Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile

Collingwood
Neighbourhood Profile
ALPHINGTON
CARLTON NORTH/
PRINCES HILL
FITZROY NORTH
FAIRFIELD
CLIFTON HILL
FITZROY
COLLINGWOOD
ABBOTSFORD
RICHMOND NORTH
CENTRAL RICHMOND
BURNLEY / CREMORNE
UPDATED December 2010
Contents
Map of Collingwood Neighbourhood
Introduction.............................................................. 1
What is a Neighbourhood Profile? ............................................... 1
A Short History of Collingwood .................................................... 1
The Geography of Collingwood ................................................... 1
1: People and Services in Our Community ............. 2
1.1: Who We Are ........................................................................ 2
1.2: What Community Services We Have .................................. 4
1.3: What Matters To Us ............................................................ 6
1.4: Local Councillor Contacts .................................................. 7
2: Built Form, Land Use and Transport ................... 8
2.1: What Type of Housing We Live In ....................................... 8
2.2: General Building and Infrastructure..................................... 8
2.3: Transport and Modes of Travel ........................................... 9
3: Culture, Celebration and Tradition .................... 11
3.1: Our Festivals and Arts Programs ...................................... 11
3.2: Our Sporting Facilities ....................................................... 14
3.3: Community Facilities for Hire ............................................ 14
4: Local Economy and Business Development ..... 15
4.1: Our Main Shopping Areas ................................................. 15
4.2: Business and Industry in Collingwood............................... 15
5: Environment and Public Space ......................... 16
5.1: Our Parks and Gardens .................................................... 16
5.2: Safety In Collingwood ....................................................... 17
5.3: Towards Local Sustainability in Collingwood .................... 18
Introduction_____________________________________
What is a Neighbourhood Profile?
A Neighbourhood Profile is a ‘story’ about a specific geographic area. Included in the
story are facts about the people, places, services, infrastructure and activities which
make up a specific area. Developing a Neighbourhood Profile is one of the initial key
steps in the Neighbourhood Planning process.
There are 10 Neighbourhoods in the City of Yarra. This is the Neighbourhood Profile
for Collingwood.
A Short History of Collingwood
Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri as the first owners of this country. Today, they
are still the custodians of the cultural heritage of this land. Further to this, Council
acknowledges there are other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have
lived, worked and contributed to the cultural heritage of Yarra.
Collingwood is named after Admiral Lord Collingwood, who fought at the Battle of
Trafalgar. Collingwood is an industrial and residential area. Development of the
area dates originally from 1838 when land was subdivided into allotments of about 12
hectares. Settlement intensified after the gold rush and, as the area was exempt
from building control laws, many cheap houses were built on small blocks of land.
Settlement continued in the 1850s and 1860s, including industries such as a flour mill
and wool washing.
Employment was concentrated in local factories such as footwear, hats and garment
making. The population nearly doubled from 1871 to 1891. The area was the state’s
second largest brewing centre, with Fosters Brewery constructed in 1888 and the
Yorkshire Brewery constructed in 1880. A train service from the city was built in
1901, opening Collingwood's factories to a wider workforce. A tram also ran along
Johnston Street from 1887 to 1939.
Many migrants moved into the area in the 1960s to 1970s. Public housing estates
were built from 1958, originally demolishing cottages to build three storey housing
blocks, but later, between 1967 and 1971, for 20 storey blocks. Collingwood
experienced a relatively stable population between 1996 and 2001. Over the last 5
years, the population has increased by 7.7%.
Major features of the area include Collingwood Primary & Secondary College, St
Joseph’s Primary School, Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (Collingwood
Campus), English Language School, Smith Street shopping strip, Dight Street
Community Centre and Victoria Police Workshop.
The Geography of Collingwood
Collingwood is bounded by Alexandra Parade to the north, Hoddle Street to the east,
Victoria Parade to the south and Smith Street to the west. It has a land area of 129
hectares, with a population density of 37.42 people per hectare (2006). The
population density for the City of Yarra is 35.54 people per hectare.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
1
1: People and Services in Our Community
Photo – Collingwood Estate Gym
1.1: Who We Are
Demographics
The 5,4961 people who make up the neighbourhood of Collingwood are mainly
between the ages of 18 and 64 (77.7%), which is a similar figure to the City of Yarra
as a whole (77.3% in this age bracket). Only 8% of Collingwood’s population are
over the age of 65 (compared with 9.7% for the City of Yarra), whilst 14.3% are under
the age of 18 (a higher percentage of young people than for Yarra - 13%).
