Footscray, Victoria

Footscray Melbourne, Victoria
Paisley Street in central Footscray
Footscray
Population:	11,401 (2006)
Postcode:	3011
Area:	5 km² (1.9 sq mi)
Location:	5 km (3 mi) from Melbourne
LGA:	City of Maribyrnong
State District:	Footscray
Federal Division:	Gellibrand
Suburbs around Footscray: Maidstone Maribyrnong Flemington Footscray West Footscray West Melbourne Kingsville Seddon Yarraville

Footscray is a suburb 5 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, Footscray had a population of 11,401.

Footscray is characterised by a very diverse, multicultural central shopping area, which reflects the successive waves of immigration experienced by Melbourne, and by Footscray in particular. Once a centre for Italian and former Yugoslavian migrants, it is now a hub for Vietnamese, and increasingly, East African immigrants in Melbourne.

Footscray is named after Foots Cray, a locality in south-east London on the River Cray.

History

Footscray is part of The City of Maribyrnong and was built largely on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation.

For thousands of years, Footscray was the meeting place of the lands of the Yalukit-willan, the Marin-balluk and the Wurundjeri. Koories stalked game, collected food and fished along the river junction, estuaries, swamps and lagoons. Within Melbourne's western region, the Marin-balug and Kurung-jand-balug clans of the Woiwurrung cultural group, and the Yalukit willam clan of the Boonwurrung cultural group shared the luscious resources around the Maribyrnong Valley.

Foreigners from Britain began to take over the land in the 1830s and the local Aboriginal community in the Maribyrnong area were killed off with disease and massacres, others were sent to camps. In Victoria it has been estimated that the Koori population declined by about 60% in just 15 years between 1835 and 1850 as more than 68 individual ‘massacres’ were perpetrated in that period.

The first European to visit the area was Charles Grimes in 1803. A park, where he landed, is named after him at Napier St.

In 1839 a punt was built on the Maribyrnong River, it was the only connecting link between Melbourne and Geelong, Ballarat, Castlemaine and Bendigo. The Punt Hotel opened three years later and was the first building in the area. During the first decade drovers transporting cattle and sheep provided the only business at the hotel. After 1851, when gold was discovered out west, the pub did a roaring trade with diggers. Part of the old pub still stands and it has been renamed The Pioneer. (Ref: Charlie Lovett's Footscray)

The Post Office first opened on 12 October 1857.

Footscray was declared a Municipality in 1859 with a population of 300 and 70 buildings. Around the same year the first bridge was built across Saltwater river. (Ref: Charlie Lovett's Footscray)

Between 1881 and 1891 Footscray's population more than tripled from almost 6,000 to 19,000. (Ref: Charlie Lovett's Footscray)

Footscray developed into an industrial zone in the second half of the nineteenth century, the manufacturing industry began to decline in the 1960s and 70's.

People

Footscray was home to the Aboriginal Woimurrung and Boonwurrung tribes of the Kulin nation for over 40,000 years.

In 2006 less than half the population (41.1%) was born in Australia, the main countries of overseas origin are Vietnam, China, India, United Kingdom and Italy. In the 21st Century, Maribyrnong of which Footscray is a part, saw a major increase in residents from Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Burma, including a large proportion of refugees.

Footscray has Victoria's fourth highest proportion of residents born in South-East Asia (13.9%).

The average person in Footscray is a youthful 33 years of age.

Politics

Footscray falls within the federal electorate of Gellibrand (currently held by the ALP's Nicola Roxon) and the state electorate of Footscray (currently held by the ALP's Marsha Thomson), and the City of Maribyrnong at local level. The suburb's historical voting patterns have been fairly typical of a working-class suburb with a high migrant population. It was a very safe area for the ALP until the 2010 state election, which saw the ALP vote drop below 50%, making the seat marginal.

Consistent with other inner-city electorates in Melbourne, and other state capitals, voter support the Australian Greens has increased in recent years, The party received 20 per cent of the primary vote in Footscray 2010 State election.

