Good day, Scumshine aims to document the predicted gentrification of Sunshine, Victoria.
The suburb of Sunshine has been around for a long time (in an Australian city context) and it’s been through a lot. It’s in the lower socio-economic region of Western Melbourne but it’s managed to keep adapting and re-inventing itself to absorb changes and keep growing.
But will it survive it’s biggest challenge ever?? The middle classes!! They are moving in…. and they are looking for gentrification!!
- Sunshine Plaza
Sunshine’s had a bad rep for years. If you grew up in Melbourne anywhere but Sunshine, it was likely to top your list of ‘suburbs I wouldn’t live in if you paid me’. Most people know it as Scumshine, for god’s sake and assume it’s completely full of bogans.
So? What does happen when a 40 year old, middle class divorcee moves from Mitcham to Sunshine.
I moved here because it’s as close into the city as I could afford but I also feel like it’s an area on the rise – to a better reputation, better services and a bit of cafe culture wouldn’t go astray, either! People tell me how daggy Yarraville was years ago and look at it now. That could happen here too, couldn’t it? Wont it?? Should it??
Well we are going to find out – coz I’m going to document it. Right here.
Love your take on Sunny!
When I lived in Yarraville (pre-gentrification), I saw similar transformations. And the bloke across the road went off to live in Sunny after qualifying (mutating?) into a Real Estate Agent. He was out there selling Sunny and said there were stacks of Easterners looking to be 15min from the city and Sunny it tip top for that.
A sure sign of gentrification in Yarraville was
1) when the Sun Theatre re-opened (as you say in your blog… new shops etc adapting to the new cultural requirements of the new residents), and
2) when the TAB closed.
…all over red rover for ‘old Yarraville’.
Love the blog… keep it up!
Thanks mate! Funny you should mention the Sun Theatre. I just learned that a current computer store on Hampshire Rd used to be a theatre….. going to look into that more closely! cheers
Just confirmed with some folk I know that grew up around Sunshine… The computer store, just near the rail overpass was indeed a cinema. It was “The Sunshine Theatre”, one of only two in the area. The other, “The Roxy” was on Ballarat Rd, closer to Braybrook. Believed that this one had been pulled down. The nearest other cinemas back then were on Footscray.
Looking forward to your post!
Just found your blog, really enjoy reading your posts!!