The percentage of males (50%) and females (50%) in Collingwood is identical. The
average household size in the neighbourhood is 1.99 people.
The Collingwood population has a higher percentage of overseas born residents
(34%) than the City of Yarra as a whole (27.7%). Only 52.9% of the Collingwood
population was born in Australia (compared to 61.6% of Yarra residents). The main
overseas countries of origin are Vietnam (7.3%), United Kingdom (3.3%), and New
Zealand (2.8%). Over one quarter (26.2%) of Collingwood residents are from nonEnglish speaking backgrounds, which is a higher figure than for Yarra as a whole
(19.4% of the Yarra population are from non-English speaking backgrounds).
Population projections for Collingwood have the neighbourhood increasing to 6,395
residents by 2011 and 8,044 by 2021.
1 The Usual Residence Population number is based on the place where a person usually lives, rather than the place where
they were counted on Census night. Each person completing the Census is required to state their address of usual residence
and this information is used to derive the Usual Residence Population. Where available, Usual Residence data is used in this
profile.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
2
Education, Income and Work
Collingwood residents have lower levels of formal education than residents in Yarra
as a whole. 59.3% of residents (over the age of 15) have completed Year 12 or
equivalent (64.9% of Yarra residents have completed Year 12). 30.9% of
Collingwood residents (over the age of 15) have completed a Bachelor degree or
higher, whilst a further 7.3% have completed a Diploma. 36.1% of Collingwood
residents have no formal qualifications (compared to 32.1% of Yarra residents).
Only 18.6% of Collingwood households have incomes of over $2,000 a week (this
includes 5.8% of households with incomes over $3,000), whilst nearly three in ten
households (29.9%) have incomes of under $500 per week. 47.1% of households in
Collingwood have incomes under $1,000 per week, compared with 35.9% of Yarra
households.
91.3% of Collingwood residents (over the age of 15) are employed, 64% full time.
Collingwood has 8.7% unemployment (compared to Yarra’s 5.1% unemployment).
Just over six in 10 workers (62.8%) are ‘white collar’ and are employed as
professionals (35.9%), managers (14.3%) or in clerical/administrative positions
(12.6%). A further 9.4% are employed as community and personal service workers,
whilst 8.7% are employed as technicians and trades workers.
Collingwood workers are employed in a variety of industries, the more prominent
being professional, scientific and technical services (13.8%), health care and social
assistance (11.3%), accommodation and food services (8.9%), and retail trade
(8.2%).
Lifestyle
Only 43.2% of Collingwood households are ‘family households’2, a high 35% are lone
person households, whilst 12% are group households. Yarra has 48.1% family
households, 29.7% lone person households and 13.8% group households.
Couples without children make up 49.1% of Collingwood family households
(compared with 48.5% for the City of Yarra). One parent families are 24.7% of the
family households, which is a higher figure than Yarra (15.7% one parent families).
Couples with children represent 21.5% of these households.
Less than 10% of Collingwood residents (9.5%) own their homes, whilst 19.1% are
purchasing them. 57.1% of Collingwood households rent their homes, compared
with 47.7% for the City of Yarra. 25.8% of Collingwood households are renting
Government properties (compared to 10.5% for Yarra).
56.8% of Collingwood residents who are purchasing their homes have monthly
mortgage payments of between $1,200 and $3,000. Only 6.4% of Collingwood
residents have mortgage payments of over $3,000.
Just under three in every 10 Collingwood residents (29.2%) stated they have no
religion (a slightly lower figure than for Yarra as a whole – 30.8%). 34.5% are
Christians, whilst 17.4% are non-Christians (compared with 9.3% for Yarra). The
most cited religions are Catholic (17%), Buddhism (9.3%), Anglican (6.3%) and Islam
(6.3%).
2
Classified as a couple, couple with children or single parent households.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
3
15.7% of the Collingwood population (over the age of 15) had undertaken volunteer
work in the past 12 months. This figure was slightly lower than the City of Yarra
response for volunteer work (18.6%).
51.8% of Collingwood households have an internet connection, a lower percentage
than the City of Yarra (60.3%). Of those with internet connections, 70.5% were
connected via broadband whilst 28% use dial-up.
