2016}}, which was lower than the national median of $1,438.<ref name=ABS2016>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC21954|name=North Melbourne (State Suburb)|accessdate=12 April 2018|quick=on}}</ref>

The presence of recent migrants is evident, including many refugees from countries such as [[Somalia]] and [[Eritrea]] who often live around the government-owned housing estates near the Melrose Street area, on the suburb's fringe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insidestory.org.au/across-the-african-divide|title=Across the African divide |work=Inside Story}}</ref> At the {{CensusAU|2016}}, 41.7% of residents reported being born in Australia, compared to the national average of 66.7%; the next most common countries of birth were China 13.5%, Malaysia 2.9%, Vietnam 2.4%, England 2.3% and New Zealand 2.2%.<ref name=ABS2016/>

Residents of North Melbourne are significantly younger than most other areas of Australia; their median age was 28 years, whereas the national median age is 38.<ref name=ABS2016/><ref name="AustABS2016">{{cite web |title=2016 Census QuickStats Australia |url=http://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/036 |website=Australian Bureau iof Statistics |access-date=10 November 2018}}</ref> Children aged under 15 years made up 10.5% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up just 7.1% of the population.<ref name=ABS2016/>

===Religion===
The most common religious affiliation in North Melbourne was "No Religion" and accounted for 46.6% of responses at the 2016 census.<ref name=ABS2016/> Notable churches in North Melbourne include the Curzon Street Church (now known as St Mark the Evangelist), St Mary's Anglican Church and the ornate Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, built in 1963, on the high section of Dryburgh Street. The Catholic Church and Parish Primary School of St Michaels are also located in North Melbourne.

===Housing===
{{See|Architecture of Melbourne}}
Historically, the predominant housing types were old Victorian-style [[terrace house]]s, warehouses, and some low-rise apartments.  By the time of the {{CensusAU|2011}}, this had changed and 65.5% of private dwellings were flats, units or apartments. 27% were semi-detached (row or terrace houses, townhouses etc.), 6.2% were separate houses, and 0.4% were classified as "other dwellings".<ref name=ABS2016/>

North Melbourne was slower to gentrify than other inner suburbs, due to established families resisting the sale of their homes for decades. A younger generation finally began to move in the 1980s, capitalising on the proximity to the Melbourne City Centre. Many of the old factories and warehouses were converted into fashionable loft-style apartments in 1990s. Since 2000, there has been a large increase in new medium density apartment complexes being built and house prices now exceed Melbourne's median.

{{As of|2016|2}}, the median house price was $882,500 at an annual growth of 7.25%. The median price of units was $487,500, having grown at 5.72%.<ref name="yourinvestmentpropertymag.com.au"/>

In the 12-month period to January 2020 North Melbourne reported a median house price of A$1.38 million for a three bedroom house.<ref name="domain">{{cite web|url=https://www.domain.com.au/suburb-profile/north-melbourne-vic-3051|title=Real Estate – Properties for Sale, Rent and Share – Domain|website=domain.com.au}}</ref>

{{Gallery
|File:North Melbourne, Peel Street Victorian house, "Auburn".jpg|Known as "[[Boom style architecture|Boom Style]]" [[Victorian architecture]], due to the extravagant detail and finishes used during the Gold Rush era. Terrace "Auburn" built 1879 (Peel Street North Melbourne) is an excellent example of this style of intact architecture.
|File:North Melbourne 2017.JPG|Housing in North Melbourne
|File:North Melbourne.jpg|Apartments in North Melbourne. The clock tower of the North Melbourne Town Hall is on the far right.}}

==Culture==

"Spring Fling" is an annual festival for North and West Melbourne.

The heritage listed town hall and former Meat Market are both theatre and arts spaces.

{{Gallery
|File:North Melbourne Abandoned wool store 2017.jpg|Artwall in North Melbourne Abandoned wool store
|File:North Melbourne Town Hall 2004-10-06.jpg|Former Hotham (North Melbourne) Town Hall and Errol Street
}}

===Sport===
[[Image:Arden street from air.jpg|thumb|Arden Street Oval, home to the North Melbourne Football Club]]

The [[North Melbourne Football Club]] is still active and plays in the national [[Australian football]] competition, the [[Australian Football League]]. The club's football department and training sessions are based at its traditional home ground at [[Arden Street Oval|North Melbourne Cricket Ground]], which has recently been redeveloped. Since 2019 both [[AFL Women's|AFLW]] and [[Victorian Football League|VFL]] teams once again play there, bringing football back after a 34-year absence

==Transport==

Major roads include Flemington Road, [[Elizabeth Street, Melbourne|Elizabeth Street]] and Victoria Street.

The suburb is served by two railway stations, {{stnlnk|Flemington Bridge}} and {{stnlnk|Macaulay}}, both on the [[Upfield railway line|Upfield line]]. Despite the naming, the [[North Melbourne railway station]] is actually in the adjacent suburb of West Melbourne, while the Flemington Bridge railway station is within North Melbourne boundaries and not in [[Flemington, Victoria|Flemington]]. [[Arden railway station, Melbourne|Arden railway station]] is planned to be built on Arden Street within North Melbourne's industrial area, as part of the [[Melbourne Metro Rail Project]].

North Melbourne is serviced by three [[List of Melbourne tram routes|tram routes]]:
* [[Melbourne tram route 57|57]] – [[Maribyrnong, Victoria|West Maribyrnong]] to [[Flinders Street railway station|Flinders Street station]]; travels down Flemington Road, and then Abbotsford, Queensberry, Errol, and Victoria Streets.
* [[Melbourne tram route 58|58]] – [[Coburg, Victoria|West Coburg]] to [[Toorak, Victoria|Toorak]]; travels through Royal Park, and then down Flemington Road.
* [[Melbourne tram route 59|59]] – [[Airport West, Victoria|Airport West]] to Flinders Street station; travels down Flemington Road.

It also has a number of [[List of bus routes in Melbourne|bus routes]].

{{Gallery
|File:Flemington-Bridge-Station-Melbourne.jpg|Flemington Bridge railway station}}

==See also==
* [[City of Essendon]] – Parts of North Melbourne were previously within this former local government area.<ref name=lgaboundaries/>
* [[City of Moonee Valley]] – Parts of North Melbourne were previously within this local government area.<ref name=lgaboundaries/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}
* [http://shawfactor.com/gazetteer/victoria/north-melbourne/ Shawfactor: History of North Melbourne]

{{City of Melbourne suburbs}}

[[Category:Suburbs of Melbourne]]
[[Category:Suburbs of the City of Melbourne (LGA)]]
[[Category:Slums in Australia]]