Melbourne Magazine August - September 2015

YO U R C I T Y O F M E L B O U R N E M A G A Z I N E

MELBOURNE SPRING FASHION WEEK THE MODERN MELBOURNE MAN

CONNECTED CITY GREAT CITIES ARE CONNECTED CITIES

CREATIVE KIDS A FRESH START FOR A FORGOTTEN LANEWAY

MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2015

CONTENTS

LORD MAYOR’S MESSAGE

FEATURES

05 NEXT STEP FOR

MARKET PRECINCT Planning Scheme Amendment

09 MELBOURNE SPRING FASHION WEEK

The modern Melbourne man

10

A PEOPLE CITY Urban renewal: Planning for future growth

12

CREATIVE KIDS A fresh start for a forgotten laneway

REGULARS 02 04

LORD MAYOR’S MESSAGE YOUR SAY Letters, tweets and a little love from our friends

06

CITY NEWS Why walking is big business

14

EVENTS CALENDAR What’s on in the city

17

YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD Melbourne puts out the welcome mat

18

MELBOURNE LOVE RMIT and MSFW celebrate 10-year anniversary

19

YOUR COUNCIL

20

LORD MAYOR’S COMMENDATIONS Modak Motorcycles

Information and events in this publication are current at the time of printing. Subsequent changes may occur. The City of Melbourne does not guarantee that this publication is without flaw or wholly appropriate for your purposes. It and its employees expressly disclaim any liability, for any loss or damage, whether direct or consequential, suffered by any person as the result of or arising from reliance on any information contained in the publication. © All applicable copyrights reserved for the City of Melbourne.

Except for any uses permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), no part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner or in any medium (whether electronic or otherwise) without the express permission of the City of Melbourne.

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle at the Queen Victoria Market

This time next year, work will be underway on the biggest project in Melbourne City Council’s history, the Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal Project.

This project will forever connect the market to the city and its heritage.

Over the last year we have achieved a number of exciting project milestones.

We’ve completed four rounds of community consultation, approved a planning scheme amendment to guide development in the precinct, which is currently on the Victorian Planning Minister’s desk for consideration, settled on the $76 million purchase of the ‘Munro’ site and released the master plan.

Our planning scheme amendment will eradicate the ad-hoc, hodgepodge approach that has been applied to development in the area until now. There will be certainty. There will be consistency.

The city will be brought right up to the market’s door, creating a new sense of vibrancy and connectivity.

The master plan will retain what we all love about the market, such as the fresh meat and produce and speciality shops, while facilitating a contemporary retail offer and the realignment of Franklin Street to create an important east-west connection.

Our growing community of innerMelbourne residents will have a new public open space to enjoy when it replaces the current car park. It will become the jewel in the crown of the market: a new meeting place where people can socialise, enjoy their wares purchased from the traders or just relax and absorb the atmosphere.

Cover: Godwin Hili, designer and owner of Godwin Charli, in his new Emporium shop.

2

MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

Our vision is for the market precinct to play an active role in the life of the city from first thing in the morning right through into the evening. That doesn’t mean that stallholders will have to work 24/7, but that there will be an ever-changing, seasonal offer using interchangeable spaces that can be shared by permanent and short-term traders over the course of the day and the week.

Shoppers won’t need a timetable: during the day, in the evening and even into the night you’ll go down to the market and the lights will be on.

I am also committed to maintaining the market’s connection to our history which is imperative considering it is the site of Melbourne’s first cemetery.

Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt has nominated the Queen Victoria Market for inclusion on Australia’s National Heritage List. This is the first step towards UNESCO World Heritage Listing.

The market has traded continually as a market since 1878 and predates Melbourne’s only current UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Royal Exhibition Building and its surrounding Carlton Gardens.

In the last 30 years alone, half the city has been rebuilt or redeveloped, but for 137 years QVM has been a constant in the story of our society and economy, a story which will continue well into the future.

Robert Doyle, Lord Mayor @LordMayorMelb

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

GREAT CITIES ARE CONNECTED CITIES

Peak hour at Flinders Street Station

Melbourne is one of Australia’s fastest growing municipalities. More than 850,000 people move through the city every day and this figure is expected to increase to almost 1.2 million by 2030.

More people means more movement in and around the city as people go to work, to university, to sporting events, or any of the city’s many retail and hospitality options.

The City of Melbourne’s Transport Strategy acknowledges this anticipated growth and encourages the increased uptake of walking, cycling and public transport.

The new Melbourne Metro Rail Project will open up a range of new transport options for residents, commuters and visitors, and when finished, will alleviate the pressure continued growth puts on the existing public transport network.

The project will see the construction of two nine-kilometre underground rail tunnels

that stretch from South Kensington in the inner-west, though to South Yarra in the south-east.

The City of Melbourne’s Transport Strategy acknowledges this anticipated growth and encourages the increased uptake of walking, cycling and public transport.

New underground stations, located at Arden, Parkville, CBD North, CBD South and Domain, will improve access to public transport and provide users with more options to interchange with other modes of transport such as trams and buses.

Major improvements in capacity, reliability and frequency of services on Melbourne’s busiest train lines will be achieved through the project, with space created for an additional 20,000 passengers in peak hour.

The project’s delivery is being overseen by the Melbourne Metro Rail Authority, with the State Government of Victoria committing $1.5 billion to the project in the 2015–16 State Budget to progress planning and development for the project.

The City of Melbourne will work in partnership with the State Government to help communicate the project’s rollout over the coming years.

Find out more about the first stage of the project on page 5.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

mmrailproject.vic.gov.au

MELBOURNE

August - September

3

YOUR SAY

LETTER OF THE MONTH I just wanted to write and let you know how much I enjoyed the tour of the Melbourne Town Hall. The fabulous volunteer guide, Ray was extremely knowledgeable and had an obvious love for the building and its history.

The concierge on duty that morning, another charming gentleman, was also extremely helpful. It was a great experience in a great city.

Anne Rout, Apollo Bay

Safe City taxi rank

Share your thoughts with us at melbournenews@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Where can I find a map of taxi rank locations in Melbourne?