Maribyrnong Council has four male Labor and three female independent councillors who will stay in power at least until the 2012 elections.

At the Federal Election of 2010, the ALP won Gellibrand, which includes Footscray, with 59% of the vote. The Lib/Nat parties got 23%, whilst the Australian Greens saw a swing of +6% with 15% of the vote.

Janet Rice of the Greens was elected to Maribyrnong Council in 2003, re-elected in 2005 and then elected Mayor in 2006. Whilst Mayor, Janet had a Mayoral bike instead of a car.

The first woman Mayor was Vietnamese born Mai Ho, from 1997 to 1998. Mai Ho arrived in Australia in December 1982 with two small daughters and sixteen dollars. By 1997 she was Mayor of Maribyrnong. Twelve months later her daughter, Tan Le, was voted Young Australian of the Year.

Food

There are over 130 restaurants in Footscray, including; 30 Vietnamese, 20 Indian, 17 Chinese and several; African, Australian, Indonesian, Italian, Thai, Turkish and Japanese. Footscray also has one each of the following restaurants; Korean, Malaysian and Portuguese . Subway and Nandos are the only multi-national corporate foods in downtown Footscray.

Notable restaurants include the award winning Station Hotel which was winner of radio 3AW's "Pub of the Year".

Lentil as Anything is a series of pay as you feel vegetarian restaurants, located at 233 Barkly St Footscray. Whatever you choose to pay for your meal goes to a range of services that help new migrants, refugees, people with disabilities and the long-term unemployed.

The Footscray Market is a large indoor fresh produce and seafood market, with 33 food stalls, 50 general, catering particularly to the various ethnicities and local restaurants. Located opposite Footscray Railway Station.

The Melbourne Wholesale Market on Footscray Road (often referred to as the Footscray Traders Market) will be moved to Epping by 2015.

Another large market in Footscray is Little Saigon, which opened in 1992 to cater to the Asian population growth, but now has customers from all backgrounds. Little Saigon is noisy and crowded, with a wide array of tropical fruits and Asian produce.

Culture

Footscray has been the setting of several Australian movies, the most notable being Romper Stomper which was filmed in and around Footscray in 1992. It deals with a fictional gang of neo-Nazi skinheads and their battle against Vietnamese immigrants. Not all scenes were filmed locally. The "Footscray Railway Station" featured in the movie has a pedestrian underpass, while the real station has an overpass for foot traffic; the station used for filming was Richmond station. The film Metal Skin (1994) was also set in and around Footscray.

Footscray has some fine 1930's Art Deco buildings, most in disrepair, waiting to be exposed from behind shop signs and ugly awnings.

The Former Footscray town hall is the only American Romanesque civic building in Victoria. The outside is a mix of Art Deco, Moderne, Celtic, Spanish and Medieval.

Footscray Park is one of the largest and most intact examples of an Edwardian park in Australia; characteristic features include rustic stonework, ornamental ponds, extensive use of palms. The 15 hectare park is classified as a heritage place on the Victorian Heritage Register. The heavily indebted local council approved a 1.8 million makeover for the park in March 2011.

Groups

Footscray streetscape showing tram terminus

The Australian Croatian Association headquarters is located in Footscray, serving the large Croatian community in the area. Other Ethnic Community, Migrants and Refugees groups include African, Albanian, Burmese, Chinese, Croatian or Bosnian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Greek, Harari, Hungarian, Italian, Macedonian, Multicultural, Polish, Russian, Spanish and Latin American, Sudanese, Vietnamese.

The Footscray Club is a social club that has been part of Footscray since 1894. This was the original Footscray Cycle Club, when cycling became quite popular in Australia in the 19th century. By 1909 the club had build a permanent site on Paisley street where it still stands today. Early in the last century the club evolved into a purely local social club where members of the local community meet and socialize to this day.

