Brunswick, Melbourne (inner north)

Location: Inner city, Near Melbourne Uni/RMIT/Shillington College

Rent: rent prices are still affordable but drifting towards being pricey

Vibe: hairy legs, community spirit

If you like unpretentious, earthy cafes and living in a place where people of all descriptions are welcome, then Brunswick is your nirvana. Traditionally a working class area popular with migrants, in recent years it has begun attracting professionals, community minded types, and those with a bit of edgy flair. In terms of politics, this is green and politically left territory.

Brunswick covers a huge area. There's East Brunswick, Brunswick and West Brunswick. All three areas have a mixture of residential buildings and light industry. Properties in West Brunswick tend to be larger, predominantly built post 1910, and more popular with families. Cool types opt for East Brunswick and it's array of workers' cottages and slightly larger brick or timber period homes. Brunswick itself holds attractions for a variety of people. It's mostly made up of small brick worker's cottagers, Victorian terraces or Victorian timber block fronted homes, and has narrow streets. All three are safe suburbs.

East Brunswick is where new interesting, arty cafes have opened up in large numbers. The number of blue collar workers in East Brunswick is dropping, making way for a greater number of tertiary educated, community minded, arty, young-ish people. East Brunswick is home to CERES - an environmental centre, plant nursery, community farm with a twice weekly market, and an organic cafe. Kids and adults love this place.

Brunswick has an amazing assortment of independent shops you most likely won't find anywhere else. There's no glitz here, not by a long stretch. But what there is is colourful, cheap, and totally unpretentious. You'd be hard pressed not to get a bargain here. Post WW2 European migrants moved here, reflected in shops like the amazing Mediterranean Wholesalers. More recently people from Islamic countries have settled in Brunswick. The city end of Brunswick Rd has some interesting alternative-esque clothing stores. There's a live music scene here too. In the early 2000's, Brunswick was the scene of the murder of a gangland patriach. But other than that, this place is fairly safe. About the only thing this suburb lacks is a decent green space. If you crave parks, check out the Maribyrnong River and Queens Park in nearby Moonee Ponds.

West Brunswick is family friendly. It's not as busy as East Brunswick, or Brunswick, tending to be quieter and greener than most other parts of Brunswick.

Distance from city centre: 4km. Direction: north. (More info below and to your left <<<)

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