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AndyG2

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Reviews

Yarraville

"Polluted, surrounded by industry, overpriced and not the pick of the west!"

We have lived in Yarraville for 10 years, we moved here shortly after our first child was born. Yarraville is full of TOXIC SITES due to past industrial sites or POLLUTION due to its current proximity to industry .. which it is surrounded by on all sides. We won't grow veggies in our back yard because the LAND WAS BUILT UP FROM LANDFILL and you can see it with all the weird nails, bits of glass and metal present in the soil. It has TERRIBLE TRUCKS running up and down Francis St and Somerville Rd all day. The truck TRAFFIC IS SO BAD that walls in our house have cracked from movement in the earth and we live a couple of streets back from Francis St near the village (the best part of Yarraville). We are sick of washing toxic dust that turns into polluted sludge off the front of our house. There is often a NASTY CHEMICAL SMELL wafting around in the middle of sunny days, I don't know what is causing it industry or trucks. It can also be SCARY letting your child ride their bike to school with all the trucks on the road. So many sites are POLLUTED that they can't be built on. For example Clare Court Childcare Centre down near Cruickshank Park has AstroTurf in the outer play areas because of the toxins in the soil. Other main toxic sites, only some of which the council hasn't let developers build on, exist near Yarraville Gardens and Coles. There are also many other potential HEALTH HAZARDS for example down at the end of Francis St is the Mobile Terminal with around 30 massive concrete silos full of PETROLEUM. There are regular safety drills there and elsewhere such that you can hear alarms sounding regularly. Near the village, which is the most desirable part of the suburb, most of the houses are on SMALL POKEY BLOCKS with no off street parking and the streets are CLOGGED WITH TRAFFIC AND PARKED CARS most nights because lots of people come to go to the lovely cinema or the large number of cafes and restaurants crammed into the small shopping strip. Actually the cinema the Sun Theatre, housed in a lovely restored art deco building, is really the main draw and sympathetic cafes and restaurants and a few boutique shops have grown around it. But we were disappointed to see the cinema doesn't screen films that are not mainstream block busters (a little time after the big chains screen them) like low budget or art house films that you would expect to see there. There is NO HIGH SCHOOL nearby and the SkyHigh group has unfortunately been lobbying for one for over 10 years. I know parents who were there at it's inception. it is not close to the beach and there is only one horrible pool, tiny and ugly without airconditioning so you need to drive to Williamstown beach or to North Melbourne, Kensington or Altona North if you want a nice place to swim. There are a couple of great restaurants but they are a bit pricey for every day eating. We love to go to Footscray to get authentic asian cuisine. Yarraville isn't really multicultural but does have a village feel. Not long before we moved there it was populated predominantly by industrial / factory workers and greek immigrants post the Second World War. Now more 'middle class' white people have moved in, and creative people not cashed up enough to buy elsewhere. That is what you see in village with the 'cool cafes' and a few hipsters walking around. Personally I think the CULTURAL CENTRE OF THE WEST IS the FOOTSCRAY ARTS precinct, the SUBSTATION IN NEWPORT and other similar organisations. Yarraville has nothing to match that. We are looking for a place in Newport near the glorious Newport Lakes one of the best kept secrets in Melbourne not just the west. Also by looking south of the Westgate Freeway which borders Yarraville there are still real estate bargains to be had. Prices to buy in Yarraville with pokey streets, pollution and toxicity are now a ridiculous joke.

Great for

  • Close to city and transport
  • Close to shopping
  • Sporting facilities

Not great for

  • Many areas are toxic sites
  • Residential blocks are relatively tiny
  • Surrounded by industrial sites and industry
  • No High school
  • Trucks on the main streets

Who lives here?

  • Singles
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
1
ChiShanH

AndyG2, do you still live in Yarraville? Is the traffic at Francis St still as bad as it is? I am considering to move there, either Francis st, Tongue St or Sommerville Rd, would you give me some advice? Thanks

AndyG2

Hi, yes we are currently still in the area. Don't live on Francis St or Sommerville Rd they are the main streets trucks use. Tongue St is in one of the better pockets of Yarraville. Sorry I didn't see your question sooner! Admin deleted my (honest) original posting therefore I didn't expect to be allowed to put it up again.