The Footscray Historical Society works on a number of local fronts to record and preserve the history of the area. The Society has an active membership who take part in a range of activities to assist this endeavour. Records such as rare books, business records and correspondence are held at the Society's headquarters at Ercildoune, built in 1876 as a branch of the National Bank of Australasia. The Society owns this historic building and has had the interior and exterior restored. Tours, forums and discussions are held regularly.

Footscray is at the centre of the Kariwara Scout district of Scouts Australia. The word 'Kariwara' means 'West' in a local Aboriginal dialect. Started in 1909, the 1st Footscray Scout hall is a historic building next to the Footscray police station in Hyde St. 3rd Footscray is the hall seen from the railway line and no longer has youth programs but is home to adult training. The 2nd Footscray Scout hall has a modern brick hall after the first hall burnt down in 1982. The group has programs for children aged 7 to 26 and meets at Guadion park in Barkly St. The 10th Footscray Scout group is in Essex St next to the YMCA and has programs for 7 to 15 year olds. The 5th Footscray group is opposite Seddon station and has programs for 6 to 15 year olds. All are part of Scouts Australia.

Maribyrnong Truck Action Group and Less Trucks For Moore work towards cleaning the air in Footscray and surrounding suburbs.

Other groups are, Footscray Traders Association, Footscray Massive (pop culture collective) Footscray Asian Business Association, Save Railway Place, Fair Go for Footscray Rail Residents and Footscray Rotary.

Arts

Located on the bank of the Maribyrnong River, Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) is a centre for contemporary arts and community engagement and cultural development and multicultural arts. Since its establishment in 1974, it is estimated that over 2 million community members have visited FCAC or directly participated in one or more of its many events, initiatives, projects, workshops and programs. Footscray Community Arts Centre's projects have toured nationally and internationally. FCAC aims to contribute to the transformation of contemporary Australian culture and the ongoing, dynamic debate about the place of 'art' in society.

A Snuff Puppet greets a bus in Paisley St, Footscray

The historic 'Footscray Drill Hall' is home to the avant garde Snuff Puppets. Their performances, often with taboo subject matter, combine larger than life puppetry with physical theatre. The Snuff Puppets have toured the world, with shows and workshops throughout Australia and in Indonesia, Korea, Japan, China, Brazil, Western and Eastern Europe. The Snuff Puppets have been part of Footscray since 1992.

The Dog Theatre opened September 2008. One of the first site-specific company/venues in Australia! "Winner of Best Venue: Melbourne Fringe Festival Awards 2009". The venue has a funky cafe with well made coffee, snacks and cool seating under the shade of a huge willow tree. As of 2011, the Dog Theatre is no longer in residence at Albert St, and now moves all over the western suburbs of Melbourne.

The Trocadero Art Space is located on Hopkins Street, in Footscray's heart. It comprises both interior and outdoor (street-exposed) exhibition spaces.

Bruce Gallery has taken over the unsaleable shopfront at 361 Barkly St.

In the Company of Others Inc - Not-for-profit group conducting body, breath and voice projects.

Integrate Stretch - Workshops in movement and performance.

Women's Circus A community arts and physical theatre company, using circus as a tool for social change.

NICA Circus - Circus workshops for 7 - 16 yr olds including acrobatics, juggling, stilt walking, balancing and rope work, with artists from National Institute of Circus Arts

Albright Performers dance studio on Hyde St (x Parker St) has been running for over four decades and teaches all ages and levels. Classes are held in Acrobatics, Classical Ballet, Jazz Ballet, Modern Jazz, Tap Dance and Theatrical Stage Dance.

Music

Footscray has a rich history of music and brass bands, currently being home to the Footscray-Yarraville City Band - FYCB which rehearses weekly and performs throughout the year locally, nationally and internationally. The FYCB conduct an annual Carols by Candlelight event each December in the Yarraville Gardens. 2010 VBL State Champions.

The Hyde Street Youth Band. was established in 1928. The Hyde Street Youth Band contributed to the history of the region as the band played the official theme song for the Footscray Football Club (now Western Bulldogs) while they were playing at the Whitten Oval. The FYCB is one of five A-Grade Brass bands in Victoria and has been successful in the National Championships.