4.1% of the Collingwood population require assistance with day to day living3. Half
the people requiring assistance are over the age of 65 (2%), with a further third (1%)
between the ages of 45 and 64.
1.2: What Community Services We Have
The Collingwood neighbourhood is provided with numerous family services. The
immediate area contains a maternal and child health centre, three childcare and/or
preschool centres, one primary school, two secondary schools, an English language
school, an adult education campus, three community health centres, one aged care
facility and a Neighbourhood House.
Maternal and Child Health Centre
Collingwood Maternal and Child Health Centre
253 Hoddle Street
Collingwood
9205 5581
Childcare and Kindergarten Services
Gold St Childcare Centre Keele St Childrens Centre
177 Keele Street
64 Gold Street
Collingwood
Collingwood
8415 0970
9205 5576
Rupert St Childcare Centre
117 – 119 Rupert Street
Collingwood
9419 1094
Primary School
St Joseph’s Primary School
46 Otter Street
Collingwood
9419 4918
www.sjcollingwood.catholic.edu.au/
Secondary Schools
Collingwood College
Cromwell Street
Collingwood
9417 6681
www.collingwood.vic.edu.au
Collingwood Alternative School
4 Stanley Street
Collingwood
9419 3816
www.collingwood.vic.edu.au/cas/
This data identifies people who report a need for assistance due to a 'profound or severe core activity limitation'. This
population is defined as people who need assistance in their day to day lives with any or all of the following activities – selfcare, body movements or communication – because of a disability, long-term health condition, or old age.
3
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
4
Language School
Collingwood English Language School
Cambridge Street
Collingwood
9419 7633
Adult Education
NMIT Collingwood Campus
20 Otter Street
Collingwood
9269 1280
www.nmit.vic.edu.au
Health Services
North Yarra Community
Health – Collingwood
365 Hoddle Street
Collingwood
Ph 9411 4333
fax 9411 4300
www.nych.org.au
North Yarra Community
Health – M.I.N.E
AIDS Prevention Program
348 Smith Street
Collingwood
Ph 9417 1466
fax 9416 2008
www.nych.org.au
North Yarra Community
Health – Next Door
Drug Safety Services
350 Smith Street
Collingwood
Ph 9417 1299
fax 9419 1499
www.nych.org.au
Aged Accommodation
Cambridge House Nursing Home
3 Cambridge Street
Collingwood
9417 6021
Neighbourhood House
Collingwood Neighbourhood House is located at the Collingwood public housing
estate. It is a drop-in centre providing programs which reflect and celebrate the rich
cultural diversity of the local community. Services include:





Language and computer classes
Support groups and playgroups
Community arts program
Information and referrals
Camps, excursions, cooking, relaxation and fitness classes.
Ground Floor, 253 Hoddle Street, Collingwood 3066
Phone: 9417 4856
Fax: 9416 4677
email: [email protected]
website: www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Community/Neighbourhood-houses/
Hours: 9.30am - 5.30pm (Mon-Fri)
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
5
1.3: What Matters To Us
Results of the 2008 Yarra Community Survey indicate that residents of Collingwood
like their neighbourhood best because of the restaurants and cafes (80%), the
heritage / architecture (76%).the parks and gardens (68%), the public transport
(68%), the shopping (64%) and the community (64%).
The survey also indicates that Collingwood residents don’t like traffic issues, graffiti,
beggars, drunks or drug dealing / use in their neighbourhood.
In addition to this, Collingwood residents participating in the survey feel more strongly
about some issues than residents in other areas of the municipality.

33% of respondents want better traffic management, compared to the 15%
Yarra average.

33% of respondents want better footpath maintenance, compared to the 7%
Yarra average.

29% of respondents want graffiti to be removed, compared to the Yarra
average of 8%.

14% of respondents want an improvement in cleaning rubbish/litter from
streets, compared to the Yarra average of 2%.

14% of respondents want better forward planning / better management of
finances from Council, compared to the Yarra average of 2%.

14% of respondents identified the need to introduce water saving / recycling
measures, compared to the Yarra average of 1%.
Please note that these statistics are based on a relatively small sample number and
are therefore an indicator only.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
6
1.4:
Local Councillor Contacts
Yarra is made up of three wards. Each ward has three councillors elected for a four
year term and the Mayor is elected annually by fellow councillors.
Nicholls Ward is bounded by Queens Parade, Wellington, Johnston, Nicholson,
Princes, Lygon, McPherson and Garton Streets, Bowen Crescent, Park Street, May
Street and Merri Creek.
Langridge Ward is bounded by Victoria, Nicholson, Johnston, and Wellington Streets,
Queens Parade, Merri Creek, Heidelberg Road and the Yarra River.
Melba Ward is bounded by Victoria Street, Hoddle Street, Punt Road and the Yarra
River.
The Collingwood Neighbourhood is split between two wards.
North of Johnston Street and West of Wellington Street is in Nicholls Ward.
The Collingwood Neighbourhood South of Johnston Street or North of Johnston and
East of Wellington Streets is in Langridge Ward.
For further information on Council operations, including contact points for your local
Councillor, elections and meetings, please refer to:
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Your-Council/Councillors/
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
7
2: Built Form, Land Use and Transport
Photo – Collingwood Housing Estate
2.1: What Type of Housing4 We Live In
High density housing is the most common type of private dwelling structure in
Collingwood (40.6%). The high density housing figure for Collingwood is significantly
higher than for the City of Yarra (23.1% high density).
Only 8.2% of dwellings in Collingwood were classified as separate house (compared
with 17.5% for Yarra), whilst 38.7% of housing in Collingwood was medium density
(compared with 49.3% medium density housing for City of Yarra).
2.2: General Building and Infrastructure
Major Projects
Due to its industrial past, the City of Yarra has a number of disused factories and
warehouses with great redevelopment potential. Of the 1300 planning permit
applications lodged with Council annually, approximately 10-15% are for large-scale
developments.
These major developments can take many years to come to fruition, and normally
involve several rounds of community consultation. Council’s website updates
information on major developments:
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Planning--Building/Major-developments/
‘Separate house’ includes all free-standing dwellings separated from neighbouring dwellings by a gap of at least half a metre.
‘Medium density’ includes all semi-detached, row, terrace, townhouses and villa units, plus flats and apartments in blocks of 1
or 2 storeys, and flats attached to houses. ‘High density’ includes flats and apartments in 3 storey and higher buildings.
4
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
8
Planning Applications
All applications for planning permits can be viewed on the following link:
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Planning--Building/Planning-applications/
This site can be used to enquire about a specific application or to search for
applications by street or suburb.
Capital Works
Every year Council budgets for expenditure required to run the municipality.
Four and 10 year capital works plans are prepared to identify areas where public
spaces or infrastructure needs to be upgraded or replaced. The plans also identify
areas where new works are required. Certain programs are endorsed by Council
annually.
Capital works are completed in a broad range of areas including:
 roads, footpaths, kerb and channels
 drainage
 bridges
 transport and road safety (eg. bicycle paths, pedestrian areas)
 open space improvements (eg parks and gardens)
 buildings and properties (eg. pavilions, childcare centres, town halls)
 plant and equipment
 information systems, and
 libraries.
This year’s budget is available on Council’s website:
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Your-Council/Budget/
2.3: Transport and Modes of Travel
There is lower car ownership in Collingwood than for the City of Yarra as a whole.
29.4% of Collingwood households have no registered vehicle compared with 20.1%
for the City of Yarra. Only 16.8% of Collingwood households are multi-vehicle
households, compared with 26.2% of City of Yarra households.
Fewer than four in 10 Collingwood residents (37.3%) travel to work in a vehicle (as
driver or passenger) whilst 21.4% take public transport (tram – 12.3%). 7.5% of the
Collingwood working population cycle to work, which is slightly higher than the Yarra
figure (6.4% cycle). A further 17.6% stated that they walk to work. In total,
sustainable transport modes5 were used to travel to work by 46.5% of the
Collingwood working population.
Public Transport Services
Train Services
There are no train stations in the Collingwood neighbourhood area however,
Collingwood and Victoria Park stations are just a short distance across Hoddle
Street. Both stations are on the Epping and Hurstbridge lines.
Collingwood station is situated at the rear of Eddy Court accessed from Stanton
Street, Collingwood. Timetable information can be accessed via:
www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/stop/view/19976
5
Bicycle, walking, train, tram, bus.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
9
Victoria Park station is at the corner of Johnston and Lulie Streets, Abbotsford.
Timetable information can be accessed via:
www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/stop/view/19975
Tram Services
Tram services in the area are operated by Yarra Trams (1800 800 166).