Yo! @cityofmelbourne. Very crowded City Square Bike Pod. Any chance of expanding it/other secure sites? Thx #cycling

The flower beds outside melbourne Town Hall certainly brighten winter up. #Melbourne #flowers #winter @ANGRYAUSSIE

@MCCARTM1

I love this story. Melbourne trees bombarded with love letters. @cityofmelbourne @REEVIESPEEVIES

Fashion made with data @cityofmelbourne and @IBMAustralia fuse fashion & analytics #MSFW

Cold last night? I bet he was colder... @salvos @stvinnys @Melbourne @cityofmelbourne @LordMayorMelb #melbweather

@POORE27

@BILLYFOSTER15

For an interactive map of taxi rank locations in the City of Melbourne visit maps.melbourne.vic.gov.au and select ‘City Explorer’ from the menu on the left, then click on ‘Taxi Ranks’. A map of the municipality, pin pointing taxi rank locations, will be created to match your request.

If you need a taxi late at night, the City of Melbourne also runs four Safe City taxi ranks. Each rank is staffed by a security officer in uniform and is monitored by security camera. They run from 11pm Friday to 5am Saturday and 11pm Saturday to 5am Sunday.

Safe City taxi rank locations: Queen Street (between Little Collins and Bourke streets) Flinders Street Station (on Swanston Street) 190 Bourke Street (near Russell Street) 8 King Street (near Flinders Street)

CONNECT WITH US @emeraldwink

@cityofmelbourne

@scorpion7878

@sparkie59

www.facebook.com/cityofmelbourne www.twitter.com/cityofmelbourne instagram.com/cityofmelbourne

@tammy_nattsasi

@archimirus

@therese94young

PARTICIPATE MELBOURNE

4

@soulkitchencafe

www.google.com/+cityofmelbourne

HAVE YOUR SAY ONLINE NOW AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU/PARTICIPATE

Join the conversation

Last kilometre freight

Participate Melbourne makes it easy for people to learn about and join the conversation on some of our most important projects. Register your interest on Participate Melbourne to stay informed.

A growing city needs more deliveries to fill shops and offices with the things people need. Following our first phase of consultation in March, a draft plan for last kilometre freight was developed.

Consultation on this plan will take place in August.

READ ONLINE AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

CITY NEWS

Queen Victoria Market from Peel Street Swanston Street investigations

RAIL PROJECT TAKES A LOOK UNDERGROUND

NEXT STEP FOR MARKET PRECINCT

Site investigations for the Melbourne Metro Rail Project are now underway.

Plans to revitalise the Queen Victoria Market precinct are now well underway.

Information gathered on ground conditions and soil quality will help inform the alignment, depth and design of the new rail tunnels, tunnel entrances and underground stations.

To realise the vision outlined in the Queen Victoria Market Renewal Master Plan and meet our obligations set out in the agreement with the State Government for the future of the market precinct, the City of Melbourne has proposed a new planning scheme amendment.

The investigation program includes approximately 140 boreholes at locations across the central city and along the proposed rail line. The first stage began in April with the drilling of boreholes in the Arden and Lloyd Street areas, central city and Swanston Street, Domain parkland and the Domain interchange.

The date and scope of the second stage of site investigations will be decided following the findings of the initial investigations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

mmrailproject.vic.gov.au

The current planning controls for the area surrounding the market were created many years ago. Since then the city has undergone significant change and new development has taken place in and around the area. Development controls need to be updated to recognise that the market precinct is now very much a part of the central city.

Planning Scheme Amendment C245 will help guide the use and development of the Queen Victoria Market precinct, based on current and future needs.

of the Queen Victoria Market, while acknowledging that the city will continue to grow up to and around the edge of the precinct.

The proposed amendment is respectful of the heritage and cultural significance of the Queen Victoria Market...

To view the amendment, visit the City of Melbourne’s online engagement hub Participate Melbourne.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

melbourne.vic.gov.au/participate

The proposed amendment is respectful of the heritage and cultural significance

MELBOURNE

August - September

5

Pedestrians during lunchtime in Southern Cross Lane

WHY WALKING IS BIG BUSINESS

30 YEARS OF THE CITY LOOP

Walking is often overlooked as a major mode of transport, but in the central city, walking is how most people get to where they need to go.

This year marks 30 years since the completion of the City Loop, when Flagstaff Station opened on 27 May 1985.

In 2010, the Department of Transport found that walking accounted for 66 per cent of all trips in the City of Melbourne. This figure was even higher in the central city where 86 per cent of trips are on foot.

Councillor Cathy Oke, Chair of the Transport Portfolio said, ‘The main reason people come into the city is for work and in the busy central city environment, walking is the easiest way to get around’.

According to research by SGS Planning and Economics, improving the City of Melbourne’s walking network by 10 per cent would add $2.1 billion to the local economy.

The City of Melbourne’s Walking Plan highlights the contribution walking makes to the municipality and the economy, and outlines a practical plan to improve the pedestrian network and encourage more walking.

of Bourke and William streets, and Southern Cross Lane at 121 Exhibition Street, which runs across the site of the old Southern Cross Hotel,’ Cr Oke said.

‘Melbourne’s current pedestrian network has many links through city blocks and more are being created as the city grows.’

An intricate pedestrian network increases the amount of street frontage for businesses, which leads to increased business and job opportunities generated by the increased number of potential customers walking past.

The new Melbourne Metro train stations will also generate more walking trips. As new routes are established the Walking Plan will help guide the development of walking in these areas.

‘Melbourne’s current pedestrian network has many links through city blocks and more are being created as the city grows.

Places like the historic Block Arcade have been echoed in recent developments like Goldsborough Lane on the corner

6

READ ONLINE AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

melbourne.vic.gov.au/transport

Flagstaff Station, 1978

Planning for the City Loop dates back as early as 1929. At the time Flinders Street was one of the busiest railway stations in the world and suffered from high levels of congestion as the chief gateway to the city.

The depression and World War II saw interest in a loop wane, but the idea was revived in the 1960s and 70s when Flinders Street Station recorded just ten trains passed through the station per platform, per hour – or roughly 1,700 trains a day.

The opening of the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop in 1985, provided capacity for increased passenger numbers which underpinned jobs growth and opened up the northern end of the central city for high rise commercial and residential development.

The number of jobs in central Melbourne has nearly doubled since 1985 and the City Loop is now at capacity as the number of people catching public transport to work continues to grow.

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

MAPPING THE FUTURE OF CYCLING IN THE CITY An interactive map has captured the attention and the feedback of thousands of Melbourne cyclists.

With the Bicycle Plan 2012–16 almost at an end, work has begun to develop a new four-year bicycle plan for the period 2016–20.

The first phase of public consultation took place in April and May, with an overwhelming response from the community. More than 7000 contributions were made via an interactive Crowd Spot map on Participate Melbourne – the largest response on the City of Melbourne’s online platform to date.

‘...bicycle-friendly routes can only get better as we analyse and respond to the feedback from those using the network.’