JABULA! – African Community Choir is run by Sudanese singer Ajak Kwai and percussionist Tawanda Gadzikwa. The choir brings together people from broad skill levels and diverse African heritages. The choir meets fortnightly on Saturdays at the Footscray Community Arts Centre.

Festivals

The Big West community arts festival is held every two years in Footscray and surrounding suburbs.

The St Jerome's Laneway Festival is a block party held in partnership with the Footscray Community Arts Centre. In 2011 it was attended by over 10,000 people.^{[citation needed]}

The Western Bulldogs Community Festival and Family Day is held every summer on Whitten Oval.

Prior to 2011, an annual Tết Lunar Year Festival was held each year in Footscray organised and run by the Footscray Asian Business Association (FABA). The Quang Minh Tet Festival celebrations in neighbouring Braybrook were expanded.

Town planning

The 'Liveable Melbourne' 2011 survey lists Footscray as the 37th-most-liveable suburb in Melbourne.

In 2008, the former state Labor government designated Footscray as one of six Central Activities Districts. Melbourne's CADs were given planning rules aimed at creating lively mixed use CBD-like districts. The area, according to the local Mayor 'would soon have the second-highest skyline outside the Melbourne CBD'.

Examples of the changing face of Footscray include:

• As part of the Footscray City Edge master plan, Maribyrnong Council plan to turn the Paisley St carpark into a park.

• In 2011, the iconic Little Saigon market was approved for a $70 million redevelopment with twin towers, holding 260 apartments and sky gardens.

• By 2014, Grocon is expected to open the $350 million 'McNab Avenue Development' with residential apartments, government and commercial offices.

• The 15 hectare 'Joseph Road Precint' was approved for higher density residential development in 2009. The tallest building approved for the area is a $90 million dollar, 25 story apartment block with 222 apartments, construction is due to finish in 2013.

• A new 6 billion-dollar suburb in called E-Gate has been proposed by the state government on a 20-hectare site along Footscray Road.

• The Banco Group currently (2011) plan to turn the Footscray Plaza into a $45 million dollar apartment block of ten stories, with the current retail space expanded. The property falls within the Priority Development Zone so there are no rights to community consultation.

• The long-abandoned Kinnears rope factory site on Ballarat Road could be turned into a mini-suburb for 2,500 people including high-rise apartments, increasing the number of homes in Footscray by more than a quarter.

• In 2011, $2 million is been spent to revamp Leeds St with wider footpaths, more trees and less access for cars.

• In 2010, as a part of the Victorian government's $61.6 million Footscray renewal program, a new $15 million rail footbridge opened at Footscray Station; within months, the government announced that half of the bridge would need to be rebuilt to accommodate new platforms for the Regional Rail Link. As Ken Betts, a local Liberial candidate says, 'the railway station is a complete an utter mess',The canopies on the footbridge have designer holes which allows the rain fall through, leaving the steep steps and flat surface of the bridge covered in slippery water, which ex-Mayor of Maribyrnong, Janet Rice, calls unsafe.

Transport issues in Footscray:

• Despite the revamping of Footscray, 1,000s of heavy trucks from the nearby port use the suburbs streets. Almost 3,000 trucks a day were recorded going down Buckley St in central Footscray in 2010. Greens Mayor Cr Janet Rice helped get heavy trucks banned from Hopkins, Barkley, Irving, and Nicholson streets in 2007. In October 2010, local residents, from the MTAG, blocked central Footscray morning peak hour traffic in one of many anti-truck protests.

• During 2011-2013 another multi-million dollar planning study is been conducted into WestLink, an 18 kilometre freeway connecting the Eastern Freeway and the Western Ring Road, with a tunnel under Footscray.

• Route investigations and consultation to help identify options for the Truck Action Plan road network improvements have been underway since early 2009.

• Footscray railway station is the busiest non-CBD railway station in Melbourne, with 14,000 boardings per day.

