The West Heidelberg Olympic Village

[@BeadingBelles]

I grew up in the olympic village and went to primary school there when it was nothing more than recycled army huts .There were no swings or other playgrounnd amentities for the kids and we only had outdoor taps to drink from .It looks much better now , a big improvement .I had a paper round delivering papers at 5 in the morning and rode my bike from one end of Liberty pde. to the other six days a week and was paid $2.50 . At christmas time we used to put a little note in each letter box which read " Christmas comes but once a year and with it doth bring good cheer , so in the midst of all you're joy , please don't forget you're paper boy ! People were very kind and gave us gifts even though they were not that well off themselves . There were no drugs like now , only alcohol abuse and it was a rough area to grow up in as a teenager , a lot of violence .I moved out when I was 17 and had a full time job and vowed to never live on a housing estate again . Now I live in a rural area ,surrounded by a lovely garden with wallaby's , kangaroos , and pesky possums to annoy me !

[@philipmallis]

Thank you very much for sharing your memories with us, lovely to hear :)

[@grahammooney7420]

I grew up in West Heidelberg and went to the state school, I can remember lining up along the fence with all the other students and looking through the mesh fence when the Queen drove by visiting the village. The village was ok in the 1950's but got a bit rough in the 60's, but I have fond memories of growing up there, and those Olympic rings have been put back because they weren't there for a long while.

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

Jesus Christ you should see it now. You're heart would sink.

[@iankearns774]

@@honkyvanwildebeest8926 And yet it is far better than it was when I grew up there from the mid 60's to late 70's. I moved back in 2008 and will die here. It is not as bad as a lot of people make out it is.

[@apfelprincess45]

Great little mini doc about a suburb of my hometown. Thanks for posting!

[@ClubXrock]

Remember at the mall it had Ventures department store? Also had a great shoe shop, which I think was called Batsanis shoes.

[@beachman8106]

Batsanis shoes also had a shop in Smith Street Collingwood just down from the Johnson Street intersection. I bought a pair of chisel toed shoes there in the late 1960’s.

[@captaccordion]

I bought in Heidelberg West 18 years ago (South of Southern Rd), and will likely remain till I drop. My house is prefab concrete, built in 1953, and to my understanding was always privately owned, which I presume was part of the deal with the developers, to give them some to sell. The house is very cool in summer though a bit cold in winter. A curious feature is that all the light fittings are mounted in ceiling roses which are nothing more than a disc of chip board. I've seen identical houses in other suburbs, such as Burwood and Blackburn. The modifications to them are interesting, sometimes involving removed walls, and always involving a 3rd bedroom being made from the rear verandah/patio/storage area. It's a fantastic area for shopping, but is unfortunately suffering from a plague of redevelopment into townhouses, due to generously sized blocks. Great video - thanks. My only slight niggle was that the shots of the shops were taken at a time when they were all shut, so that they look abandoned, which is not the case.

[@iankearns774]

The Village shops still struggles a bit, not as great a variety as there once was. Two bottle shops, one milk bar/mixed business and not a lot else. I go to Waterdale rd for most things and I live a street away in Ebony Parade. Its a shame as in its heydey it had a Fish Shop, chemist, newsagent, butcher, 3 milk bars, Hairdresser, Op shop it had a bit going for it.

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

It is and always will be West Heidelberg, not Heidelberg West. And it's a shithole. It's a great place to witness an emaciated drug addicted couple fight over a cigarette that they found in the gutter, while their numerous children (to multiple fathers) scream, fight and abuse passers-by. PS. The shutters are still down own multiple abandoned businesses. Don't talk it up. Misery loves company.

[@flamestergirl]

I grew up in the Olympic Village, Pacific Drive which also housed the kitchens for the games, my parents built a house on the land after the games. If you dug down about 2 feet you hit concrete which were the foundations for part the kitchens on our property, we were lucky to find utensils and other pieces buried in our backyard. I attended Olympic Village primary school and the Heidelberg girls secondary school. It was a close knit community and had a fairly rough reputation growing up but I have very fond memories of the area and always will.

[@alfcalleja2462]

Great video about Melbourne having the first Australian Olympics. I couldn't believe that some Sydney people thought that they were first to have the Olympics in Australia.

[@tejas57]

my gran lived in a 2 story building that was part of the village. it even had a plaque showing which team stayed there just inside the door (the polish team rings a bell)

[@footy2rock]

My dad grew up in West Heidelberg I remember him talking about the Olympic Village.I never knew what he was on about and now I do know.

[@jodywillow3332]

I grew up in west heidelberg too 👍 loved it

[@Sange4499]

The detail and background info you go into is actually nuts, i don't even know where you go to find out some of the more buried details. The only heritage photos and history that I've gone to investigate myself are all around the broad meadows barracks on camp road and also some photos hung up outside the head office in broad meadows shopping centre that showed the area post ww1 like craigieburn train station, old craigieburn rd and the hume highway. I've also gone to see the sight of the Greenvale Sanitarium that used to be in woodlands park that has now been demolished, not much is left to see. Another heritage spot nearby to the area is found if u climb the nearby jellybrand hill above Melbourne airport, you can find the foundation of the home of melbourne's premier from 1850 who lived up there, according to the plaque. it's basically a square with the remenants of a fire pit where the stove would have been and very basic plumbing where the toilet was as well, very cool indeed. Outside of that is stone stable which is now mostly fallen stones but another plaque shows what it used to look like.