innerwestisbest

AndyG2 - do us all a favour that love the Village and its MANY MANY MANY positives... Make that move to Newport sooner rather than later. You're bad press for the those of us here that absolutley love the lifestyle, people, community, shops, restaurants and schools. I live just off of Francis and don't experience ANY of the overly exaggerated garbage you're on about. Yes.. traffice is frustrating at times. Welcome to city living.... duh! Trucks are now off of Somerville Road... and trucks on Francis will also be a thing of the past. Which will increase its property value immensly. Have you also considered some of the schools , like Wembley (one of or MANY MANY top notch public primary's) use fake grass because it's low maintenance, not muddy and the kids prefer it? I bet you haven't.. too easy to presume something horrible instead isn't it? Fair enough with the Coles Park but good hell.... what suburb doesn't have its nasty secrets. Small blocks.... Move to CRANBOURNE then! Seriously, your review is ridiculously one sided. No good food in Yarraville? Overpriced... some of them are a bit pricier... but places like Fidimas are AMAZING and the service is second to none. Tandoori times is also another that has great prices, beautiful food and wonderfully friendly service. Also, the Sun frequently shows films that are not mainstream. Seriously... do you check your facts before blathering on? Chemical smell... the only thing I can smell is the rubbish in your review. The only thing that holds water in what you've said is that we need a new highschool... however... the residents here have managed with the surrounding schools for quite some time and it hasn't been the end of education for them.

AndyG2

You are MASSIVELY BIASED sorry. Our kids went to the local Kingsville Primary School, we go to the Sun Theatre and love to eat at the Java Cafe or Bhopha Devi (weren't impressed with Tandoori Times at all unfortunately, much better Indian at Singh's in Nicholson St, Brunswick East). Our daughter has studied dance at the local ballet school on Francis St since she was four, our son has played sport for many local teams. We know and hang out with many of the local musos and creatives. We are LOCALS of long standing and hooked into the culture and social scene WHICH EXTENDS INTO THE FAR LESS TOXIC NEARBY SUBURBS. EVERYTHING I SAID IS TRUE. It is a disgrace that the local and state governments have allowed Yarraville to stay as TOXIC and POLLUTED as it is. Do you have an ulterior motive, are you trying to boost property values? Lots of kids have developed ASTHMA and other conditions from air borne pollution and other irritants. Ask the EPA or the YARRAVILLE TRUCK ACTION GROUP! Things may improve if the state government implements the West- East link. If. For the $ these days it would be better to buy in pockets of the Eastern suburbs where property values will rise, as much, if not more and where there is minimal POLLUTION, TOXIC SOIL or much, if any INDUSTRY or in surrounding areas. FYI CULTURE IS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WEST FROM LAVERTON TO FOOTSCRAY. THERE ARE COOL LITTLE SHOPPING / CAFE / CULTURAL AREAS EVERYWHERE IN THE WEST like Vernon St, South Kingsville (right next to Newport) or the cafes and Substation arts hub surrounding Newport train station. And that is 'white' person culture. Go to places like Footscray, for example, to eat the best Cambodian or African continent originated cuisines. One of the best European groceries is in Second Avenue, Altona North. More 'middle class' people are moving in ALL OVER THE WEST because they cannot afford to buy in the East and then build a like minded community. The same reason why some musos and creatives moved there 10+ years ago to rent or buy, because houses were really cheap. Yarraville is NOT A SUBURB OF 'GENTRY' except to real estate agents and pretentious locals, but has somewhat been transformed, as elsewhere in the west, by changes akin to hipster culture. It Is a still a suburb full of 'WORKING CLASS' people and immigrants (often Greek and elderly). It is still mostly a much cheaper option to live in than most of the inner North or East. For a reason .... it is bounded by industry and full of pollution, the blocks are small often without any off street parking (in the most desirable part near the village). Personally I really like the obvious multiculturalism of places like Footscray and Altona North although Yarraville itself is also very multicultural and diverse. A lot of the houses near the village are PUBLIC HOUSING / HOUSING COMMISSION owned. Did you know that? Oh and the Astro Turf at Clare Court Kindergarden really is there because of soil toxicity. Ring them and ask. Incidentally rerouting trucks, if that is what happens, will not address the issue of all the POISONS IN THE SOIL AND REPURPOSED LANDFILL upon which significant areas of Yarraville are built. WHAT WILL BE THE LONG TERM HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF THIS, WHAT IS IN YOUR BACKYARD? Also, if Footscray becomes a satellite city, Yarraville's proximity to it is likely to be unattractive and therefore suburbs a bit further out like Spotswood, Newport and Altona North may be the most desirable to live in. We used to live in Carlton and there as always been cool stuff happening around the various play houses and grass roots creativity initiated in the inner north. Same in the inner east. If you say the inner west is best then look over your fence to the wider community, Yarraville is not the best of it!!!!

AndyG2

It is also the case that trucks are still on Somerville Rd they are restricted at before and after school times only.

AndyG2

FYI he massive industry infrastructure (silos, factories, 'power station for example) that forms part of the suburb and surrounds will not be relocated until the very distant future, if ever.