Participants were invited to highlight areas on an interactive map where they liked to ride and where they felt conditions for cyclists could be improved.

One-thousand spots were identified, 1460 comments posted and 4700 indications of support made for other comments. These contributions are now being analysed even further to uncover patterns, themes, gaps in the bicycle network and priorities for the next bike plan.

Transport portfolio chair, Councillor Cathy Oke said: ‘Over the last three years there has been a significant investment in our cycling infrastructure in line with the actions of the Bicycle Plan 2012–16. Improvements include new on-road and off-road cycling routes, improved links and transitions between paths and increased bicycle parking.

‘This growing network of safe and connected bicycle-friendly routes can only get better as we analyse and respond to the feedback from those using the network’.

A draft of the new plan will be available for formal community engagement later this year.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

melbourne.vic.gov.au/cycling

A car-free Swanston Street was identified as a great success for the city

GOOD HOMES FOR LOST BIKES Abandoned and unclaimed bicycles were given a new lease of life as part of a road safety initiative late last year.

Bicycles abandoned in the municipality are held by the City of Melbourne for three months. Those which remain unclaimed are sent to Good Cycles, a not-for-profit mobile bike repair service, to be reconditioned.

Good Wheel program participants

Good Cycles then works with cycling advocacy organisation Squeaky Wheel, on behalf of City of Melbourne, to deliver Good Wheel, a program for local residents with limited access to bikes or knowledge of cycling.

Good Wheel participants were provided with a bicycle, which was theirs to keep upon completion of the program, along with a helmet (donated by Nutcase), a lock (donated by Knog) and lights. The program taught basic bike maintenance, road safety and travel planning.

Jette Achleitner, the Acting Executive Director of Squeaky Wheel said: ‘with this bicycle they get an affordable form of transport, they gain mobility and the ability to connect with their community. The program also gives participants the skills to ride safely in traffic’.

MELBOURNE

August - September

7

MELBOURNE SPRING FASHION WEEK 28 AUGUST TO 4 SEPTEMBER

BEHIND THE SEAMS

MSFW: DESIGNER RUNWAYS For fashion designers and fashion-conscious consumers alike, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (MSFW) is the premier consumer fashion event of the season.

Presented by City of Melbourne, MSFW showcases our thriving fashion and retail scene with a unique program of shopping, entertainment and hospitality experiences.

Every year the Melbourne Town Hall provides a dramatic backdrop for the annual MSFW: Designer runway series. The runways are an opportunity for Australia’s design elite to showcase their spring/summer collections, highlighting key colours and styles for the coming season.

For Kristy Barber, the creative force behind Melbournebased womenswear label Kuwaii, 2015 will be her fifth time down the MSFW runway.

‘It’s always a lot of work. The days and the weeks leading up are always incredibly stressful; running around procuring last minute samples, adjusting fits and tweaking looks and watching and analysing the dress rehearsal. By the time the show comes around, I have had a champagne or two and I am pretty excited to watch the show’.

In addition to the glitz and glamour, which goes hand in hand with such an event, MSFW also has another side: to support and promote Melbourne’s fashion and retail industries to a broader audience and drive retail trade in the municipality.

‘For us, MSFW gives us the chance to see our designs come to life down the runway and it’s always a great way to introduce our customers to our new collection’, said Kristy.

Held over four evenings, the series of one-off, designer runways showcase the city’s talent and underline Melbourne’s status as the fashion capital of Australia.

Premium seating and hospitality packages are also available to create a VIP fashion experience.

MSFW 2015

SNAPSHOT MSFW: Shop the City 28 to 30 August MSFW: Designer 1 to 4 September

Other designers participating in the MSFW: Designer runways include Akira, Alexi Freeman, Aurelio Costarella, Carla Zampatti, Craig Braybrook, búl, Manning Cartell and Thurley.

MSFW: Mr 3 September

And what of the colours for spring? Kristy said: ‘in Kuwaii’s spring collection there’s green, including soft tones of sage and moss, berry red, blossom pink and graphic black and white’.

MSFW: Emerging 30 August

MSFW: Designer Melbourne Town Hall, 1 to 4 September

MSFW: Curated 21 August to 11 September

8

READ ONLINE AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

MSFW: Hub 30 August to 4 September

MSFW: Industry 28 August to 4 September

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

THE MODERN MELBOURNE MAN SPOTLIGHT ON MELBOURNE SPRING FASHION WEEK LABEL GODWIN CHARLI

Godwin Hili at work

As a city known for its stylish residents, the current trend in men’s fashion and grooming has not gone unnoticed by the men of Melbourne.

These were skills Godwin would draw on when he entered the corporate world as a trainee accountant for leading accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers, in 2000.

Manicured hair, pocket handkerchiefs, shiny shoes and tailored trousers, all point to a growing sartorial awareness.

‘It was an environment where I wore a suit every day. Australia was very disconnected from Europe and the European scene at that point and offthe-rack suits were very much the norm.

I wanted things that fitted me and I started wearing my own creations to work’.

Godwin Hili, the designer and owner of Melbourne-based clothing store Godwin Charli, is the epitome of the modern Melbourne man. He takes pride in his appearance and is fastidious about fit.

‘I grew up with a natural instinct of how fit works,’ said Godwin. ‘My mother was a dressmaker and would alter things for me at the drop of a hat’.

OPENING WEEKEND MSFW: SHOP THE CITY Shoppers get ready for MSFW: Shop the City, an entire weekend of exclusive offers and unique shopping experiences in key retail precincts across the city, from 28 to 30 August.

The weekend kicks-off on Friday, with the debut of the international shopping event, Vogue Fashion’s Night Out, which has made Melbourne the first stop, for one night only, on a circuit of 27 cities in 19 countries around the world. #shopthecity

Soon Godwin discovered he was more interested in what he was wearing to work and helping others do the same, than he was in corporate accounting.

A friend with connections to a local men’s tailoring workshop was the key Godwin needed to transition into the world of fashion design.

‘I was not schooled in fashion and tailoring, so I spent a lot of time at the factory studying the craft,’ said Godwin.

Armed with his new skills and an understanding of the needs and requirements of the modern professional, Godwin opened his first shop in the boutique fashion enclave of Little Collins Street in 2007.

Named Godwin Charli, in an affectionate nod to his father Charles, the brand caters to both men and women with sharp tailoring and interchangeable pieces.

‘Guys are now more open to experiment with textures and combining separates.

They’re also more savvy. New technology means customers are being fed trends more readily and they want to dress like the people in Europe’.

When it comes to spring/summer Godwin says shades of blue still dominate for men, while for women he prefers warmer wine colours like tawny port.

For those keen to stay a step ahead of the pack, the Godwin Charli spring/summer collection will be centre stage during Melbourne Spring Fashion Week, as part of the MSFW: Mr program.

The designer runway program at Melbourne Town Hall will showcase key menswear pieces from designers such as Arthur Galan AG, Brent Wilson, Calibre, Dom Bagnato, Et Al, Jac+Jack, MJ Bale, Joe Black and Bassike.

MSFW: Mr Melbourne Town Hall, 3 September Use #MSFW to start or follow conversations on social media during the event. melbourne.vic.gov.au/msfw

MELBOURNE

August - September

9

A PEOPLE CITY

RMIT’s new Building 80 on Swanston Street is emblematic of the growth Melbourne has seen recently in its knowledge precinct

URBAN RENEWAL: PLANNING FOR FUTURE GROWTH Managing population growth efficiently is an important challenge for the City of Melbourne.

Melbourne is now Australia’s fastest growing city, with the municipality’s current residential population of 122,000 set to almost double to 202,000 by 2030, while the total daily population is estimated to grow from 854,000 to 1.18 million.

Councillor Ken Ong, Chair of the City of Melbourne’s Planning portfolio said, ‘How we manage Melbourne’s rapidly growing population is all about planning and good

10

planning is all about people. This means we must consider how people use the city and understand where and how they work, move about, live and socialise’.

A common response to population growth is to open up housing development on the urban fringe, releasing more land for development. ‘The flaw with this approach is the huge investment required in new infrastructure including roads, public transport, community services, parks and gardens, which all need to be built to support newly established communities,’ said Cr Ong.

READ ONLINE AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

A more sustainable option is to increase the capacity of underutilised space within established municipalities. These areas are already serviced by the necessary infrastructure such as public transport and community services. They are also within close proximity to the central city and other services, making them ideal for urban renewal.

Potential growth areas near the central city were identified in Future Melbourne, the City of Melbourne’s long-term plan for the future direction of all aspects of city life, which was endorsed by Council in 2008 (work is now underway to update

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

Students gather outside the State Library

the plan in 2016). The nominated areas were then refined for inclusion in the City of Melbourne’s Municipal Strategic Statement (MSS).

The MSS is a statement of the city’s key strategic planning for the next 40 years and governs planning and development strategies and objectives in the City of Melbourne. The current MSS was approved by the Planning Minister in 2013 and among its priorities it identified a number of areas suitable for urban renewal: City North, Arden-Macaulay, E-Gate and Fishermans Bend.

Our city is growing rapidly. Growth is good for the city’s reputation, it enhances our profile and boosts the economy, but we need to be smart about how we manage it.

Of course urban renewal is not new to Melbourne. The central city is surrounded by examples of past renewal projects, which transformed underutilised areas into high-performance, denselypopulated hubs.

St Kilda Road is a prime example. In the 1960s, local planning agencies changed the zoning from residential to commercial, opening the way for the local financial industry to grow in an area that was close to the city, close to residential areas and well-serviced by public transport.

In the 1980s and 1990s it was the lightindustrial warehouses of Southbank that came under scrutiny. Following significant redevelopment, including the addition of the Southbank Promenade in 1990, the area was invigorated with retail and hospitality offerings, as well as high-rise office towers and apartment buildings.

‘Council’s objective in planning for future growth is to ensure we have clear planning rules in place to inform the public and the property development industry of the city’s vision, rules and guidelines, as well as the requirements for protection of areas of heritage significance,’ said Cr Ong.

Docklands was the next candidate for renewal. With its prestigious Collins and Bourke Street addresses, dramatic residential views and waterside retail premises, Docklands has become a natural extension of the central city.

...urban renewal is not new to Melbourne.

The central city is surrounded by examples of past renewal projects, which transformed underutilised areas into high-performance, densely-populated hubs.

Similar potential lies in the urban renewal areas currently designated in the MSS. The City North urban renewal area, which stretches from the Queen Victoria Market in the south towards the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital in the north, has all the characteristics to meet the future needs of a growing population.

Ideally positioned alongside major health, education and research institutions, the area is also close to the central city and aligned with the new Melbourne Metro Rail Project, which will provide residents and workers with excellent transport options.

The rail project will also open up additional former industrial areas for urban renewal around the proposed Arden Station in the southern portion of Arden-Macaulay.

A structure plan for City North was developed by the City of Melbourne in 2012, following extensive community engagement. The plan acknowledges the area has the capacity to accommodate a large proportion of Melbourne’s increasing population and identifies key directions for its long term renewal. Urban renewal in the area will also complement the increased employment opportunities presented by the ongoing expansion of organisations in the burgeoning knowledge precinct.

‘While there has been a lot of focus on the building heights and densities, it is important to acknowledge that these issues can be managed by planning rules and guidelines and design standards, as well as internal amenities and services provided within high density developments.

‘What is really important is where these buildings meet the street and how they provide interfaces and activation, while respecting neighbours higher up.

‘Our city is growing rapidly. This growth enhances our profile and boosts the economy, but we need to be smart about how we manage it. We have an opportunity with City North, and similar urban renewal areas to develop something special that will add to our city’s future’.

MELBOURNE

August - September

11

A FRESH START FOR A FORGOTTEN LANEWAY Tyson Lyons with his SpongeBob painting

Kids, spray paint and a dark city laneway could be a recipe for disaster, or an ingenious plan with broadreaching outcomes.

Flinders Court, a sad and forgotten lane that runs between Flinders Street and Flinders Lane, at the western side of Elizabeth Street, was recently identified as a site that would benefit from increased activity, by the City of Melbourne’s Love Your Laneway program.

‘I was a little bit scared my first time, but I did it.

All the artists were really helpful and it turned out better than I thought.’

12

To improve existing perceptions about safety in the area and make the laneway more welcoming as a pedestrian thoroughfare, a group of young people from the St Joseph’s Flexible Learning Centre in North Melbourne were invited to paint colourful murals in the laneway, under the guidance of local street artists.

Student Tyson Lyons, 15, said: ‘I was a little bit scared my first time, but I did it. All the artists were really helpful and it turned out better than I thought’.

Tyson wanted to do a cartoon for his painting and he had been thinking through different ideas when he saw the familiar rectangular figure of American cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants and chose it for his design.

Freya Casey, 13, took inspiration from Alice in Wonderland for her grinning Cheshire Cat surrounded by playing cards.