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

Don't need to go into the history. Just pop over for a visit. It was always set up to be a place to house all of the worst, most useless, most drug addicted criminals in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. My father grew up there in the 40s & 50s, before single motherhood and drugs became an epidemic. I lived there a year ago, hence my comment.

[@letsseeif]

As a youth, I lived about 7 miles west & just off Bell St (a main thoroughfare West to East) & watched in awe as Olympic cyclists of many nations practised for Melbourne 1956 Olympics. After the Olympics significant relocation of 'difficult' and/or displaced and financially poor (e.g. Camp Pell) folk occurred - as you know. A Uni lecturer friend bought a brand new house in OV and moved in. When I questioned the wisdom of this, he indicated that was cheaper than rent and that he wasn't easily phased by the shenanigans of some of the residents. Over the years Olympic Village has had a 'dodgy' reputation which has very significantly calmed over the years.

[@jbosco3970]

calmed ? it is still dodgy

[@letsseeif]

@@jbosco3970 well. I wouldn't live there

[@shaunmckenzie5509]

@@jbosco3970 it's much better these days than it was 20 or 30 years ago

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

It's extremely bad currently,I do some work around there every week and there's always some shadey characters and drama going on

[@letsseeif]

@@jbosco3970 well yes. not very PC to have slagged of an already average reputation

[@jodywillow3332]

I grew up in west heidelberg and went to Olympic village primary 💕

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

It's still a shit-hole full of the worst of humanity. I grew up there too.

[@iankearns774]

I was at OVPS from 1970 to 1976 and loved that school.

[@albertlanger2339]

My Grandparents rented a housing commission home in Poplar Crescent West Heidelberg. From say 1963 when my child's brain started ticking, I remember the Mall. I remember the Collusiam Hotel - which was burned down strangely in the '70s.

[@sandrahamilton8102]

I lived close to the Olympic Village in 1956. We would walk there and some of the athletes would come to the fence and sigh autographs for us. And there were also athletes at Mass at Sacred Heart Church on Sundays. Made the Olympics really exciting for us kids. I followed the Olympics ever since.

[@Prieze868]

Thank you thank you Phillip

[@msinc]

The Mall is by far the crapiest strip mall from my childhood, and it’s not improved since. Can’t wait for your video.

[@mdace14]

Hasn't Changed. Still sketchy, car orientated and under-utilized.

[@peachyb1969]

Back in my day, The Mall wasn't all that bad. And it was even better when my father was a young boy/man, back in the 50's and 60's. One of the things my dad raved about was the slot car shop, where my dad would hang out in a lot. And the old dance studio was a great place for young people to meet, aside from the Ivanhoe Town Hall dances. The 10 pin bowling alley was also great, where the Aldi supermarket and carpark stands today. But that was sold off not long before my parents moved back there in the mid 80's.

[@PostImperfect]

@@peachyb1969 my parents met at Ivanhoe Town Hall. They were married for 63 years ❤️

[@apswainy]

Another fantastic video Philip. I grew up in the Ivanhoe/Heidelberg area and have always been aware of the Olympic Village being next door, but did not really appreciate it as being developed as a new suburb in Heidelberg West. Its great to see the memories of the village are still there for all to see. Looking forward to your next video!

[@paulhicks3595]

Excellent. I can remember the Olympic Village being discussed at the time ( I was five!). However, while I’ve mostly lived in Melbourne in the six and a half decades since, I’ve never been there!

[@davidmccrory5604]

Another awesome video can't get enough of our history great reaserch and presentation 👍

[@wwooww63]

hi just new to your channel we moved to Heidelberg west in 1968 into one of the homes on southern road not far from oriel rd my mother ( 85 ) still lives there today, her next door neighbour ( 95 )who worked as a cook at the games has been there since the games ended and the suburb opened , it is sad to watch the old houses go, but time stands still for no one and the suburb was in decay, the new construction going on around the suburb has given it a much needed face lift

[@philipmallis]

Thanks for sharing! Interesting that some of the employees from the Olympics ended up living in the suburb!

[@jodywillow3332]

I lived on oriel rd 👍

[@wallypoffle7796]

Fascinating subject - professional job well done.

[@Allthewaywithsteviej]

Great video and history tour. I work in the Banyule area and often transverse into the Olympic Village. I marvel at the history and significance of the area and place names. Unfortunately Olympic Village has seen increased crime rates and many homes that housed the olympians are seriously neglected.

[@peachyb1969]

The area has been neglected for decades, sadly. And the crime rates were actually much worse in decades gone by. With the state government selling off a lot of the government houses back in the 90's, and then forcing many out leading up to the 2000 Olympics (in the hopes of trying to improve the look of the area for any potential news stories at the time), it has since actually improved a little. For example, the cars look much nicer compared to the days I grew up nearby, which just shows the class of people who have been moving into the area over the last 2 decades. Before, the area would see much more dilapidated bombs parked all over the front lawns, nature strips, etc.