• The $5 billion Regional Rail Link, is cutting through central Footscray, taking out 26 homes and 84 businesses. and current plans in 2011, will create slower travel times between Geelong and Melbourne, not faster.

• The Regional Rail Link would also see the need to rebuild the Nicholson Street bridge in central Footscray. Current plans are to destroy all the shops and cafes on this bridge and expose people to the diesel trains below.

• In 2008 the Melbourne City Council recommended extending the 86 tram route to Footscray via Docklands.

Community initiatives

Grasslands Organic Grocery is a non-profit community initiative, established in March 1997, offering disounts in the store for concession card holders.

Sport

Aussie Rules Football

• Footscray is home of the Western Bulldogs, an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League. The team was known as the Footscray Football Club until 1996, and played its home games at the Whitten Oval on Barkly Street on the edge of Footscray, which is now used only as the club's training ground.

• Footscray also has some WRFL clubs, they are the West Footscray Roosters, the North Footscray Devils and the Parkside Magpies.

Basketball

• Footscray Hawks Basketball Club - after a decade break this club, once the biggest in Victoria, is back in 2011.

Canoeing

• Footscray Canoe Club - Footscray Boat Club, 40 Farnsworth Ave, cnr Maribyrnong Blvd, Footscray - Sessions usually run Sat or Sun from 7.30am.

Cricket

• The Footscray Edgewater Cricket Club (formally Footscray Cricket Club) was founded in 1883 and for the first 113 years of its existence was also situated at the Western Oval (now Whitten Oval) until 1996 when combined pressure exerted by the Footscray Football Club and state-government-appointed commissioners to the City of Maribyrnong saw the club relocated to the Mervyn G. Hughes Oval. Until the test cricket debut of the Melbourne Cricket Club's Brad Hodge in December 2005, the Footscray Cricket Club had produced the most Test players of any Melbourne based district cricket club. Footscray's Test representatives in order of debut are Ron Gaunt, Les Joslin, Ken Eastwood, Alan Hurst, Ray Bright, Merv Hughes, Tony Dodemaide and Colin Miller. The club won its only District First Eleven premiership under the captaincy of Lindsay James in 1979/80.

• The Footscray United Cricket Club was founded in 1934 and won the VTCA North A1 Grand Final for 2010-11.

Cycling

• The Footscray Cycling Club promotes road racing and criterium racing, whilst cyclists are represented by the MazzaBUG, the Maribyrnong Bicycle User Group.

• Nearby bike paths include the Maribyrnong River Trail and the Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail.

Football (Soccer)

• The football club Melbourne Croatia was founded in Leeds Street, Footscray in 1953,^{[citation needed]} and now bears the name Melbourne Knights FC.

Gridiron (American Football)

• Footscray is home of the Western Crusaders, an American football or Gridiron team which plays in the Gridiron Victoria league. The team was known as the Westside Vikings until 1997, and plays its home games at the Henry Turner Memorial Reserve on Farnsworth Avenue right next door to the iconic Flemington Racecourse, within the Footscray Park area, Maribyrnong River and Victoria University. The Western Crusaders proudly call Footscray its home.

Gymnastics

• Footscray City Gymnastics Club: The 30-year-old club is home to almost 900 gymnasts and now offers programs to children with disabilities.

Hockey

• Footscray Hockey Club (junior): Run by 90 volunteers, the club is the second-largest hockey club in Melbourne with playing members from five to 70 years old and a focus on equality for female players.

Horse Racing

• Flemington Racecourse, the home of the Melbourne Cup, is across the Maribyrnong River to the northeast in the neighbouring suburb of Flemington, immediately opposite Footscray Park, the second largest botanical garden in Victoria.

Lacrosse

• The Footscray Lacrosse Club: is 50 years old and play at Angliss Reserve in Yarraville. In 2011 the club has around 190 members across 15 men's and women's teams.

