A Bit of History
High St has been changing and growing for 150 years, so here is a potted history that describes how it developed into the creative and vibrant street you see today.
Way back when
The European settlement of the Northcote area began in 1839 and the Wesleyan church (known in its current form as the popular bar, Wesley Ann) was built only a little while later in 1854. But it wasn’t until the arrival of public transport in the early 1890’s that Northcote’s population increased and the number of shops along High St grew along with it.
A bit more recently
Throughout the 1950s Northcote became home to a large number of Italian and Greek migrants who still have a massive influence over the character of the suburb. During this time High Street was a hustling everyday shopping strip with a real village feel.
Then came the 80’s
A number of factors in the 1980s changed the face of High St, Northcote. Firstly, the addition of Northcote Plaza meant a lot of people chose to shop in air-conditioned comfort for their day-to-day basics instead of visiting the individual retailers on High St. Secondly, rising property prices in Fitzroy pushed a lot of artistic and activist communities north into Northcote.
Though some of the everyday retailers from the old days remain (Les and John’s Butcher, Giuseppi Antonello fruit sellers and Jim’s fish shop for example) the current version of High St was heavily influenced by the changes brought about in the 80’s
High Street right now
High Vibes 2009 by Steve Weller
Still a bustling shopping strip, High St, Northcote has had a recent influx of cafes, bars and art galleries that cater to the young professionals and young couples with families who have recently moved to the suburb.
Combined with our older multicultural population and very high number of resident artists and musicians, the eclectic nature of High St, Northcote is a true reflection of all the cultures and sub-cultures it represents.
P.S. If you would like to see some great photos of High St in the old days you might like to visit
The Northcote Hysterical Society to Northcote Hysterical Society on facebook.