[@iankearns774]

You work in the area but dont live in it so make judgements based on hearsay and not on fact. I grew up there but moved out for about 10 years and moved back there in 2007. Its nowhere near as bad as it was when I grew up there in the 1970's. Its comments like yours I have dealt with for most of my adult life that I take exception too. It had bad poclets in the 1970's I can testify to that but these days with so many new people buying into the area it is completely different and doesn't deserve the the ill informed slur that you have made. You have no idea what you are talking about.

[@iankearns774]

@@peachyb1969 The class of the people? Really? It housed a lot of people for over 40 years that were on struggle street for a variety of reasons, of my 58 years I have lived there for about 48 years and get sick of the undeserved slurs that emanate from people who actually dont know the residents but rely on rumours and hearsay. My parents moved there because of the housing shortages for young people back in 1959 with two young kids. We lived in a concrete house on Setani cresent and I couldn't have asked for a better childhood or upbringing. My parents were so happy here that when my Dad decided to buy a house he bought one just across Southern Rd in Ebony Parade. He grew up in Hawthorn but unlike many other people didn't have his nose in the air. I have lived there since 2008 after renting in Koitaki crt when I moved back for a year. I have played sp[ort here since 1973, I have made many friends that I still have today and wont hear a negative word said against it.

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

Heartily disagree. I moved there in 2023 and I'm desperate to move out. Too much scum, desperation, drug addicts and crime. I've lived in the surrounding areas as well, since 1980. Alamein Rd is an absolute discrace!!! Are you a real estate agent by any chance??? @@iankearns774​

[@DrCMac-2025]

I had absolutely no idea, although I reside 65 miles away from West Heidelberg in West Gippsland ❗️One day, I'll head up that way & have a good look around ❗️

[@brianslater6730]

My Mum grew up in Midway street fond memories of visiting Nana and Poppy there check out the Olympic Swimming Pool also Pall Mall and the Bell street rock add Sidchrome tools factory as well

[@hypercomms2001]

Thank you, you actually inspired me to go and visit this Olympic Village. Fascinating.

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

Don't go. It will make you despair for humanity.

[@hypercomms2001]

@@honkyvanwildebeest8926 Been there, done that... if you want to despair for humanity.. go and live in Canvey Island, Essex, or Pitsea Essex UK... this part of Heidelberg can never equal the despair of that part of Essex, UK...

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

@@hypercomms2001 there are always worse places to live, but pretending that woeful places don't exist because you've only visited, is a tad disingenuous. Thanks for the reply.

[@damienberry7679]

I had no idea that Melbourne was almost to lose the games because of the location of the village. Thanks for this most informative video!

[@Elainerulesutube]

There was also a lot of bickering between the state and federal governments over who does what.

[@johno01970]

Nice video Phil... lets wait and see the epic mall video..

[@michaelscurr9046]

Good work Philip. Nice piece of history.🤟

[@DeMews]

I lived there in early 60’s near cnr Oriel & Southern rds and went to State school on the corner. Liberty Village shops had 2 milk bars, newsagent, toy shop, grocer and and probably fish & chip shop, I cant remember what else. Went to The Mall to get my hair cut, then over to the swanky 10-pin bowling place where I discovered choc-iced donuts. Got the bus (No 72?) from cnr Oriel & Southern rds all the way into town to cnr Exhibition & Bourke sts. And it was as safe as houses.

[@ALFAGOMMA]

For those interested, there is a great book called 'Nation With Nation' which documents the 'Olympic Village Heidelberg'. Comprising 184 pages, it details almost every element of the planning, development, construction and operation of the village. It includes lots of photos, maps, organisational structure, food menus and various issues with flags, propaganda etc, and funny little stories about incidents and misunderstandings. Authored by Geoffrey Ballard and published in 1997.

[@peachyb1969]

Thanks for passing on that info. I'd be very curious to check it out, since there's some interesting history offered within the book. I'd also be keen to see if there may be anything about the volunteers who helped at the athletes houses, since my paternal grandmother was one of those people. She apparently had a few things given to her by some of the athletes, and had a few tales to tell of her time working there. But I never got to hear them directly, as she sadly passed not long before I was born. There are other things I would find fascinating to read, as well, since I grew up very close by and had many friends who grew up in the Village area, too. And my maternal grandfather lived in one of the streets mentioned in this video, for many years.

[@cherrylow9818]

The land blocks on Porter Road are huge. They knock down the run down commission houses & build around 6 townhouses on 1 block.

[@tw25rw]

My grandparents lived in a flat in the area. I wish I knew who occupied it during the games. The old houses still look good. I think it was a success.

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

I take it you've never been back. Lucky you. It was a mistake of social engineering and it still is.

[@Leigh666XF]

Watching this after the recent Comm Games debacle gave me a little chuckle

[@chrispbacon3042]

I lived in Exeter CRT in 1999 for approximately 12 months in one of prefabricated concrete houses that was joined in pairs. It was horrible and cold in winter with black mould that proved difficult to stop and horribly hot n sweaty 🥵 in summer. It was owned by a private landlord who purchased it from the housing commission for a song . I was happy to move out of the darn place.