Rowing

• Footscray City Rowing Club - This club is over 100 years olds and meets at Footscray Boat Club, Maribyrnong Boulevard. The club is for 14 year olds and up, beginners, novices, seniors and school programs.

Water Polo

• Footscray Swimming & Waterpolo Club - formed in 1909 and commenced activities in the Maribyrnong River, then the Footscray Swim Centre.

Industry

Lonely Planet headquarters in Footscray

The headquarters of Lonely Planet Publications are located in eastern Footscray on the banks of the Maribyrnong River, adjacent to the Hobsons Bay Coastal Trail. Lonely Planet has published over 100 million books.

The eastern portion of Footscray, in the fork between the Yarra River and Maribyrnong River, contains railway yards, the Melbourne Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market, and Appleton and Swanson Docks which were the site of the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute in Melbourne. In 2005, the State Government announced the closure of the Melbourne Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market to make way for an extensive redevelopment of the Port of Melbourne and the construction of new freight rail links to the area.

While many factories and warehouses are still to be found in and around the suburb of Footscray, many former industrial sites are being transformed into modern housing estates. Perhaps the largest of these is the former Footscray Ammunition Factory in a prime elevated position overlooking the banks of the Maribyrnong River with views across to Flemington Racecourse and Melbourne city centre.

Notable residents

• Colleen Hartland, Victorian state government Greens' MP
• Coral Browne (1913–1991), international award winning film and theater actor who was raised in Footscray
• Doug Chappel, comedian
• Ernie Sigley, former TV presenter and radio compare and TV Week Gold Logie Award winner
  

  

  Statue of Ted Whitten
• Les Twentyman, youth worker and social campaigner who has received the Order of Australia and was the 2006 Victorian of the Year. - The 20th Man Fund
• Merv Hughes, former Australian cricketer, played in 53 Test matches, now retired with Mervyn G. Hughes Oval named after him
• Michael Leunig, cartoonist, poet and an Australian Living Treasure
• Ray Borner, former basketballer) and Olympian
• Ruby Rose, MTV presenter and model from Footscray City College. In 2008 and 2009, she was chosen as one of the "25 Most Influential Gay and Lesbian Australians" by Same Same.
• Russell Gilbert, TV and film comedian, twice Logie nominated during his nine years on the Hey Hey It's Saturday TV show
• Ted Whitten (1933–1995), Hall of Fame footballer and TV personality. A life size statue of 'Mr Football' kicking a ball stands outside Whitten Oval on Barkly St
• William Cooper (1861–1941), Aboriginal rights leader, in 1938 organised the only protest in the world against Kristallnacht (Nazi Night of Broken Glass). Trees have been planted in Jerusalem in his honor and the footbridge at Footscray Station bears his name.

Footscrayzy Sign

Another well known mispronunciation is the infamous "Footscrayzy" sign at the intersection between Waverley Street and Orford in Maribyrnong. The sign was originally placed at the intersection with the correct spelling, but later graffitied (with silver spray paint) to add "zy" on the end. Although this may have been intended as a slur at the time, traffic was reasonably heavy at this intersection during peak times. The sign was replaced, on taller legs, to avoid further "modification" (or vandalism). However the new sign was quickly modified once again.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009 an exhibition entitled 'Footscary Footscrazy Footscray' was held as part of the Big West Festival. It included works by Footscray artists Heather Horrocks, Karenne Rees and Sylvie Leber. The sign's popularity is evidenced by the 'Footscrayzy Sign Society' group on Facebook with its photos and 6000+ members.

Educational institutions

Kindergartens

• Angliss Children's Centre - Cnr Vipont St & Seelaf Square, Footscray
• Brenbeal Children's Centre - 8 Rayner Street, Footscray
• Hyde Street Kindergarten - 10a Hyde Street, Footscray
• Kingsville Kindergarten - Hansen Reserve, Roberts Street, Footscray
• Bulldogs Community Child Care Centre - 19 Hocking Street, Footscray

Primary

• Footscray City Primary School The State Governement is closing the Steiner stream in 2012.
• Footscray North Primary School Corner Rosamond Rd and Mephan St, Footscray. (not Maidstone)
• Footscray Primary School Previously known as Geelong Rd Primary, offers the International Baccalaureate, and Vietnamese Bilingual Programme.
• St. John's Catholic Primary School Footscray 90% of the Students are from non-English-speaking backgrounds. The 'My School' website revealed that year 5 students at St John's outperformed their peers at Geelong Grammar in four out of the five NAPLAN tests, which assess reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.
• St Monica's Primary School A Catholic school with around 170 children, big on English Literacy.

