Iconic Fitzroy grandstand becomes tent city for Melbourne’s homeless
The grandstand at one of Melbourne’s most stately footy grounds is now a tent city for Melbourne’s homeless. These are the rough sleepers of the Brunswick St Oval, the human face of Melbourne’s housing crisis.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Fitzroy’s iconic 131-year-old Brunswick St Oval grandstand has become a tent city as Melbourne’s housing crisis deepens.
The historic ground, which opened in 1883 and is the Fitzroy Football Club’s spiritual home, is accommodating a rising number of rough sleepers.
Homeless people have slept in the heritage-listed grandstand, on and off, for years but, as the 2019 winter set in, the number skyrocketed.
It’s understood Collingwood’s famous Victoria Park is also housing some rough sleepers inside the Magpies’ former home.
The entire back row of the grandstand is full of tents, with the area at “full capacity”.
Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle says the housing crisis is something that won’t get better without adequate support.
About two per cent of rental properties are currently vacant in Melbourne.
Mr Nottle believes the construction of new buildings to house people doing it tough is vital.
“The causes of people being homeless is complex so it’s really important accommodation with support can be found,” he told the Herald Sun on Friday.
“An issue is ensuring once people do have accommodation, that it is appropriate and they’re able to stay there safely so they don’t slip back into a cycle of sleeping rough.”
Mr Nottle said about 160 people stayed at the Salvation Army’s CBD emergency centre last night.
”That’s a lot of people and if those people weren’t in the night cafes, they’d be on the streets," he said.
“It’s like that every night... we’ve got a very serious crisis on our hands.”
Fitzroy Football Club still plays its home Victorian Amateur Football Association games at Brunswick St Oval.
Junior boys and girls teams also use the famous oval for games and training, while AusKick is held there every Saturday morning.
Fitzroy vice-president Kate Nolan said the club’s home games had not been affected and the Lions were more worried about the housing crisis.
“A concern for the club is that there isn’t enough affordable and safe accommodation in Melbourne, resulting in people having to sleep rough,” she told the Herald Sun.
All locals the Herald Sun spoke to had no issue with people sleeping there, they just wanted them to be safe and comfortable.
At least 12 tents are at the site and up to 25 people are sleeping there at any one time.
Mr Nottle said the positive attitude of the community was nice to see, but stressed sleeping rough is not a long-term option.
“I think the response (of the community) is indicative of how Melburnians respond when people are vulnerable - we look out for each other,” he said.
Mitch Turner, who has lived in the grandstand for four months after being homeless for 18 months, said there had been no animosity from Fitzroy locals.
“Recently due to the weather, we’ve had an increase in people so we’re at full capacity now,” Mr Turner said.
“We work in well with Yarra City Council; we look after the place and they look after us.”
Victor Aguilera, who has been homeless since the start of the year, said community members brought caramel slices and other treats into the grandstands.
“(The club) is pretty supportive of us, they don’t mind us and vice versa — we keep it as clean as possible,” he said.
A range of circumstances have led to people choosing the site: dire family situations, unemployment and unsafe living conditions in homeless shelters they had slept at previously — or a combination of the three.
Some squatters have secured forms of employment, and those who haven’t like to venture out during the day for food and activities.
Mr Turner’s belongings were stolen at a previous homeless shelter.
He said he felt safer and happier being part of the “little community” in the grandstand, but he was determined to find safe housing.
Yarra City mayor Danae Bosler said the council was in regular contact with the football club and nearby tenants to discuss any concerns.
“Homelessness is an increasing problem across inner-city Melbourne, and Yarra is doing all it can to encourage rough sleepers into safe and secure accommodation,” she told the Herald Sun.
“We have been working closely with community housing agencies since October 2018 regarding the people sleeping rough at the grandstand, and several people have been assisted in securing permanent housing, which is a positive sign.
“Since February 2019 we have been carrying out twice-weekly clean-ups of the grandstand to remove rubbish and improve cleanliness, and anything found in the grandstand is cleared away.
“Council does not encourage people to sleep rough at the grandstand or anywhere in Yarra — we want to see people in safe housing.”
The venue hasn’t hosted a top-flight game in 53 years, but the oval remains close to the hearts of Fitzroy supporters.
The club, then known as the Maroons, played their home Victoria Football Association games at the ground before entering the VFL in 1897.
The Lions’ last game at Brunswick St in Round 17 of 1966 saw them lose by 84 points to a St Kilda team that was five weeks away from claiming the club’s one and only premiership.
RELATED: THE RICH HISTORY OF THE FITZROY FOOTY CLUB
PROFESSIONAL BEGGARS SCAM IN MELBOURNE BUSTED
INQUIRY TO SEEK SOLUTION TO HOMELESS CRISIS
When Fitzroy merged with Brisbane in 1996 following years of financial trouble, the Lions retained a strong link to the ground.
After the Brisbane Lions’ three AFL premiership between 2001 and 2003 — the club’s first senior flags since 1944 — thousands of supporters flocked to the Brunswick St Oval to celebrate.
When Chris Fagan’s side trained at the venue ahead of their round four clash this year, social media lit up with excitement about the Lions returning to their old stomping ground.
‘Angels’: Hero Coles workers save mum’s life
A mother of three has opened up on how her life was saved after she suddenly collapsed while doing a routine supermarket shop.
Wildlife and traffic fears over music festival
Wildlife advocates fear a weekend music festival in central Victoria will endanger native animals including rescued joeys.