[@apseudonym]

I lived in a prefab semi-detached too. prefab is always so cold in the winter and boiling in summer and it never helps having a slumlord who refuses to do anything to update it. glad you got out

[@chrispbacon3042]

@@apseudonym Prefab Concrete…cheap n nasty. Cheap to build nasty to live in. But still glad I did in a weird way , call it life experience.

[@jodywillow3332]

I lived on oriel rd. Grew up in west heidelberg. Loved it

[@iankearns774]

Yeah they werent good. I grew up in a concrete house in Setani Cresent. Stinking hot in summer, condenstaion would drip down the walls. Freezing cold in winter, everyone congregated around the space heater in the lounge room. But it was all we knew and made us a bit more appreciative of houses we moved to as adults.

[@jemxs]

Great video, I grew up in Rosanna and had a lot of activities in Olympic Village. And used to swim at the pool in Waterdale Rd that was built so Olympic swimmers could train.

[@gryffindork9563]

I have been enjoying your videos I was born in Melbourne and so much I didn’t know 😳 thank you for the history lessons 💙

[@phillipnoone8044]

Great video, thank you 😁

[@ericharding9505]

Great job

[@mickman3582]

Good video Phil. I love my urban history and your videos are fantastic. Please keep the content coming. 👍👍

[@tanr9104]

Another great video Philip. Your research is top notch!

[@MrRockabilly70]

Thanks for the clip. We had relatives that lived very close to what was the Olympic village back in the late 80's/early 90's and remember we'd always be a little uneasy driving through there at the time. I visited the mall a couple months ago, first time in over 20 years and it was absolutely dead. It used be a busy little place but from what some of the locals were telling me the Covid lockdowns resulted in a lot of the businesses shutting down for good.

[@sentimentalbloke185]

Good old Chairman Dan, eh.

[@apseudonym]

@@sentimentalbloke185 oh get over it, honestly

[@sentimentalbloke185]

@@apseudonym #DictatorDan

[@peachyb1969]

@@apseudonym The sooks will be crying about Andrews for many decades to come. It gives them something to live for. 😉😂 They don't want to admit that the same thing is happening in many other cities around Australia and around the world. It's apparently only a probably in Melbourne and it's apparently all Andrews' fault.

[@amandagardner565]

a great video thanks. my parents spent a few years living in an extension dad built on my matyernal grandparents house in Ormond, they got a place in the Olympic village after the games, they eventually moved back to Ormond, and in 1966/67 they moved into the Grandparents house which they bought from Mum's siblings after Pop died, i was born in 1967. it's nice to see where my first few brothers and parents lived for a short while. mum died on March 2022, she spent 80 of her 93 years in the Parish of StKevins in Ormond.

[@MikeStevens]

0:08 wow, cracking job of making the Yarra look clean, haha.

[@annabellagardner3190]

My Aunt and Uncle moved into OV straight after the games, later purchasing their home from the then Housing Commission. There was no crime in their part of OV during the time they happily enjoyed the amazing opportunity for a brand new brick home, good schools, great parklands and sporting fields. It bugs me that a few people think it’s their job to be “blackboard monitor” of content dictating what subject areas should and shouldn’t been uploaded. Ps. Suggestion: How about you make a VR yourself. The hours of research, filming, editing including voice over, graphics and so much more not to mention costs. Then after uploading your hard work ‘free’ to the public … sit back and enjoy the negative critics dumping on 30-40 hours dedication of generous time and effort. Should feel crap.

[@LouKodge]

Another great video Philip. Well researched, you obviously put a lot of time into research. May i also suggest another topic that might interest viewers., Old and new footage ( or pics) of old melbourne brickworks and Quarries.

[@philipmallis]

Thank you! And thank you for the suggestions. You've actually reminded me of some research that I did on brickworks last year but forgot to make into a video - so I guess I'll dig that up again!

[@heathertruskinger6214]

Thankyou , that was very interesting

[@timnicholls19]

They need to do something similar again for Brisbane's Olympics as looking at the house estate built and still working for its secondary purposes some 60+ years later I would consider that a successful applicant of design and application

[@billjackrock]

My Nan's house in North Balwyn was built from 1956 Olympic bricks. I remember that each brick was stamped with the Olympic logo and date. I wonder why did they make these bricks and how did they decide where to use them?

[@NewFalconerRecords]

As I understand it, those bricks were a semi-random series from the Glen Iris brick company. It's unlikely that your Nan's house was made entirely from these bricks as they were a limited run from that brick company. They are actually quite collectable to this day and odd ones (such as those with a curved edge, and also the red bricks) are particularly sought after. There was a lot of buzz about the 1956 Olympics at the time so this was a way of getting in on the excitement, especially since there was a real building boom going on at the time.

[@brett515627]

Very interesting video.