AndyG2

To repeat, because I want people to be fully informed, THE MASSIVE INDUSTRY INFRASTRUCTURE (SILOS, FACTORIES, 'POWER STATION' for example) THAT FORM PART OF THE SUBURB AND SURROUNDS WILL NOT BE RELOCATED UNTIL THE VERY DISTANT FUTURE, IF EVER.

RichP

Wow Andy what a post, so much bitterness. Enjoy Newport lakes just watch out for the snakes that come into peoples backyards, no biggie but just be aware. Here's a thought, have you ever considered directing the bulk of your energies into positivity rather than negativity, I guess not.

RupertT

Andy is is talking absolute nonsense, any old inner city suburbs have the same soil issues (if any). Readers disregard. Yarraville is a fantastically unique suburb, With a great feel and community.

CasperH

Toxic is the truth,,I know people who work at water treatment place in laver ton,,they take short cuts and save money by dumping highly toxic waste strait down the drains and sewers, we melbourians are in denial trying to augur coat things,,we are in big trouble toxic toxic toxic that's the truth

BlahB

Wow AndyG2 you really need to get a life! How angry are you that people who live in Yarraville love it & won't agree with your profound wisdom & superior experience? You've obviously missed out on enjoying the best that Yarraville has to offer that (to your great offence) so many locals enjoy. Maybe the bitter & twisted find themselves excluded from community & community is a key word when talking about Yarraville. It can clearly do without you! Lucky Newport!

sharronc1

10 years is a long time to live in a suburb that you hate so much. Can't help but wonder why you have stayed so long if it is so bad! We have lived here for 6 years ( including 3 years on Francis St) and never experienced any of the apocalyptic horrors you describe. Good luck in Newport - which by the way also has a petrol refinery in close proximity.

ryanscrimgeour
ryanscrimgeour

Were you having a nervous breakdown when you wrote this, Andy?

rachel-olyslagersr

Sadly too much of what Andy says is actually very accurate, albeit maybe not as all rounded as they suggest. There are definitely so many amazing qualities about Yarraville and I understand people who feel the need to defend what they love, but we do also need to acknowledge the sad fact that Yarraville, along with some other communities in the West have a long-standing reputation for being built on toxic sites and the respiratory health of our residents are the very worst in Melbourne due to being on the doorstep of the largest port in Australia and all the trucks that entails. I live on Francis St, on the border of Kingsville and it really is a problem, especially if you enjoy or prefer to walk or cycle as Australia has one of the oldest truck fleets for a developed nation and the pollution is quite serious. They are about to implement longer truck curfew times for all trucks from before 2010, so progress is happening.
What the West desperately needs is all containers coming off the ships to be taken by rail to the outskirts and a truck depot that then moves it all onto trucks and taken from there. Melbourne is our biggest port as a lot is shipped here before moving on to the rest of Australia by road so most of our big trucks are not even for servicing Melbourne so can you imagine how much better our roads, health and safety would be if we implemented this plan?
But what Yarraville struggles with is more than outweighed by the wonderful things & people that make up this fabulous community. I still personally prefer Footscray :) but am very much enjoying living here. :)

peters83

Andy. What's stopping you from leaving? Your post has sucked the life out of me. Please go away.

AndyG2

Sorry peters83 I wouldnt want to suck the life out of you! Dont worry the tunnel will make things better. Yarraville has two strengths that lift it out of cramped and polluted status; the wonderful Sun Theatre and the culture. We have moved a few train stops down; less pollution, less proximity to silos and industry, more nature, more space and the beach. And what has happened? That same culture has /is spreading all through the inner west now. If you want to have a drink at a charming little bar I would recommend Footscray not Yarraville. Actually Footscray also has so many great restaurants where you can eat delicious food from a multiplicity of cultures. There is also a thriving arts precinct in Footscray ... and Newport. Anderson St is looking a bit shabby too these days ... not in a good way.

AndyG2

No need to post that seems I said it better in my former posts written long ago. I just want to say that I didnt hate Yarraville. Many of our close friends still live there. I do think its a bit laughable to refer to it as gentrified however ... and I dont think the people who brought about the general cultural change in the area would ever want it to become gentrified and inaccessible to a diverse community!!!! What I did hate was the environmental issues that plague the area. How about working toward changing that rather than minimising its importance?

samantha123
samantha123

Whats wrong with it being gentrified? Theres nothing wrong with enjoying your own culture, even if you happen to be the "dreaded white man".....Andy I think the one star was srly ridiculous and you know it. And the constant caps was so OMG UGH to read. Two thumbs down.

AndyG2

Gentrified is fine if you are happy to exclude diversity. I happen to think diversity is key to creating great community. That's right: community.

The opinions expressed within this review are those of the individual and not those of Homely.com.au.
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