Secondary

• Footscray City College Previously known as Footscray Technical College, Co-Ed, 1000 students, VCE, TAFE and more offered.
• Gilmore Girls College Previously known as Footscray Girls Secondary College, government run, academically focussed and super safe.

Universities

• Victoria University, Footscray Park A seven-hectare site, swimming pool and gym open to public.
• Victoria University, Footscray Nicholson Range of TAFE programs.

Institutes and more

• Austwide Institute of Training. Automotive Management Institute.
• Leonie Khoury School of Music Lessons for Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Piano and Violin.
• Footscray City Films Independent Tertiary Institution offering Certificate IV, Diplomas and Advanced Diplomas in Screen and Media. Over 20 Short Film produced each year.

Public libraries

The Footscray public library is operated by the Maribyrnong City Council. Services include 'story time' for pre-schoolers, orientation tours, reference and information services to assist with research needs, internet classes, and services for those unable to visit the library. Facilities include public internet, word processing, photocopiers, study carrels, local studies/family history room, conference and discussion rooms, a baby change room and community notice boards. The library is open 7 days (closed public holidays).

The Footscray Mechanics' Institute Inc. has operated a Library in Nicholson Street since 1913. The library is a subscription library, which is open 5 days a week, closed Weekends, Public Holidays and for 4 weeks over the Christmas/New Year period. Plans are underway for the 100th Anniversary of the current building.

Health

The health needs of Footscray and surrounding residents are served by the Western General Hospital. The Western General is a large teaching and research hospital responsible for providing a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient acute health services. The hospital currently conducts research in gastroenterology, colorectal cancer, emergency care, oncology, respiratory medicine, sleep disorders, and vascular surgery.

Key services at the Western Hospital include acute medical and surgical services, intensive and coronary care, emergency services, renal services, specialist drug and alcohol services, aged care and palliative care.^{[citation needed]}

The Western Region Health Centre was established in 1964.^{[citation needed]} Services include an African community worker, refugee health nurse, women’s health nurse, dieticians, youth health nurse, diabetic educator, podiatrist, counsellors and physiotherapists. Visiting specialists include a general surgeon and paediatrician. Pathology services and Dental services are co-located on site.

Places of worship

There are many religious organisations and places of worship in Footscray, including Anglican, Assemblies of God, Baptist, Buddhist, Catholic, Church of Christ, Evangelical Christian, Independent Christian, Lutheran, Muslim, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Presbyterian and Uniting Church.

Media

Three free suburban weekly newspapers are delivered around Footscray on Wednesdays:

• The Maribyrnong Leader (formerly the Western Times) is published by Leader Community Newspapers and owned by News Corporation.

• The Maribyrnong Weekly is published by Fairfax

• The Star Footscray, Yarraville, Braybrook is published by the Star News Group.

See also

• Footscray railway station
• City of Footscray - the former local government area of the same name.
• Electoral district of Footscray
• Romper Stomper, an Australian film set in Footscray

External links

• Trocadero art space on Hopkins Street
• Australian Croatian Association Melbourne
• Footscray Club social club, on Paisley Street
• Footscray Community Arts Centre
• Footscray Cycling Club
• Footscray Historical Society on Vicnet
• Footscray-Yarraville City Band
• Maribyrnong City Council
• Melbourne Museum of Printing on Vicnet
• Snuff Puppets theatre group
• Western Crusaders Gridiron Club
• Quang Minh Buddhist Centre