[@peachyb1969]

Anyone who wants to put the area down, saying it's just a "ghetto" or it's a "rough, disgusting part of Melbourne", obviously hasn't driven through much of the area, at all. I lived there when it was actually considered pretty bad. And it's far better than what it once was, that's a fact. Seeing the odd rundown place and passing judgement on the entire area from such houses, is just giving the entire area a bad name. So many of the old houses were sold off and the new owners have really fixed the old places up, or pulled them down and built more modern homes on their land. Ironically, I've come across some feral neighbours in some areas, and they happen to live in so-called more affluent suburbs. Which just goes to show that more money and better appearances on the outside, doesn't always equate to good, decent people in those more wealthier, fancier houses.

[@icascone]

Fascinating! Thanks for sharing!

[@eliyohub]

Heidelberg United football club still uses the football (a.k.a. soccer) ground in question as their home ground. As a fan, I like it, dated as it is. There's a lot of room in the historic grandstand, but not a lot of seats.

[@scoutjohnson1803]

I know Cecelia Berkes who defected from Hungry. She lives in Melbourne under a slightly different name. The newspaper article said she came 4 th. in the kayak rowing event. The media are incorrect as usual, the sport is called canoeing, not rowing, or LK1 500mts. ( Ladies Kayak Single 500 mts.

[@cherrylow9818]

Most of the Commission houses are gone now. Lots of new Apartments & Townhouses.

[@apseudonym]

good because they were hazardous to the occupants, prone to leaks and mould etc

[@honkyvanwildebeest8926]

The disease ridden and scum-infested commission flats are still standing strong and being given to those in need. I am trying desperately to get the hell out of there!!! @@apseudonym

[@montecarlo1651]

My great grandfather had his block of land compulsorily acquired by Bolte to build the village and received a desultory 10 pounds for it, well below market value. Interestingly, the Hawke referenda in the mid 80s had a clause that would have prevented this from happening in the future, and Australians in their wisdom voted against it. Also, the reputation of the concrete housing was that it is bitterly cold in winter.

[@ALFAGOMMA]

Enjoyed this video Philip, but as others have mentioned, you glossed over the post-Olympic decline of this area. One unfortunate fact was the close proximity of West Heidelberg to Pentridge Prison till its closure in 1997. This resulted in the wives and girlfriends of many prisoners moving there to make visits much easier. When their partners were released, they continued to live there and as a result, unemployment and crime climbed. In the 80s and 90s knew several people living in the area and their houses were routinely burgled. Not sure of the current situation but the Olympic Village Green shops do not look inviting at all.

[@gerrym75]

I did a fair bit of painting work around West Heidelberg in the late 90's early 2000's and it was sketchy as then, but based on the house prices there now, I assume it has improved somewhat with new development and the old tenants moving on to other locations. One of my co-workers came across some little 12 feral trying to rob another kid at the Mall, so he told him to stop and leave the kid alone. The little feral just turned around and told him to fuck right off :) like it was nothing.

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

It's pretty much a ghetto now, I would not advise anyone to go there unfortunately

[@peachyb1969]

@@gerrym75 You're spot on. Anyone who grew up in the area during the worst period of that area, and drove through there now can tell that it has improved fairly well, compared to how it once used to be from the 70's, 80's and 90's. Sure, there are probably still some feral people around. But they also exist in even the more affluent suburbs nowadays as well. You only have to look at how some kids in general are far less respectful of their elders these days, compared to how they were once taught to be in decades gone by. And yes, there may have been some dodgy characters who once spent time in Pentridge. But not everyone who lived in the area had a similar background. Most of the people were just families, that just happen to live in a poor socio-economic neighbourhood. They weren't all that bad, they just weren't well off, worked blue collar jobs and so on. As you pointed out, the price of houses truly shows that the area has improved a lot. No-one's gonna pay 800k plus, to live in a "ghetto" and get robbed on a regular basis, that's for sure.

[@EJP286CRSKW]

'Close proximity'? They are several miles and several suburbs apart. Price would have had a lot more to do with it.

[@chrisbell1878]

interesting video. I'm struck by how much the village looks like some suburbs here in Canberra. I suppose some of the ideas and designs were adopted during Canberra's high growth period of the 1970s.

[@letsseeif]

Relative lived in Ainslie's Duffy Street. Easy to be picky. BUT Anything in Canberra in the post Walter Burley Griffen era is less than ideal in my opinion.

[@TheHsan22]

Yes, the red and grey brick boxes built in Canberra in the 1960s at least in Heidelberg they didn’t place the homes skewiff on the block trying to align with the Sun.

[@barrymcdonald9868]

@@TheHsan22 I'd think using the sun to determine alignment and design of housing to maximise efficiency to be a winner in my book, maybe the original blocks should be aligned rather than the houses

[@bullykuldo6233]

Love your videos have you done one about German town in Thomaston?

[@philipmallis]

Thanks! And that's a great idea. Been there once but not looked at it in any sort of detail

[@musicalneptunian]

Some video suggestions of quirky places to check out: Warleigh Grove in Brighton. Used to be the HQ of Croquet Victoria. Not sure what's become of it now. The former CSIRO site at Highett. Not sure what became of that.

[@philipmallis]

Thanks I'll add them to the list!