READ ONLINE AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

Freya Casey with the Cheshire Cat

‘I’ve always loved the Cheshire Cat because he’s just so funny and purple is my favourite colour. I like that it’s a bit scary in the dark lane.’

‘I’ve always loved the Cheshire Cat because he’s just so funny and purple is my favourite colour. I like that it’s a bit scary in the dark lane’.

Asked about the challenges of spray painting Freya said: ‘it’s difficult to get all the outlines and the details. It’s really hard to get the shading effect around the eyes.

Height is a challenge too. I could only just reach the ears standing on the crate.’

The spray painting took place during National Reconciliation Week in late May to celebrate young people from different backgrounds coming together for a positive cause.

The initiative, part of a City of Melbourne Public Space Improvement Project, drew on urban design principles relating to improved safety through environmental design and local community partnerships.

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

ARTPLAY FOR ARTISTS: IT’S CHILD’S PLAY Conducting art-based workshops with children might sound like child’s play, but as in any field of work, there is always room for improvement and professional development.

The ArtPlay for Artists program was developed by ArtPlay in 2012 as one of several initiatives to support artists working with children.

The sessions are a mixture of hands-on workshops and presentations to inspire artists and stimulate discussion and ideas around children’s art and its place in society.

The program is open to anyone engaging with children and the arts, including artists, parents, producers, art therapists and educators.

‘It was through ArtPlay that I gained a lot of insight into how other artists work with children’.

Puppeteer Jenny Ellis, who conducts workshops with children, has attended many ArtPlay for Artists sessions. Jenny was recently inspired by an ArtPlay workshop run by installation artists, Ken and Julia Yonetani, in which children created 240 Japanese-inspired lanterns.

‘This is the time when I can learn and find

Artists Julia and Ken Yonetani with puppeteer Jenny Ellis

new inspiration for my practice, and each time I walk away from the ArtPlay sessions I find myself thinking about new ways of approaching my work with children,’ said Jenny. ‘It was through ArtPlay that I gained a lot of insight into how other artists work with children’.

The ArtPlay for Artists program also aligns with the City of Melbourne’s Arts Strategy vision to support artists in the creation and development of new work.

GET INVOLVED Get involved in ArtPlay for Artists with Playful Spaces. A panel of artists will discuss the different ways they create spaces that encourage children and families to play and express themselves.

Wednesday 12 August, 5.30pm to 7pm ArtPlay, Birrarung Marr FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

melbourne.vic.gov.au/artplay

THE DIRTY DOZEN Art pops up in the strangest places in Melbourne. Indeed, Campbell Arcade, the pedestrian subway which connects Flinders Street Station to the north side of Flinders Street, is home to twelve eye-catching art-filled glass display cases.

The cases were recently restyled as exhibition spaces for artists, as part of the City of Melbourne’s Creative Spaces program.

In keeping with Melbourne’s love affair with hidden spaces, the display cases will both surprise and attract people to one of Melbourne’s oldest commuter underpasses with quirky and innovative art work.

Prevaricated Frequencies

Named the Dirty Dozen, in a wry nod to the location and number, the space

was opened in June with Prevaricated Frequencies, an installation by a group of science and engineering graduates from Victoria University who go by the name, Skunk Control.

The works use filters and polarised light to throw colour on the intricate plastic feathers, flowers and dried leaves that make up the displays.

The space is available to artists from all disciplines through an application process.

Successful applicants will be selected on the strength of their proposal, how well the work addresses the space and its capacity to attract public attention.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

www.creativespaces.net.au

MELBOURNE

August - September

13

EVENTS CALENDAR

A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE THINGS

SEP

10

Arts House: A Drone Opera

UNTIL 16 AUGUST

14 AND 16 AUGUST

20 TO 30 AUGUST

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

CITY SCIENCE

MELBOURNE WRITERS FESTIVAL

Experience the festival buzz as you immerse yourself in the year’s most extraordinary contemporary cinema, revel in rarely seen repertoire and participate in provocative discussion panels. Now in its 64th year, be moved and inspired at MIFF.

7, 14, 21 AND 28 AUGUST FRIDAY NIGHT FIREWORKS Light up your Friday nights with free fireworks in Docklands. Arrive early to enjoy the roving entertainment from 6.30pm, or to get a prime view at one of the waterfront restaurants. Fireworks start at 7.30pm.

Boggle your brain with amazing science at one of the many events taking place around Melbourne during National Science Week.

Then head to the Queen Victoria Market on Sunday to explore the links between food, and science and technology.

14 TO 27 AUGUST

26 TO 30 AUGUST

INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF MELBOURNE

ARTS HOUSE: CONFUSION FOR THREE

See the best cinema from India and the subcontinent, or be dazzled by the Bollywood Dance Competition, Awards Night and Fashion Gala. There is also a short film competition, master classes and panel discussions.

Melbourne choreographer Jo Lloyd presents this contemporary dance performance in which three dances negotiate a dysfunctional system of choreography using a set of highly physical and mentally demanding tasks.

8 AUGUST ERROL’S ANGELS: A NIGHT OF SWING Dance the night away at North Melbourne’s Meat Market with swing dance lessons, to the tune of Dr Crask and His Swingin’ Elixir band and the silky sounds of the Errol’s Angels themselves. All proceeds go to the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre and Nepal Earthquake Appeal.

9 AUGUST SIGNAL: NOMAD CINEMATIC A curated film and discussion session to inspire dialogue and creativity around the African Australian diaspora experience. The session will start by looking at the global African diaspora and the role of AfricanAustralians in shaping this culture.

19 TO 22 AUGUST ARTS HOUSE: SDS1 Former professional soccer player, turned performer Ahilan Ratnamohan combines his artistic and sporting talents in SDS1, a danceinspired work described by Ratnamohan as ‘football dance theatre.’ SDS1 explores not only the physical aspect of sport, but the psychological as well, delving into the mental vulnerability of sporting warriors.

20 TO 29 AUGUST MUDFEST

28 AUGUST TO 4 SEPTEMBER MELBOURNE SPRING FASHION WEEK Get up-to-date with the latest fashions at Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. With a unique program of designer runways, shopping, entertainment and hospitality experiences, it’s the best way to be the best dressed next season. More on page 8.

AUG

28

Mudfest is the longest running student arts festival in Australia. Marking its quarter century this year, Mudfest aims to be the most accessible and sustainable student arts event, with more than 500 emerging artists presenting 100 plus projects at the University of Melbourne Parkville campus.