Tram 86 route runs between Bundoora RMIT and Docklands. It travels along Smith
Street between Queens Parade and Gertrude Street. Timetable information can be
accessed via: www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/1881
Tram routes 24 and 109 run along Victoria Street.
Route 24 runs between the City and North Balwyn
www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/742
Route 109 runs between Box Hill and Port Melbourne
http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/722
Bus Services
Bus services in the area are operated by the National Bus Company (9488 2100).
The 246 bus runs from Elsternwick station down Hoddle Street then continues
through to Clifton Hill and on to La Trobe University.
Timetable information can be accessed via:
www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/route/view/1903
Various bus services travel down Hoddle Street and / or Victoria Parade:
301, 319 City to The Pines via the Eastern Freeway
302, 315 City to Box Hill via the Eastern Freeway
305, 308, 316 City to Deep Creek via the Eastern Freeway
307 City to Mitcham via the Eastern Freeway
309 City to Donvale via the Eastern Freeway
313 City to Templestowe via the Eastern Freeway
340, 350 City to La Trobe University
Timetable information can be accessed via:
www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/location/view/53
Various bus services travel down Johnston Street:
200 City to Doncaster Shopping Town via Bulleen
201 City to Doncaster Shopping Town via Belmore Road
203 City to Doncaster Shopping Town via the Eastern Freeway
205 Melbourne University to Doncaster via Kew Junction
207 City to Donvale via Doncaster Road
Timetable information can be accessed via:
www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/location/view/53
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
10
3: Culture, Celebration and Tradition
Photo – Harvest Festival
3.1: Our Festivals and Arts Programs
There is an extensive range of events held in Yarra that support the municipality’s
rich cultural diversity and tradition.
Festivals and arts programs have the benefit of bringing communities together,
increasing awareness and sharing traditions, history and values.
A detailed calendar of events can be viewed on Council’s website:
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Events/Events-calendar/
Some of the major festivals in Yarra include:
NAIDOC
NAIDOC celebrations are held around Australia in July to celebrate the history,
culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance
Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities
during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has become the name of the week itself.
The week is celebrated not just in the Indigenous community, but increasingly in
government agencies, schools, local councils and workplaces.
A number of activities are run in Yarra during this week at various venues including
the Collingwood Children’s Farm and the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (186
Nicholson Street, Fitzroy - 9419 3000).
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
11
Lunar Festival
The Lunar Festival is a celebration of the Chinese New Year and Vietnamese New
Year (also called Tết). The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar
month in the Chinese calendar (which can vary between January 21 and February
20), and ends on the 15th day of the lunar month (this day is called Lantern Festival).
Yarra has an annual Victoria Street Lunar Festival held in Victoria Street, Abbotsford
between Church and Hoddle Streets. The festival provides an insight into traditional
and contemporary Chinese and Vietnamese culture. Entertainment includes lion
dances and firecracker displays and performances ranging from Chinese opera to
Vietnamese pop. A wide range of food is also available.
For further information, refer to Council’s website (listed above) or the Richmond
Asian Business Association.
0413 337 682
Fiesta
Held in mid November on Johnston Street, Fitzroy between Brunswick and Nicholson
Streets, the Johnston Street Fiesta showcases the culture, heritage and traditions of
Spanish speaking nations.
This two-day street event is a feast for the senses featuring the sights, smells,
sounds and tastes of these vibrant communities. Entertainment includes free Latin
dance lessons, heaps of live music and a street performers parade on Sunday.
For further information, contact the Hispanic-Latin American Festival and Cultural
Association Tel: 0423 256 822. www.hispanicfiesta.com.au
Carols by Candlelight
The Carols by Candlelight concert is held in early December and alternates between
a different location in Yarra each year.
A traditional celebration of the lead up to Christmas, the concert features local school
choirs, community choirs and a special appearance by Father Christmas!
Food, beverages, songbooks and candles are available for purchase.
Australia Day Awards and Citizenship Ceremony
The City of Yarra holds a number of citizenship ceremonies throughout the year. For
further information, contact Council’s Community & Civic Events Officer on
9205 5086.
