Melbourne/Footscray

Footscray is an inner-city suburb a few kilometres west of Melbourne's CBD. Long a working class area due to its close proximity to the factories and warehouses of Melbourne's nearby industrial centre, it is also home to a large concentration of the city's Vietnamese population and increasingly a hub for the growing East African community, home to many immigrants from Ethiopia, Sudan and Eritrea. Footscray is also notable as the setting of Russell Crowe's breakout 1992 film Romper Stomper, which dealt with a fictional gang of neo-nazi skinheads and their battle with the Vietnamese immigrants. Footscray is affectionately known by some Melbourne residents as "Footsy", "Footscrazy" and "Footscary". Get in Footscray Station is only 3 stops from Southern Cross Station (in Melbourne's CBD) on the Werribee, Williamstown and Sydenham lines. If the train is not travelling via the City Loop, it is only a 6 minute train ride and most trains even run express through the station before it, South Kensington. See Forty per cent of Footscray's residents were born outside Australia, hailing from 135 countries and speaking more than 80 languages. This ethnic diversity has fostered a vital street culture like no other in Melbourne. Visit the Footscray Community Arts Centre, for visual art exibitions, music, theatre shows or a latte on the green lawns. In summer outdoor film screenings take place on the banks of the Maribyrnong River. Footscray's big and crazy Snuff Puppets open their studio doors to the public with new shows every November. Footscray Park is one of the largest and most intact examples of an Edwardian park in Australia. Located on the south bank of the Maribyrnong River. The brand new huge Heavenly Queen Temple is located in wetlands next to the Maribyrnong River and features a 16 meter high statue. - 20 Joseph Road Footscray. Installation art filled the streets of downtown Footscray in the summer of 2012, the local council is committed to promoting more art in the area.[1] Do The St Jerome's Laneway Festival is an international music festival attended by thousands every year in Febuary. In 2013, over 10,000[2] people attended the one day event. The Big West Festival is one of Australia's leading community based contemporary arts festivals. It takes place in Footscray and the inner West of Melbourne biennially. The next Big West Festival will be in November 2013. Feasting in Footscray - the annual rickshaw run, is the craziest way to sample authentic Vietnamese food and culture. 1-11 March 2013. Buy Downtown Footscray has a great community feel, with a dozen streets filled with small businesses. While far from being one of Melbourne's shopping destinations, Footscray houses two large markets. The Footscray Market is a fresh produce and seafood market, catering particularly to the various ethnicities and local restaurants. Another large market is Little Saigon, which opened in 1992 to cater to the growing Asian population, but now has customers from all backgrounds. Little Saigon is noisy and crowded, with a wide array of tropical fruits and Asian produce. There are also a number of interesting shops selling traditional African clothing, art and hair products. Several large, over stocked $2 style shops, packed with weird Chinese imports, cheap plastic toys and household goods. Eat Like Victoria Street in Richmond, Hopkins Street running through the heart of Footscray is home to a number of very cheap Vietnamese restaurants and noodle shops. The area centered around the Footscray Hub has become a Little Ethiopia of sorts, and Nicholson Street in particular is lined with African cafes and restaurants, mostly serving traditional Habesha cuisine (that of Ethiopia and Eritrea), characterized by stews and curries dished up on layers of flat bread called injera. Very tasty and ridiculously cheap. Victoria St Seddon, often consider a part of Footscray, has over 5 cafes, in 2013 Common Galaxia opened and it serves Scandinavian open sandwiches on designer tables. [3] Cafe Lalibela - 91 Irving Street - Probably the best Ethiopian cuisine in the area, and not a main course over $12. Served in the traditional custom of sharing, the food is poured on layers of injera (flat, sour bread) covering one big plate to be shared by all at the table. African Town Cafe - 161 Nicholson Street - More Ethiopian cuisine, while local regulars pop in and out for a chat over excellent $2 Ethiopian coffee. All main courses $10. Olympic Doughnuts - Footscray railway station - Sold in an old caravan at Footscray station, the best in Melbourne. Lentil as Anything - 233 Barkly St Footscray - A pay as you feel vegetarian restaurant. Whatever you do end up paying for your meal goes to a range of services that help new migrants, refugees, people with disabilities and the long-term unemployed. Drink The Dancing Dog Cafe, 42 Albert Street Footscray, [4]. Footscray's only 'alternative venue'. Often hosts live music and other events. Open late at the weekends  edit The Station Hotel [5] - 59 Napier St Footscray - Opposite the Town Hall. Casual bar, indoor and outdoor seating, coffee. One of the "Top five places to eat steak" as judged by the The Age Good Food Guide Dining Companion 2010. Sleep Plough Hotel - Above a large Pub, 4 Star - 333 Barkly Street, (Corner of Geelong Rd & Barkly St) Footscray, 3011 Footscray Motor Inn & Serviced Apts, 90 Droop Street Footscray VIC 3011, ☎ 9687 6877, [6]. $ 190.00.  edit Stay Safe Footscray has a reputation as one of Melbourne's worst suburbs, long associated with the drug trade and considered a hotbed for crime and junkies. While crime has declined since the 1990s, drug activity is still an issue in the neighbourhood, particularly around Footscray Station. 2010 statistics from the Australian Institute of Criminology revealed that 48% of people detained by police in the area are heroin users, in contrast to the declining heroin use nationally over the last decade. Footscray has considerably cleaned up over the last decade and should pose no threat during the day. The worst you are likely to encounter may be addicts begging for money. Exercise common sense, avoid undesirable looking characters, be polite if approached and leave valuables out of sight. If you must walk around at night, stick to the main roads, preferably with company. Footscray is in the Maribyrnong local council area which had 1082 Crimes Against the Person recorded in 2010 while Melbourne's city center had over 3500 in the same year. Like much of the western suburbs of Melbourne, the Footscray area has a large volume of heavy vehicle traffic. Coupled with the many narrow roads in the area this can be especially hazardous to cyclists. Contact This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!