Discover all that’s happening in Melbourne at melbourne.vic.gov.au/whatson

14

Melbourne’s annual celebration of writers, readers and thinkers draws out talented people from Australia and around the world, for a vibrant program of storytelling, conversation, discussion, debate and more.

READ ONLINE AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

Melbourne Spring Fashion Week

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

SEP

OCT

12

02

ArtPlay: Paper Tape Torch

30 AUGUST

10 TO 13 SEPTEMBER

MELBOURNE DAY, REGATTA AND CONCERT

ARTS HOUSE: A DRONE OPERA

Celebrate 180 marvellous years of Melbourne with a day of celebrations, starting with a flag raising ceremony at Enterprize Park, where John Batman landed on 30 August 1835.

The festivities continue with the spectacular Melbourne Regatta. See a colourful flotilla at Victoria Harbour, headed by the schooner Enterprize. Bring the whole family for the Blessing of the Fleet, followed by a free concert at the Docklands headlined by Daryl Braithwaite and Russell Morris.

Renowned visual artist Matthew Sleeth explores the developing technology of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) and their social and cultural impact. This experimental multimedia performance features drones and opera singers, with music and laser lighting.

AUG

30

11 TO 13 SEPTEMBER ARTS HOUSE: DANCE OF THE BEE Composer Martin Friedel uses a live swarm of bees to demonstrate the fragile connection between humanity and the honey bee. Three pianists and the Astra Choir complete this intense and unique musical performance.

12 AND 13 SEPTEMBER ARTPLAY: PAPER TAPE TORCH

Melbourne Day, Regatta and Concert

Create an atmospheric sculptural world using lashings of butcher’s paper, masking tape and the architecture of a massive room. What kind of environments can you make?

Suitable for children aged 10+.

5 SEPTEMBER SINGAPURA Singapura is a food festival and community day. Highlights include a hawker style food festival with food vendors selling local Singaporean cuisine and a live cooking demonstration by a local celebrity chef.

16 SEPTEMBER TO 4 OCTOBER MELBOURNE FRINGE See emerging and established artists take risks, safe in the knowledge that their audience wants to discover something only the Fringe Festival could unearth.

5, 12, 19 AND 26 SEPTEMBER

21 SEPTEMBER

SIGNAL: PERFORM YOUR OWN GROOVE

UNITED NATIONS WORLD PEACE DAY

Discover your inner performer with this series of live electronic music workshops run by music producers and performers. Learn about the creative process and experiment with a variety of techniques and styles. The workshops culminate in a live electronic music gig on 10 October.

Olive trees will take centre stage in City Square to mark United Nations World Peace Day, from noon. Write a message of peace on a card stamped with a Michael Leunig Peace Duck and tie it to an olive tree branch to wish for peace in places of conflict.

AFL Grand Final Parade

SPORT 30 AUGUST A WALK IN THE PARK Get walking and help to create positive change for people living with Parkinson’s disease. A range of fun, family activities create a memorable experience for thousands of enthusiastic participants and every dollar raised helps to support people living with Parkinson’s in Victoria.

30 AUGUST SOFITEL GIRLS’ DAY OUT MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL Celebrate the return of spring racing at Flemington with the Sofitel Girls’ Day Out. The day features four Group races, including the headline $400,000 Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes. It’s a world-class event that encompasses the finest racing, entertainment, fashion, culture, food and wine.

30 SEPTEMBER TO 3 OCTOBER 2015 FOXTEL FOOTY FESTIVAL This year, grand final fever will move to the MCG and surrounding Yarra Park as Melburnians count down to the big day.

Events include the Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade, family-friendly activities, food, music and social zones for the after-work crowd.

3 OCTOBER AFL GRAND FINAL It’s not often the AFL Grand Final is played in October, but there is an easy way to remember with the help of footyanthem-writer Mike Brady’s reworked classic: ‘There’s one day in October.

Footy’s almost over...’

MELBOURNE

August - September

15

SPORTS CLUBS INVITED TO PLAY AT DOCKLANDS The City of Melbourne is seeking expressions of interest from Docklands residents to form new community sports clubs in the Docklands’ newest open space.

Ron Barassi Senior Park includes a grassed area suitable for numerous sports and activities such as soccer, AFL 9s, rugby, yoga and ultimate frisbee. There is also a community pavilion, a children’s playground and plenty of space to kick a ball or walk the dog.

The new park, due to open later this year, will provide plenty of space for people to exercise and get together in the open air.

The name Ron Barassi Senior was chosen by public vote and honours the former Melbourne Football Club rover who left for World War II just days after the club’s 1940 premiership.

The name Ron Barassi Senior was chosen by public vote and honours the former Melbourne Football Club rover who left for World War II...

Barassi Senior was also a City of Melbourne employee and was killed in action in Tobruk in 1941. His name appears on a marble memorial in the Melbourne Town Hall listing the officers and employees who served in the World Wars of 1914–18 and 1939–45.

The park was funded by the Victorian Government, constructed by Places Victoria and once complete it will be owned and operated by the City of Melbourne.

INTERESTED RESIDENTS CONTACT

recreation@melbourne.vic.gov.au Ron Barassi Sr playing for Melbourne

Ron Barassi Senior Park starts to take shape

ATTENTION ALL MUSICAL MAESTROS The Federation Bells in Birrarung Marr are truly the people’s bells. Anyone with the app can play the bells with a smart phone or tablet.

ebbs and flows. It makes excellent use of the Federation Bells’ dynamic sensitivity and has an extra mesmerising quality when standing amongst the bells’.

Both budding and accomplished musical maestros can take the interaction one step further with the Federation Bells composition competition.

Compositions can be created with a smart phone, or via the composition website at www.federationbells.com.au. Composers with more technical skills can download a patch to use in their own studio.

More than 70 compositions were received for last year’s competition, with the $2000 prize awarded to engineer John Coutts.

Federation Bells in Birrarung Marr

16

The judges said: ‘John created a spacious work of beautiful shimmering textures that

READ ONLINE AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

The 39 computer controlled bells, created for the centenary of Australia’s Federation, play more than 100 compositions each week. Take up the challenge and make some noise.

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

Satyaveni Poornima Veni Ghanta and her son Suhas Aditya Sunkisala

MELBOURNE PUTS OUT THE WELCOME MAT

KATHLEEN SYME LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY CENTRE NOW OPEN

When Satyaveni Poornima Veni Ghanta arrived in Docklands from India last October, she felt a little lost.

Carlton residents got their first chance to experience the new Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre following its opening in July.

Accompanied by her husband and two-year old son, she had no other family and very few friends in Melbourne and felt trapped in her small apartment.