Neighbourhood Specific Festivals / Events
The Harvest Festival is a community music, art and food festival held on the
grounds of the Collingwood Housing Estate in April. The festival celebrates the
harvest of vegetables grown in the community gardens on the estate. Activities on
the day include cooking demonstrations, garden tours, art workshops and stage
entertainment. The festival provides an opportunity for the different cultures that live
together on and around the estate to share their cultural traditions through
performances, arts and food.
Emerge Festival commemorates United Nations World Refugee Day by celebrating
the contributions that recently arrived communities from Africa, Afghanistan,
Kurdistan and other places have made to Melbourne. Held in June, venues for
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
12
celebration may vary from year to year. The 2008 festival was at Fitzroy Town Hall.
Refer to website for further information www.multiculturalarts.com.au
Overload Poetry Festival is an exciting delivery of poetry mixed with music, film and
dance. The festival is held at various venues in Yarra. Refer to the website for further
details: www.overloadpoetry.org
The Moon Lantern Festival held at the full moon at harvest time (September) is a
celebration of Asian communities. The Collingwood Library holds a lantern making
session in September followed by afternoon tea, including traditional moon cakes.
Phone 1300 696 427.
Art Displays
Community Art Display
Council supports a Community Art Display program at the Richmond and
Collingwood Town Halls. Individuals and organisations are eligible to exhibit at the
Town Hall if they:
 Are funded through the Arts Development or Community Grants program
 Are related to a festival funded through the Cultural Festivals & Events
Community Grants Program
 Support activities endorsed by Council.
The exhibition spaces are available for approximately three months. Exhibitions are
managed through the Arts and Cultural Services Unit.
Art Galleries
Within the multicultural community of Yarra you find leading commercial galleries,
contemporary arts spaces, artist run galleries and cafes with regular exhibitions.
Each gallery is distinct, catering for a different audience and clientele. Refer to the
following site for gallery locations and further details
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Services/Arts/Galleries/
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
13
3.2: Our Sporting Facilities
The Collingwood Neighbourhood has limited sporting facilities in the immediate area.


Collingwood College has an indoor basketball stadium, and
Collingwood Housing Estate has a gymnasium.
The sporting facilities in adjoining neighbourhoods, such as the Collingwood Leisure
Centre and Fitzroy Swimming Pool, are fairly easy to access.
Collingwood Leisure Centre
Cnr Turnbull & Hoddle St, Clifton Hill
Ph: 9205 5522
Fax: 9482 3275
Email: [email protected]
Collingwood City Soccer Club
(Coulson Reserve)
Collingwood Little Athletics Club
George Knott Athletics Track
Collingwood Harriers Club
George Knott Athletics Track
Collingwood Allstars Junior Basketball
Club
Collingwood College
To access information on Council’s recreation facilities, including contact details of
sporting clubs, please refer to:
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Services/Recreation/
3.3: Community Facilities for Hire
Town Halls
The City of Yarra has three town halls and the Reading Room at Fitzroy Town Hall
which are available for hire. For bookings and enquiries, please contact the Civic
Facilities Department on 9205 5446. Further information can be accessed from
Council’s website: www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Services/Hall-bookings/
Parks and Gardens
If you are considering having a gathering in one of Council’s parks and will have:
 more than 30 people
 music, or
 a structure such as marquee,
a permit must be obtained from Council – see the website for further information
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Environment/Parks-and-reserves/Facilities-for-hire/
or contact the Facilities and Events Liaison Officer on 9205 5205.
Collingwood Neighbourhood House
The Collingwood Neighbourhood House, situated on the ground floor, 253 Hoddle
Street, Collingwood is available for hire.
Phone: 9417 4856
Fax: 9416 4677
email: [email protected]
website: www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Community/Neighbourhood-houses/
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
14
4: Local Economy and Business Development
Photo – Smith Street, Collingwood
4.1: Our Main Shopping Areas
The Collingwood Neighbourhood is serviced with extensive shopping strips in Smith
and Johnston Streets. Individual or small groups of shops are also in Vere,
Langridge, Peel, Wellington, Gipps, Cromwell, Keele and Gold Streets and Victoria
Parade.
The mostly heritage buildings in these centres are used for a range of retail uses
including factory outlets (at the Alexandra Parade end of Smith Street), cafes,
bakeries, beauty salons and night life venues. Refer to the website for trader group
information: www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Business/Business-associations/
4.2: Business and Industry in Collingwood
The 2007 Getting to Know Business in Yarra Report shows that the majority of
Yarra’s businesses are located in the suburbs of Richmond (32%), Fitzroy (19%),
Collingwood (14%) and Abbotsford (10%).