[@musicalneptunian]

@@philipmallis I'd add Moorabin Airport. I used to go there as a kid way back in the early 80's to watch the planes take off; you had a totally clear view. There was also a plane museum and a picnic area. A weird tangent: about 5 years ago I dropped a radio and ir broke. The only channel that it could get from then on were the Moorabin Airport hourly updates on weather etc. I didn't have to set any channel; it got them de facto. No idea what Moorabin Airport has now. It's mainly of course a small aircraft training facility for rookie pilots. I used to play croquet at Warleigh Grove back in the early zeroes. It was a weird set up. Like an Alice in Wonderland dollhouse; you would look up and the houses next to the door would have someone step out onto their balcony. Like they came out of nowhere. They sold the Warleigh Grv complex in about 2005 and bought a new croquet complex at Cairnlea. One reason for the move was the lack of a parking area; neighbours were always complaining about croquet p[layers parking in the street.

[@skunkrat01]

Given the current population of West Heidelberg, might be worth chucking that fence up again to keep them in.

[@DanielSmith-zv9yc]

I grew up on liberty prd during the 80’s and 90’s and it was a shocking neighbourhood to grow up in.

[@cheekywombat5910]

I grew up there in the 2010s and it was still horrific

[@JackBaker954]

Were many larger buildings demolished and houses built instead, or was the Olympic village compromised of individual dwellings?

[@peachyb1969]

There was, and still is, a mixture of the two storey attached places that you saw in this video (with two homes in the one building), along with the individual single storey dwellings, whether attached or detached. I'm guessing, so that they could be used for housing families after the Olympics had ended.

[@samcartledge]

Suprised the circular holes on many of the buildings in the village didn't get a mentioned. They're still visible on many of the houses today in the suburb.

[@NewFalconerRecords]

That's the image that I always associate with that village in my mind, those funky 1950s triangles with the circular holes.

[@MarvelRivalsEsport]

Absolutely loved this video, can you please do a video on the new North / East link which is currently in development :)

[@terrylast7034]

My place is the French/Belgium headquarters in Alamein Rd. The high diving pool is situated on St Georges's Rd but the TAFE college built a carpark over it and then a multi-story building. The name is Heidelberg West not West Heidelberg, a thoroughly down market version. T

[@wasteland24]

You’ve gotta pronounce The Mall like you’re saying Mel Gibson… “The Mel”. This is how it’s always been pronounced since it opened! Great video, looking forward to the next.

[@TheHsan22]

Yes that’s how most people said it at the time.

[@feliciab2]

I was thinking the same thing. Great video, but for as long as I've known about the place it's always been pronounced like "Mal"

[@dishields1055]

Looking forward to the video on the mall. I have never been brave enough to go into it.

[@gerrym75]

I knew this area fairly well from working around there a lot in the late 90's early 2000's, and it was dodgy as then. When I went looking for a first house in about 2010, we inspected a few ex-comish places there since the price was around $250k for a 3 bedroom house on a decent sized block and we were on a fairly small budget at the time. A few of my old co-workers were really surprised when I said we were looking there, but we didn't have a lot of choice. Other options were miles out in the newer suburbs so the location was the attraction. One place we looked at in Wewak Pde seemed ok, but as we left a dad and his three kids walked past us, dragging a huge Rottweiler and all giving us the dirtiest looks so I thought, yeah, nah, this place is cheap for a reason. Reminded me of Alamein where I grew up near, and used to deliver papers to and used to get hassled, looked at, swore at etc while riding my bike around delivering newspapers. Fun times :)

[@peachyb1969]

After growing up very nearby and having friends who lived in the Village, and since having lived in several other places around Melbourne and Victoria over my adult years. I can honestly say that more valuable homes doesn't make an area any better, as far as potentially friendly neighbours and such.

[@jodywillow3332]

I wouldn’t live there now. To many Africans. I lived in west heidelberg in the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s. So different then from now

[@gerrym75]

@@jodywillow3332 Thanks Jody - where do you live now?

[@kallancarruthers2640]

Great video Philip! A lot of great information, though a walk into the darkness that came over WH in the ensuing decades would have been the cherry on top. Also, if you do touch on the WH Mall let me tell you that for whatever reason it referred as ' The Mall ' and Mall is pronounced the same as Bell or tell, rather than Tall or call. Not sure where this originates, but it is on ' Bell ' street so there could be something to that! Haha Keep up the great work!

[@FloydBromley]

Interesting video. What if any heritage overlay/protections exist for the area?

[@peachyb1969]

I don't think there's much heritage protection for the area.. apart from perhaps the area which consists of the shopping strip and the original entrance to the Village. But there have been many houses sold off in the last 10, 20 years or so. Especially by the state government in the 90's. And many of them have since been pulled down and replaced with modern double story houses or townhouse units.