‘I instantly felt a sense of belonging and now I feel liberated knowing everyone here.’

‘I had butterflies in my stomach,’ Poornima said, ‘I couldn’t even get out and ride the free tram, I needed a gentle push’.

‘I instantly felt a sense of belonging and now I feel liberated knowing everyone here,’ Poornima said.

Many recently arrived residents have little knowledge of the social and cultural landscape.

The New to Melbourne Program offers seven free information sessions to support families who have just moved into the municipality.

The program explains where to find services and activities including childcare and kindergarten programs, playgroups, and maternal and child health nursing.

The hub has also become a place for mums and their children to get together and plan activities. Several families have even banded together to buy in bulk and share the shopping load.

Poornima had previously lived in the US and UK with her husband, who works for Ericsson, but there was a major difference with her move to Melbourne.

In a back room, a circle of mums and youngsters take part in a session led by two bright guest speakers from Library at The Dock. With hand clapping, singing, hugging and crayon smearing, it’s a happy place.

‘This time has been more difficult because I have a child,’ she said: ‘I need to get out with Suhas every day’.

In January the program will move to a larger space and cater for more people to drop in, develop friendships and share information.

Looking for a helping hand, Poornima discovered the Docklands Hub and was introduced to a range of activities and services in Melbourne.

Encouraged by her positive experience mixing at the Hub, Poornima has discovered more activities in the city such as Thai cooking classes and the Melbourne walking tours.

Soon she was sitting around cushions and wooden blocks with other mums and children, chatting and playing as part of a family program at the Hub.

‘My calendar is full’, she said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

More than 1000 people attend the community open day to see how the redevelopment had transformed the 1870s primary school building into a beautiful 21st century resource centre.

Members of the Syme family, including former editor of The Age Ranald Macdonald, also attended a special ceremony to see how the centre had changed.

Not just a repository for its 40,000 lending books, CDs and DVDs, the building is also a thriving hub for the community complete with training rooms, a computer lab, recording studio, meeting rooms, activity spaces and free Wi-Fi. Wurundjeri artist Mandy Nicholson was commissioned to develop an artwork for the building, which is situated in the main entrance to greet visitors as they enter the building.

A social enterprise cafe also ensures a quality Melbourne coffee is never too far away.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

melbourne.vic.gov.au/ kathleensyme

melbourne.vic.gov.au/families

MELBOURNE

August - September

17

MELBOURNE LOVE

IN BRIEF COLLINS STREET FLORAL DISPLAYS Decorative flower boxes were installed on the south side of Collins Street, between Exhibition and Russell streets, in June as part of a six-month trial. The flower boxes are similar to those outside the Melbourne Town Hall and are intended to brighten the area for local traders. The displays will be monitored to gauge their impact and maintenance levels.

NEW ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Associate Professor Karen Webster in her RMIT studio

RMIT AND MSFW CELEBRATE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY Associate Professor Karen Webster started working at RMIT University in 1992 and has held senior positions in fashion since 1994.

After a five-year secondment as the Director of the Melbourne Fashion Festival, Karen returned to RMIT where she is now Deputy Head of School, Fashion and Textiles.

How did the collaboration with RMIT and Melbourne Spring Fashion Week (MSFW) first come about?

In 2005 we started discussing how vital fashion was to the culture of our city and two key things contributed to that. Firstly, the spirit of MSFW and its commitment to emerging designers, which was intrinsic since its inception. Secondly, that RMIT University was part of the ethos of the city with its focus on design, creativity and innovation. It was logical that we should combine our commitment to Melbourne and its creative soul by working together.

What benefits do the RMIT graduate runways have for students?

This is an exceptional opportunity for students to share the same catwalk as some of our leading designers. MSFW provides a showcase of RMIT Fashion to the media and industry in a highly polished, professional experience.

What was the most memorable moment from a graduate runway?

Oh, there are so many and every year it just gets better and better. One experience that will always stay with me was actually offrunway, but facilitated by MSFW to support our students. The year that Danni Minogue 18

was the ‘face’ of MSFW she came into RMIT to meet the students. It was meant to be a brief visit and she stayed for hours. Danni is incredible, at the time she had her own label and was astutely informed on the industry and understood the detail that went into the creations. She had a genuine interest in the students and provided sound and professional advice.

How has the RMIT graduate runway program evolved over the years?

We are so lucky to have access to Melbourne’s best venue (the Melbourne Town Hall) and over the years leading stylists, production companies, choreographers, DJs and the whole behindthe-scenes teams that make this event happen. We have moved from being an off-site event to being embedded into the main schedule. This year as we celebrate ten 10 years together, RMIT Fashion will present looks in the first of the runways in the Melbourne Town Hall launching an exciting week of Melbourne’s best fashion offerings.

What do you like best about the graduate runways?

I love the energy. I personally feel so proud of the incredible talent of our students and the effort and support contributed by our staff to make this happen. On the night the Town Hall is filled with supporters who are keen to see what the next generation of fashion designers represents. The excitement is electric. My hands are almost raw from all the clapping at the end of the show.

READ ONLINE AT MELBOURNE.VIC.GOV.AU

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

melbourne.vic.gov.au/msfw

A draft Asset Management Strategy has been developed as part of a long-term plan to create and obtain the assets that will be needed by the City of Melbourne in coming decades. By managing our assets carefully we aim to meet future challenges and ensure long-term sustainability and liveability.

LOOKING AFTER OUR FURRY FRIENDS When out and about with your pet in the City of Melbourne, remember your pet needs to be registered and wearing their current registration tag. If you’re with your dog in an open space, please remember to carry a plastic bag or pooper scooper and dispose of their droppings appropriately. melbourne.vic.gov.au/pets

GO GREEN AND GET REWARDED City of Melbourne residents can now earn exclusive discounts from local businesses for recycling and living green. GreenMoney is our rewards program for the environment. Earn points for eco-friendly activities and redeem for free meals, movie tickets and discounted groceries. Sign up at greenmoney.com.au or download the GreenMoney app today.

