One of Melbourne’s most affluent suburbs divided over Formula 1 Grand Prix

The median house price here is $2.6m and the beach is a short walk away. It’s paradise for 11 months of the year.

The median house price here is $2.6m and the beach is a short walk away. It’s a dream suburb for 11 months of the year.

But residents who live in Middle Park are divided each March when one of the biggest events on the planet moves in next door.

Middle Park, for those who live outside Melbourne, is a small pocket between Albert Park and St Kilda — home to roughly 4000 people.

It sits snugly between the Albert Park racetrack and the sandy foreshore that leads into Port Phillip Bay.

Most homeowners have paid a handsome price for the privilege of beachfront living a stone’s throw from the CBD.

Middle Park is an idyllic location, 5km southeast of the Melbourne CBD.

Fans lining up for trams outside the F1 Grand Prix.

The only problem — for some at least — is that for four days in March hundreds of thousands of people from around the world descend on their otherwise quiet piece of paradise.

The Melbourne Grand Prix first arrived in Australia’s favourite sporting city in 1996. It is contracted to remain in Melbourne until 2037.

For most Melburnians, it is another feather in the city’s cap — one that proudly hosts the Australian Open in January each year and regularly fills the 100,000 seats at the 11th largest sports stadium in the world, the MCG.

Middle Park residents have this week voiced their concerns about the traffic nightmare that they live through in March each year.

They say F1 fans have found a loophole that means they can park in local streets, cop a parking fine and still pay less than they would if they caught a taxi to the race.

“We had a guy park outside our place and I said to him ‘be careful you will be fined’ and he said ‘that’s okay it’s cheaper than an uber/taxi’,” one person wrote in a closed local Facebook group this week.

Some locals embraced the F1 at Middle Park by holding a sausage sizzle for passersby.

The Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit and Sunday’s winner Lando Norris. Picture: Alessio Morgese/NurPhoto via Getty Images

“While I love F1GP, no one is coming around booking people who have parked their cars illegally in the area,” another wrote. “And many don’t care because the fine isn’t much and some people are just laughing at it.”

Others said the same thing.

“Come home to cars been there since 10am, two fines only and traffic and cars are chaos.

No sense of what’s going on from inspectors,” one local wrote.

“One day booking everyone with a Grand Prix permit, next day saying it was an error and they are valid. On Saturday and ... everyone taking the piss from a $99 fine to get prime parking for the day.”

Another local called traffic “horrendous”.

“Why has Hambleton Street become the street for traffic entrance into the Grand Prix? The traffic is horrendous and people are parking on the street without being monitored. What is the point of the car passes if streets are not being blocked off and cars (are not) being monitored for parking?”

Beaconsfield Parade in Middle Park on Australia Day. Picture: Tony Gough

Huge crowds for the event. Picture: Con Chronis/AFP

Alex Makin is a councillor with the City of Port Phillip and a local in the area.

“It’s frustrating to read that many Melburnians still consider this a ‘four day event’,” he wrote this week.

“Ground work on removing public green spaces and setting up infrastructure starts in November/December each year, impacting the use of the public parklands and sporting grounds for locals and all Victorians and enjoyment for interstate and international visitors.

“The ‘packdown’ of all the GP assets, and restoration of the green public spaces, isn’t complete until May/June each year effectively meaning Albert Park is only fully available five to six months per year.

“A public park used for the benefit of private owners. Let’s not even get started on the carbon emissions involved each year in ‘transforming’ this precious parkland into a racetrack and dismantling it again, and again, and again.”

Councillor Rod Hardy shared that sentiment, vowing to make sure it changes next year so locals are not left high and dry.

“Along with a couple of other councillors, I have been inundated over the last few days both directly and indirectly, and apologies that I have not been able to get back to all of you,” he wrote on Facebook.

“I live ... two blocks from Gate 1, so I am also heavily impacted by the additional traffic on our local streets. There must be change next year.”

Packed grandstand at Albert Park for this year’s event. Picture: David Caird

Not everybody in Melbourne loves when the Grand Prix comes to town.

A Facebook poll of local residents showed that among their biggest concerns are the removal of barriers for local access only zones, parking fines being too low to deter motorists and not enough inspectors patrolling their streets.

“Please start caring and looking after your residents who pay rates first and foremost. This isn’t ok,” one person wrote online.

But the suburb is split. For race weekend, a number of locals tried to make the most of the extra foot traffic by holding a sausage sizzle with proceeds going to the Royal Children’s Hospital. Footage from the fundraiser showed businessman Adrian Portelli stopping by to contribute.

“It’s a world class event that’s here for a short period of time,” one local wrote.

“Rather than be annoyed by it, lean into it and be thankful that we have it. There’s bigger problems in the world than this.”

Another wrote: “I’ve been able to drive and park easily everywhere as a resident of 30 years. I’m sorry if there are a couple of issues, but seriously the neighbourhood is quiet and we are able to be living in the best place in the world enjoying a global event. Chill people.”