Wildly popular social media sites lure thousands of followers as they have dig at the way we live

MELBURNIANS are turning to social media to have a laugh at the “ugly” McMansions or dodgy repair jobs around our city — even Kylie Minogue is following the fun. And there’s some suburbs the founders say are chock full of examples.

SITTING on the fence isn’t an option when it comes to ­satirising Melbourne suburbia.

From dodgy brick fences to the ugly houses they surround — social media has increasingly become a platform for lighthearted residents to have a dig at the way we live.

Wildly popular Instagram and Facebook accounts ­including “Ugly Melbourne Houses” and “S--- Brick Fences of Melbourne” are luring thousands of followers as the pages claim to showcase the worst ­examples of Aussie ­architecture.

Jim, the man behind the Facebook account that pokes fun at fences, said the page was started as an alternative to depressing news and “info junk” cluttering social media feeds.

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Sitting on the fence on social media doesn’t appeal to brick fence fan Elise Hopper. Picture: David Caird

“We are just having a laugh at anything because there’s a whole lot out there in the world that is hard to laugh at,” he said.

“I pointed out to someone how many badly made or badly repaired brick fences there were in Melbourne — they’d get back to me and curse me because now they couldn’t stop spotting them.”

Kylie Minogue is one of the 30,000 followers of the Ugly Melbourne Houses Instagram account. Photo: AFP

“Frank”, the administrator responsible for the Instagram account Ugly Melbourne Houses, has lured more than 30,000 followers since its ­inception, with singer Kylie ­Minogue and comedian Julia Morris among its fans. He said the majority of followers understood the satire, but ­admitted becoming a target for those easily offended from time to time.

There is an underlying message there too — Frank said he was increasingly frustrated by the loss of homes with real character, too often knocked down and replaced with McMansions. He said Balwyn was, perhaps, one of the worst-affected suburbs in that regard.

“It’s a big issue,” he said. “Lots of really old beautiful homes are being lost.

“These mansions have no real cultural or architectural connection to Melbourne. So I don’t have any problems ­taking the piss out of those places worth north of $2 million.”

Maribyrnong, Avondale Heights and a string of suburbs toward Essendon were full of “catalogue” houses that wouldn’t stand the test of time, he claimed.

“You have to wonder what they will look like in 20 or 30 years,” Frank said.

“It’s a bit sad really.”

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