ARE YOUR IMMUNISATIONS UP TO DATE? Children under the age of six years living in the municipality can get vaccinations at our community immunisation sessions and at their regular check-ups with our maternal and child health nurses. Stop by one of our open community sessions or contact us to discuss options for your family. melbourne.vic.gov.au/families

YOUR CITY OF MELBOURNE MAGAZINE

YOUR COUNCIL The Right Honourable Lord Mayor Robert Doyle

Deputy Lord Mayor Susan Riley

Future Melbourne (Major Projects) Committee Chair

Future Melbourne (Marketing Melbourne) Committee Deputy Chair

9658 9658 lordmayor@melbourne.vic.gov.au

9658 9043 susan.riley@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Cr Richard Foster

Cr Ken Ong

Future Melbourne (People City) Committee Chair

Future Melbourne (Planning) Committee Chair

9658 9056 richard.foster@melbourne.vic.gov.au

9658 9704 ken.ong@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Cr Rohan Leppert

Cr Beverley Pinder-Mortimer

Future Melbourne (Arts and Culture) Committee Chair

Future Melbourne (Marketing Melbourne) Committee Chair

9658 9051 rohan.leppert@melbourne.vic.gov.au

9658 9038 beverley.pinder-mortimer@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Cr Kevin Louey

Cr Jackie Watts

Future Melbourne (Economic Development) Committee Chair, Docklands Coordination Committee Co-Chair

Future Melbourne (Knowledge City) Committee Chair 9658 8580 jackie.watts@melbourne.vic.gov.au

9658 9170 or mobile 0413 960 811 kevin.louey@melbourne.vic.gov.au Cr Stephen Mayne

Cr Arron Wood

Future Melbourne (Finance and Governance) Committee Chair

Future Melbourne (Environment) Committee Chair

9658 9636 or mobile 0412 106 241 stephen.mayne@melbourne.vic.gov.au

9658 9630 arron.wood@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Cr Cathy Oke

Postal address for all councillors

Future Melbourne (Transport) Committee Chair

City of Melbourne, GPO Box 1603, Melbourne VIC 3001

9658 9086 cathy.oke@melbourne.vic.gov.au

Fax for all councillors 03 9658 9613

COUNCIL MEETINGS All committee meetings are held in: Council Meeting Room, Level 2 Melbourne Town Hall, Swanston Street, Melbourne, except the Docklands Coordination Committee, which is held at: Goods Shed, 710 Collins Street, Docklands, Melbourne.

AUGUST 2015 Future Melbourne Committee

Tuesday 4 Aug

5.30pm

Future Melbourne Committee

Tuesday 11 Aug

5.30pm

All council meetings are held in: Council Chamber, (Public Gallery, Level 3) Melbourne Town Hall, Swanston Street, Melbourne.

Council

Tuesday 25 Aug

5.30pm

On occasion, council meetings are rescheduled or special meetings of the committees and council are called.

SEPTEMBER 2015 Future Melbourne Committee

Tuesday 1 Sept

5.30pm

Future Melbourne Committee

Tuesday 8 Sept

5.30pm

Docklands Coordination Committee

Tuesday 15 Sept

6pm

Council

Tuesday 29 Sept

5.30pm

For upcoming council and committee meeting dates and times, visit melbourne.vic.gov.au Changes to the meeting schedule are published at melbourne.vic.gov.au and on the notice board at the front of the Melbourne Town Hall administration building.

MELBOURNE

August - September

19

LORD MAYOR’S COMMENDATIONS

DAVID AND JEAN BEANHAM

MODAK MOTORCYCLES The interior of Elizabeth Street’s Modak Motorcycles hasn’t changed much in the five decades it has served motorcycle riders and enthusiasts.

The specialist parts shop has a rustic appearance with a well-trodden wooden floor, enduring wooden cupboards, wooden shelves and wooden cabinets filled with neatly arranged motorcycle parts.

‘...my father, uncle and grandfather, were all in the motorcycle trade.’

An ex-Australian army BSA B40 motorcycle stands at the entrance as a symbol of the business the family has operated for the last 60 years. David Beanham, 59, has served customers since the age of five, helping out after class and on Saturday mornings.

‘I guess it’s in my blood. My father, uncle and grandfather, were all in the motorcycle trade,’ David said.

During the Second World War David’s father, Robert and uncle, Harry, began working together selling motorcycles

and parts in Elizabeth Street. In 1955 his father bought the Modak business at 342 Elizabeth Street. Seventeen years later the business moved across the road when the Melbourne Underground Rail Loop authority acquired the block to build Museum Station, now known as Melbourne Central Station.

Robert died aged 90 in 2001, but David’s ninety-one year old mother Jean, still works beside him, five and a half days a week.

David, who rides a 1956 BSA Gold Star in rallies, laughs when he is quizzed about the good and bad about working with family.

‘The good is that you trust the person you are working with. Don’t ask me what the bad is’.

Customers who walk through the open door often have a back story to their motorcycle parts needs. David is happy to engage but he says, ‘there’s not too much I haven’t heard’.

Over the years Modak has catered for a range of traditional bikes including Harley and Indian, but principally the British BSA, Norton and Triumph models, which had all stopped production by the early 1980s.

Since then Modak has specialised in parts for motorcycles from the 1940s to 1980s.

David and Jean Beanham

In 2013 David Beanham was recognised with a silver Lord Mayor’s Commendation and his mother Jean received a platinum commendation. Modak Motorcycles is located at 299 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT melbourne.vic.gov.au/commendations

‘People aren’t keeping their old bikes going (anymore), they don’t ride to (commute), it’s more of a hobby,’ David said. ‘They are restoring them, wanting them to look right.

Gone are the days of the long run. When did you last see an old bike on the road?’

It’s a love of the bikes themselves and attention to detail that keeps customers coming through David’s door.

The businesses featured on this page are all recipients of Lord Mayor’s commendations. The commendations recognise the long-term commitment and contributions of Melbourne’s small business proprietors and family-run businesses to the City of Melbourne.

CONTACT

POSTAL ADDRESS

WE’RE MULTILINGUAL TOO

03 9658 9658 (7.30am to 6pm) melbourne.vic.gov.au melbourne.vic.gov.au/contactus

City of Melbourne GPO Box 1603 Melbourne VIC 3000

We cater for people of all backgrounds.

NATIONAL RELAY SERVICE

FEEDBACK

Teletypewriter (TTY) users phone 13 36 77 then ask for 03 9658 9658 Speak & Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 03 9658 9658

To subscribe, update your address, unsubscribe or provide feedback, contact the City of Melbourne or email melbournenews@melbourne.vic.gov.au

IN PERSON

AUDIO VERSION

Melbourne Town Hall Administration Building 120 Swanston Street, Melbourne 7.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

To receive a copy, contact john.rojas@visionaustralia.org at Vision Australia or phone 03 8378 1252.

CONNECT www.facebook.com/cityofmelbourne

www.twitter.com/cityofmelbourne

Printed by Complete Colour, certified for ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, ISO 90001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 12647-2 Colour Management.

www.google.com/+cityofmelbourne