To outsiders, Footscray, in Melbourne’s inner west, might seem like the perfect place to live.
It’s just 8km from the CBD and, at first glance, looks like one of the most expensive postcodes in the city.
But if you look a little closer, you’ll discover that it’s plagued with problems: from high crime rates and cockroach-infested apartments to sinking land and a homeless crisis.
A quick online search shows more than 900 properties for sale in December alone, with prices starting at $385,000 for a two-bedroom apartment and $680,000 for a two-bedroom house.
Eldridge Street in particular has six apartments for sale, while Joseph Road has a staggering 15 apartments available in one building.
The neighboring streets also have between 10 and 15 apartments for sale on each.
Median prices in Footscrap are $527,000 for units and $960,000 for houses, but only one suburb in Yarraville, the ‘blue chip’, jumps to $561,000 for units and $1.15 million for houses.
A 33-year-old woman, who lived in Footscray for four years and owned a wine bar before fleeing the blighted suburb, tells us she often felt in danger at night.
Footscray, in Melbourne’s inner west, seems like an ideal place to live, just 8km from the CBD.
A 33-year-old woman who lived in Footscray for four years and owned a wine bar often felt unsafe at night (file image)
While she loved the “community” aspect, she said it was not a safe place to live or raise children.
‘Footscray has a real community feel, which I loved, but late night stragglers, homeless people and drug users make it unsafe. Many times, when I closed the bar late at night, I felt uncomfortable,” she says.
‘Businesses want the area to prosper, but there are many outstanding problems. “There is still a long way to go.”
While running his business, he claimed the building had a “bad damp” problem, which is common in the area due to an ongoing ground “subsidence” problem.
But she insists it wasn’t all bad, with Footscray’s eclectic, close-knit community being its bright spot.
‘You find friends very quickly. Many of the stores have been owned by the same family for the past 40 years. There is also a great mix of cultures there,” he said.
‘There are many original bars and excellent coffee which bring a new atmosphere to the suburb. If the main issues were fixed I would definitely return.’
Another male resident described it as “pretty modern” and said it had improved a lot from the “drug danger zone it was in the ’90s.” But that’s where the positive comments end.
Last year alone, Footscray was the scene of multiple stabbings, a body found in the Maribyrnong River and an out-of-control fire.
Footscray Park (pictured) is popular with locals and the CBD skyline can be seen in the distance. But the picturesque view cannot convince Australians to live there.
Although property in Melbourne is cheaper than it has been in a long time, it is still strange to see so many properties for sale in a single suburb, property experts say.
Estate agent and self-made millionaire Adam Flynn (pictured) said Footscray historically has a bad reputation for crime and has a stigma attached to it that will be difficult to break.
Estate agent Adam Flynn tells us Footscray has historically had a bad reputation for crime and has a stigma attached to it that will be difficult to break.
The 43-year-old Melbourne native described the suburb as a built-up area with many apartments and government housing areas nearby.
Flynn says that from a sales perspective, Footscray has “resisted the trend of capital growth”.
“Footscray has come a long way, but there is still some time before the stigma associated with it disappears,” explains Flynn.
‘It is rare to have properties selling for such affordable value within 10 kilometers of Melbourne’s CBD.
‘Over the last 12 months, Footscray has had 10 per cent capital growth, which is astronomical. Other Melbourne suburbs have declined by 20 per cent, suggesting prices were too high during Covid.
“Right now buyers in Melbourne are spoiled for choice and are more discerning when it comes to mass-produced suburbs like this.”
Cam McLellan, founder of property investment firm OpenCorp, believes the suburb is going through a “gentrification phase”.
“Gentrification is when a working-class suburb gets a facelift,” he tells us.
“At first this comes in the form of higher density apartments, often aimed at investors, but over time, as the number of people living in the area increases and the business district begins to cater to a different mix of residents, developers can opt for mid-level housing. market buildings.
‘Through these transitions, which can last a few decades, there will be periods of oversupply, which will increase the vacancy rate, as it is difficult for developers to perfectly balance the supply of new homes with demand.
‘Over time, the premises will have higher quality services. This then raises the standard and cost of living, making it more difficult for low-income people to remain in the suburb.’
McLellan says Footscray will be a good place to live in the future as it is a “cultural melting pot”, is close to the CBD and has excellent access to public transport.
“Footscray will undoubtedly increase its appeal in the coming years,” he adds.
Pradeep Tiwari, mayor of Maribyrnong Council, describes Footscray as a “vibrant and culturally diverse suburb with a long history” but admits it faces certain challenges.
The Council also recently repaired a sinkhole that appeared in the center of Footscray, as a result of an unsafe commercial drainage solution. There have been no reports of a “sinking land” problem.
“Footscray is not immune to the challenges other areas face with cost of living and mental health issues for vulnerable people,” Tiwari told Daily Mail Australia.
‘The council understands the impact that homelessness and addiction can have on the wider community, including small businesses and social carers.
“We continue to work closely with the State Government and local organizations to improve outreach services in Footscray, ensuring those who need it receive the right care and support.”
Despite these difficulties, the community is growing with more than 7,000 new housing projects completed, underway or approved since 2015.