[@garyb8486]

@@peachyb1969 Agree, many houses have been sold off and the properties redeveloped. The street I Iived in (at least by Google Maps) has a mixture of original Housing Commission houses and new developments. My house was a semi-detached house with both addresses each on very large blocks. Never quite understood the logic of two large street adjacent blocks of land occupied with a semi-detached building (each half of the "house" being originally two bedrooms. Many of the Commission homes are fenced off and for sale. Clearly the idea is to knockdown and rebuild. Can't argue with that as the Commission homes were of ordinary construction. The property prices are monstrous. The house on the other side and next door to where I lived, still an original commission house, is currently on the market valued at almost $940K. Extraordinary considering what people here are commenting on with respect to the community. Must be the relative closeness to the Melbourne CBD? The occupants at the time were one of the few people to buy a house off the Housing Commission and they paid somewhere in the region of $22K back in the 60's/70's; a massive amount then.

[@Jasonluxford]

Can you do a video covering the F9 freeway? Love the history videos

[@huntercullen6269]

I live here.

[@hhgttg69]

that was really interesting

[@ThePaulv12]

I got a few car bodies here that I could send there - just you know, for a bit more authenticity. Some parts are looking a bit too clean and tidy - particularly the redeveloped areas. I'm sure the new owners need a bit more of the community housing atmosphere and I'm happy to oblige. I've even got some concrete bricks and rusty rims to sit them on too. I'll bring some complete cars with wheels and tyres still on and I'll set a couple of those on fire. The steel belts hanging out of the charred rubber and the melted interior and body will patina. The bitumen under the car will look good too. Yeah sculptures and artifacts.

[@peachyb1969]

Thanks for the laughs. I'm guessing you knew the area quite well, once upon a time.

[@waryaaofficialchannel3323]

Sad thing is still no one upgrading at all good location but government didn't invest yet

[@r7m]

video idea: abandoned weaapons testing site near highpoint?

[@JJ-rp2df]

Great history on a spot that's appreciated due to subdivision, 10km to cbd and Ivanhoe etc nearby. Sour grape critics who saw crime not gentrification have missed out.

[@xr6lad]

Yes because granny getting battered or your car stolen was a great reason to move there. Every elderly person and pregnant mother needs some more spice in their lives.

[@peachyb1969]

@@xr6lad My maternal grandfather lived in the heart of the Village for decades, and he was never once beaten up. And many of my friends that I grew up with lived in that area. Never knew any of their parents cars being stolen, either. Nor where they beaten up. I'm not saying that no elderly person was never beaten up there or that no-one had their car stolen. I can't say for certain, either way. But even during the worst days of the area, the fights were usually between the odd youths or adults over personal matters. Not bashing up or robbing their neighbours randomly on a regular basis, or anything as dramatic as you're trying to paint it. People were, and still are, just as likely to be beaten up or have their car stolen in more so-called affluent suburbs. And as a matter of fact, people were much more neighbourly back in those days, and most people knew each other by name in that area. Overall, the elders were much more respected back then as well. Unlike nowadays, where people are much less likely to even bother saying hello to their neighbours, let alone know them by name and maybe even hang out regularly, nor do people bother to watch out for their elderly neighbours as much as they once did in that area.

[@robertmcnamara5407]

So many things have been done to try and improve the area but it has definitely lost it's appeal. Great parks, beautiful new rebuilt school, proximity to homemaker centre, Northland shopping complex and a damn good location but. Whoever owns the shopping strip needs to rethink what they are trying to achieve and to maybe bring it back to it's former glory. There is also not a lot of pride in the area as it is not really celebrated. Maybe with videos like this and some community assistance we can bring it back.

[@arisl2370]

No footage of the training track ? Not far down the road..

[@peachyb1969]

There was footage from the front entrance of Olympic Park. But no, not inside. I used to do Little Athletics there when I was a kid.

[@arisl2370]

@@peachyb1969 he made no mention of it

[@ausie7of9]

4:41 did you say $95 billion? 😮🤯

[@philipmallis]

Sorry I wasn't very clear! That's $95 million

[@michellejames3136]

Are you fucking kidding born on the block returned diggers 10 years after the war gee what we gunner do with these blokes an there kids I no let's put them in the emptey village the block roughest joint in Melbourne .6 o'clock closing the fucking violence back then mad X service men you don't know the block back go back a bit further early see what it was really like . example check how many crims out of West Heidelberg do your fucking homework.

[@misssassydudds]

@@philipmallis I wonder what that would be worth now? I’m not good at inflation etc. But imagine if the price came in the billions of dollars? 😮 I think would’ve sunk our beautiful island nation! I’m not sure but I don’t think we would’ve been able to afford it somehow. 😉

[@seankinnane12]

I used to work at Opal on Dohertys rd....biggest ....hole in the Northern Suburbs. Really as Australians we have to question these English managers that come over here with a piece of paper and the sweet talk yet know nothing about warehousing

[@justanaverageguy1351]

I worked for many years in the area and it's ironic to think that the area on display for the world back then, is now the worst part of Heidelberg.

[@JamesHawkeYouTube]

Who would ever have thought the Olympics would turn out to be a strange Pagan cult ritual?

[@markjones7687]

Philip mate. I love your sentiments, but not mentioning that the Olympic Village rapidly degenerated into Melbourne's most crime ridden, welfare dependent and dysfunctional community after the games is a bit of a cop out. Similarly, not mentioning its more recent notoriety as an ethnic ghetto with welfare dependency at close to 90% should not be elided from the discussion. There is a reason that all the shots of the shops we see in the video are shuttered and closed after all.

