Fitzroy / Collingwood

Fitzroy and Collingwood occupy the heart of Melbourne's creative identity. Smith Street — crowned the World's Coolest Street by Time Out in 2021 — runs along the border of the two suburbs, its sidewalks painted with rainbows and its shopfronts housing everything from Japanese sake bars to Mexican taquerias and world-ranked cocktail lounges like Black Pearl. The rainbow markings are not just decoration — they acknowledge the deep roots of the LGBTQI+ community in this neighbourhood, with venues like Sircuit, Molly's, and The 86 remaining important gathering places. Brunswick Street, Fitzroy's main strip, has a different character — more indie bookstores, record shops, and vintage clothing, with Alimentari's Italian deli and the Rose Street Artists' Market providing weekend destinations. Gertrude Street, connecting the two main strips, is the quieter, more refined sibling — wine bars, florists, and designer stores sit in heritage shopfronts. Brunswick Street Gallery's eight exhibition spaces and Sutton Gallery showcase emerging and established artists. Edinburgh Gardens, a sprawling park at the suburb's northern edge, transforms into Melbourne's biggest outdoor gathering on sunny weekends, with picnickers, cricket games, and acoustic guitar sessions filling the lawns. The creative energy here is genuine and enduring — despite significant gentrification, Fitzroy and Collingwood continue to attract Melbourne's artists, musicians, and makers who in turn generate the cultural dynamism that keeps property in demand.

Fitzroy / Collingwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia