The Yarraville Story
By John Granger
Yarraville … a midway train stop between Footscray and Williamstown with heavy industry on the Maribyrnong River. Whilst this is true, the essence of Yarraville is vastly different.
The soul of Yarraville is in its shopping area and its citadel is the magnificent art deco Sun Theatre in Ballarat Street. The main, narrow thoroughfare, Anderson Street, is from another era – one that frowned on motorised conveyance. The railway gates and the pub (Railway Hotel) are also a tight fit in an area that has a real 1940's feel … actually, a discarded pink ‘Sporting Globe’ would not be out of place! But Yarraville really works. There are coffee spots, diverse eating options, trendy bars nearby gardens, the renowned Sun and a real village feel.
The ‘Yarraville secret’ has been out for some time, and it has become a hot spot for young families, students and professionals who are attracted by its charm and proximity to the CBD, Westgate Bridge and Williamstown beach. In turn, they have influenced Yarraville’s direction in business and real estate. Ballarat Street really buzzes on weekends and, apparently, was THE place to be in 2016 when the Bulldogs grabbed the AFL flag.
The Rotary Club of Yarraville was chartered in 2003 and is one of District 9800’s smaller clubs (twelve members) with the large proportion of its projects being local … with a notable exception. After a site report from Club member and Past District Governor Iven Mackay, the Club secured a D9800 Foundation District Grant and completed a school water project in Isabela (approximately 8 hours north of Manila). Known as the WASH project and jointly administered by the Rotary Club of Great Marikina Valley in the Philippines, it addressed the school’s unhygienic sanitation, bucket toilet flushing and poor handwashing facilities and, upon completion, provided a connected filtration structure, clean water and a new toilet system.
Taking Rotary International’s centenary celebrations to heart, Rotary Yarraville has embarked on a program of 100 repeated acts of kindness in 100 days – ambitious, but absolutely achievable for a club that punches way above its weight. In another community initiative, the Club also procured discarded playground equipment and arranged its recycling and erection in a designated playground facility at Wembley Park Primary School.
A makeup visit to this enthusiastic Club is highly recommended. The Club meets each Wednesday at 6.15pm at the Yarraville Club, 135 Stephen Street, Yarraville – a village where a unique formula of ‘bespoke’, ‘daggy’, ‘old’ and ‘new’ bubbles contentedly together, producing an environment of history, charm and community.