[@suzyqilplants]

I agree. Although much better these days, there were times in the past where any non-resident would not dare enter some areas. Unfortunately it became an example of how badly social housing can be when concentrated in one area.

[@capsyzeable8790]

It had the name "Little Chicago" and crime became so bad that police gave up patrolling the area... The Olympic Village shops still have steel shutters over the shop fronts. I agree, it was a cop out not to mention this in the video .

[@hughmiller925]

Absolutely.

[@garyb8486]

Well, I grew up there in the 60's, 70's, and early 80's. The Olympic Village shops and the Mall made this area a community even thought it was also concentrated public housing through the Housing Commission. I was never afraid to walk (or jog) at night. There were a mix of families and people that again, made this a decent community to live and as a kid living there at that time, it was safe. By the late 80s/90s, it was starting to unravel. And that coincided with many early residents moving out or passing away and less desirable element moving into the area bringing drug related crime and the rest. It's a damn shame to see the Village shops locked up like a fortress as it thrived once. Anyone remember Peter Fong (i think) and his Fish and Chip shop? The Mall was alive on weekends with people buying appliances from Waltons, grocery shopping in Dickens, Gilbertson's the butcher, Fletcher Jones Menswear and barber, Coles, and Herbert's bakery. Northland would to me at least, put the Mall under pressure that started to spell the end for the Mall. But a real community nonetheless; not a "Toorak" by any means but honest working class / tradespeople. Now it seems to be all gone.... what a tragedy. I had no idea the police avoided the area and that surprises me greatly. I did notice the West Heidelberg police station had closed some time ago but I haven't lived in the area or visited since 1990. But I don't ever recall the police being called to our street when we lived there. For me, Philip's video reminded me of what it was once and where it came from. And subtly hinted at what it's become with some of the footage. Brilliant presentation. Thanks.

[@apseudonym]

@Daniel King exactly. I am an underemployed law student who escaped dv and am on welfare. It's part of the social contract to help support those who are vulnerable in society and when they have the means to give back they will

[@garrywallace1007]

Who's bright idea was it to put the German team on Alamein Avenue.... :)

[@peachyb1969]

If you actually listened to what was said during the video, certain streets were renamed temporarily at the time, so as to not upset or offend any of the international athletes.

[@stephenbarbieri3269]

If you do decide to drive through west Heidelberg make sure you lock your doors and don't initiate direct eye contact

[@TheHsan22]

Uggg, the only Melbourne suburb that I used to lock my doors whenever I’d drive through it, which was as little as possible.

[@gofreenow]

I think it’s beginning to gentrify now

[@billba]

@@gofreenow not really.

[@peachyb1969]

@@billba It actually has improved from how it used to be in the 70's, 80's and 90's. No matter how much some people try to pretend otherwise.

[@MAGA2024-pf4yw]

Plenty of trash in many front gardens and on public lawns in this area as seen in the video, cars parked in an uncivilized manner on lawns,etc, unkept front gardens, doesn't look to be a welcoming friendly neighborhood by any means, and most definitely a high crime rate of a sort. Also guessing from some of the type of automobiles present, this area would house a high percentage of people from the third world, and it shows.

[@thesauce7289]

It was a lot worse back when it was all Europeans living there. It’s a disadvantaged area, that’s what you’re seeing, not the effects of different ethnic groups moving in.

[@davidrickard9869]

I love living in West Heidelberg! But it has its problems

[@hertz_me]

none of the old suburbs in melbourne aged well, they all look extremely old and outdated/ugly yet houses built in the USA during the same time period still look some what modern

[@jimpikoulis6726]

It's Heldinki

[@Nicholas_-vh6xg]

It’s a housing commission ghetto now.

[@misssassydudds]

3:29 but, but, but what if somebody identified as neither? 😉

[@user-vv4rq7jq7b]

now totally different it's a mess

[@MrJaz8088]

You dont say "Mall" you say "Mell"

[@barrymcdonald9868]

Opportunity real estate, the new north east link will cut CBD travel times

[@peachyb1969]

The north east link will have nothing to do with people travelling from West Heidelberg to the CBD. It would still be quicker and easier to travel from West Heidelberg to the CBD via Fairfield, Clifton Hill, Carlton, or partly via the Eastern Fwy and along Hoddle St. Which takes about 20-30 minutes during non-peak times. To go to the city via the Western Ring Road, you'd need to travel north through Bundoora, then go the long way around anti-clockwise to get to the city. Which would take up to an hour.

[@marcusluciani1620]

Sadly it's a dump of a suburb now.

[@raymondwelsh6028]

I wouldn’t encourage anyone to walk through area as it has become a blight on the landscape. Used to travel through it regularly and couldn’t help but notice the socioeconomic problems. Looks like a third world country with buildings in a state of delapidation and overgrown gardens and rubbish strewn through yards. All the buildings are substandard and better to just demolish the blight on our landscape.🇦🇺

[@chrispbacon3042]

Not to dissimilar to The Pines in Frankston Nth …shit hole.

[@paulbata9649]

junkie village now!