An overwhelming 91% of Yarra’s businesses are ‘small’ enterprises, with less than
20 employees. 32% of businesses have been located in Yarra for over 10 years and
a further 32% moved into the municipality within the last year.
Yarra’s key industries include retail trade (24%), accommodation and food services
(15%), professional, scientific and technical services (15%) and personal and other
services (9%).
Key employers in the area include Collingwood College, NMIT, Telstra and
Melbourne Pathology.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
15
5: Environment and Public Space
Photo – McNamara Reserve
5.1: Our Parks and Gardens
There are a number of small parks and open space areas in the Collingwood
Neighbourhood.

McNamara Reserve is situated at the corner of Keele and Gold Streets,
Collingwood.

Areas abutting the Collingwood Housing Estate and Collingwood College
are available for public access. There are BBQ facilities and play
equipment in the area on Harmsworth Street.

A park at the corner of Perry and Emerald Streets which also has play
equipment.

A small reserve on Cambridge Street, between Langridge and Peel
Streets which has BBQ facilities.
Please remember that dogs are forbidden in playgrounds and must be on-leash
within 30 metres of all playgrounds, picnic areas and barbeques.
Refer to Council’s website for a list of parks where dogs are permitted off-leash
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Services/Animal-management/dog-off-leash-areas/
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
16
5.2: Safety In Collingwood
The Yarra Council Plan 2009 - 2013 identifies community safety as a major strategy.
Council is committed to fostering greater community connectedness and tolerance
using a collaborative approach and supporting a safe, clean and welcoming
environment. Council is achieving this through the work of the Local Safety
Committee, Yarra Drug and Health Forum and the Sexual Violence Taskforce and
related action plans.
For more information on Community Safety refer to:
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Services/Health-and-Safety/community-safety/
Victoria Police News
The Collingwood neighbourhood is within the Police Service Area of Yarra and the
North West Metro Region.
Information is available from the Victoria Police website:
www.vicpolicenews.com.au/myplace
Crime statistics are updated every three months so you can see what is happening in
your area and hear directly from your local police Inspector about the work being
done by police in your neighbourhood.
Yarra Community Survey
Results of the 2008 City of Yarra Community Survey revealed 79% of residents
generally felt safe in their neighbourhood. 75% felt safe in the streets of their
neighbourhood and 73% felt safe in their local park, however, only 49% of residents
felt safe in the laneways in their neighbourhood.
Residents felt safe in their neighbourhood because they were familiar with their
neighbourhood (92%), were aware of the safety hazards in the neighbourhood
(70%), and because there were plenty of people about (68%). Residents also felt
safe because they know the people in their neighbourhood (68%) and they were
clearly visible to others when they were out (66%).
According to the survey, Collingwood residents feel less safe in their neighbourhood
than other areas of Yarra::


36% of Collingwood respondents feel safe in the laneways in their
neighbourhood, compared to the Yarra average of 49%.
40% of Collingwood respondents identified drug dealing and drug use to be a
problem, compared to the Yarra average of 12%.
Please note that these statistics are based on a relatively small sample number and
are therefore an indicator only.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
17
5.3: Towards Local Sustainability in Collingwood
The environmental footprint of Collingwood includes the use of resources such as
energy, oil and water, the waste produced, and the environmental impact from the
goods and services we consume.
Greenhouse
In 2006, the entire Yarra Community, including Collingwood contributed 1,865,100
tonnes of greenhouse pollution into the atmosphere.1 These emissions came from a
range of sources including 16% from the residential sector, 30% from commercial
emissions, 17% industrial, 20% from transport and 7% from waste.
According to Sustainability Victoria, each household in Victoria produces an average
of 12 tonnes of greenhouse gas a year from electricity and gas use alone.
ICollingwood this equates to 32,604 tonnes, not including impacts from transport,
waste and other goods and services.
Waste
In 2008, the Yarra Community produced 315kg rubbish/ household/year and 266kg
recycling / household/year. The municipality as a whole produced 800 tonnes of
green waste and 400 tonnes of hard rubbish. The on call green and hard waste
services has reduced the amount of waste going to landfill and provides a good
opportunity for further reductions.
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Services/Waste%20Collection/
Water
For January-March 2009, Yarra’s average residential water usage was 416 litres/per
household/per day. This is an average saving of 25 litres of water per household per
day compared with the same time the year before.
Towards local Sustainability
The City of Yarra has set a number of targets to reduce the municipality’s impact on
the environment including:
 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across the community by
a
2012
and to be carbon neutral by 2020.
a 25% reduction in water consumption across the community below 2000/01
levels.
a 65% recovery rate (by weight) of municipal solid waste for re-use,
recycling
or energy generation from 2005/06 levels.
For further information and details of the action plan see the Yarra Environment
Strategy 2008-2012. www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Environment
Yarra Sustainability Awards
Council rewards and acknowledges the environmental efforts of the Yarra community
through the annual Yarra Sustainability Awards program. Entries close on March 31st.
Visit: www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Environment/Sustainability-Awards/
Environmental Initiatives in Collingwood
In 2009, The City of Yarra sold 72 worm farms and 52 compost bins to residents
through its customer service centres.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
18
From 2000-2008, 45 Solar PV systems and 141 solar hot water systems were
installed in Yarra with assistance from Government rebates. Following the Solar
Yarra project a further 105 households installed solar panels in 2009. As of January
2009, 553 households in Collingwood (20.4%) had elected to get their electricity from
GreenPower.
Litter Prevention
The Collingwood/Fitzroy Arts Precinct (Smith, Johnston, Brunswick and Gertrude
Streets) was targeted during a litter prevention project, ‘The GreenStar Business
Program’ 2009 – 2010. The program engaged 30 businesses in a six step incentive
based approach to improving litter, waste management and protecting stormwater.
This program continues the work of other activities which aim to reduce the amount
of pollution entering the waterways.
Water Sensitive Urban Design
As part of Yarra’s continuing program of treating stormwater runoff to improve the
health of our local waterways, 2 new raingardens have been constructed in
Collingwood. Raingardens are similar to regular gardens with one major difference they are positioned to receive rainwater from hard surfaces such as road surfaces.
One raingarden is located at the corner of Rokeby Street and Langridge Street, while
another is located at the corner of Rupert Street and Victoria Parade. The
raingardens use a special blend of sandy filter media to remove pollutants from
stormwater runoff. The raingardens are planted with 2 species of native plants,
Correa Dusky Bells and Spiny-Headed Mat-Rush. Recycled crushed brick mulch has
also been used in an effort to minimise the embodied energy in the construction of
this project.
Seven raingardens have also been installed in Otter Street, Collingwood.
Environmental Retrofits for Council Buildings
Council has installed solar PV systems on thirteen community facilities in Yarra
including 11 childcare centres. This includes Gold Street Children’s Centre and Keele
Street Children’s Centre in Collingwood. Council is also taking steps to reduce the
energy and water consumption of Council buildings through the Greening Yarra’s
Community Facilities Project. Water conservation projects include rainwater tanks,
mulching, and more drought tolerant plantings.
Energy efficient street lights
In August 2010, work started to install energy-efficient globes in more than 4050
street lights across the City of Yarra. The changeover is expected to cut Council’s
carbon emissions by an estimated 1500 tonnes and save Council about $150,000 a
year in electricity charges.
Community Gardens
There are a number of community gardens in Collingwood including two gardens
behind the Hoddle Street high rises. These gardens are for use by public housing
tenants and are managed by the not for profit group, Cultivating Community. A
community food market runs at Harmsworth Hall, 31 Harmsworth Street, every
Thursday 11am-1pm.
Other community gardens in Collingwood include the Mater Street Community
Garden, managed by Crossroads Youth and Family Services. Collingwood College
also has a well established kitchen garden as part of their curriculum.
Other local initiatives: The Yarra Neighbourhood Orchard meets the first Saturday
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
19
of the month, 10am-12 noon at Smith Reserve, (next to Fitzroy Pool). Residents can
bring their excess home grown produce to swap. For a list of other local sustainability
groups and projects in Yarra visit
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/Environment/Community-participation/Sustainabilitygroups/
For further information and a walking map of environmental initiatives in Collingwood,
see the Collingwood Sustainable Neighbourhood Walking Map
www.yarracity.vic.gov.au/environment Also available from Richmond and
Collingwood Town Halls, Yarra Libraries or by calling 9205 5555.
1 Based on 2006 Census data.
Collingwood Neighbourhood Profile
20