Montague, a precinct like no other …

Well, dear readers. We are already in March 2021 and it doesn’t seem that long ago that we were in March 2020 with the new and stark reality of COVID-19.

The challenges we were about to encounter were beginning to filter into our psyches and then directly into our lives.

Today, it is as if we have all gone through a collective trauma and some of us have done very well and come out stronger and others sadly have had more significant damage to their businesses and lives.

In saying that, however, life is pretty much back to normal in Montague. The construction in every major street is overwhelming and street traffic, pedestrians, bikes, scooters, skateboards and any other form of mobility are back at full pace.

Some businesses have never been busier as attested by the amount of people around, particularly getting coffees in our great local cafes.

We are very sad to report that one of the businesses that did not survive 2020, although they gave it a red hot go, is the Golden Fleece on Montague St.

This wasn’t just our local pub, it was the place where the Montague Community Alliance held its public meetings, some of which were sponsored by this stellar publication Southbank News.

We are very sorry to see Sam and his team leave Montague and we wish them all good fortune in the future.

And talking of this publication, the Montague Alliance would like to congratulate Sean Car and his team on the launch of two new local papers, Inner City News covering East Melbourne, Carlton and Parkville and North West City News, covering North and West Melbourne, Kensington and Parkville Gardens.

It is clear that community communication is not just popular and desired, but crucial in informing us as collectives, neighbourhoods and suburbs. Thanks, team!

As we are able to get out and about again it is time to bring back our “Meet a Montaguean questions”. We are delighted to introduce one of our neighbours Helen Robertson. If you see her say hi … we are after all a precinct like no other!

Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself …

My name is Helen Robertson and I am an IT program manager. I am a passionate foodie who loves to cook and entertain, particularly Thai and Vietnamese. My other hobbies include travel and photography. I live with my partner, Ivan, in an apartment in South Melbourne above National Storage (which used to be the Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Factory). 

What brought you to live or work in the Montague Precinct?

We moved into Beacon Cove back in 2017 after returning from Sydney and New Zealand where we had both been working for the past four years. Prior to leaving for work in NZ, I lived in Box Hill. After two years of renting in Beacon Cove, I decided to sell my townhouse in Box Hill and buy something inner-city. Our apartment is quite quirky and currently undergoing renovations. We love being walking distance to the CBD, Southbank and wonderful South Melbourne Market.

What are the best or most interesting things about living/working in Montague?

We love being walking distance to the CBD, Southbank and wonderful South Melbourne Market. As I go out on my walk every morning, I try to find new things to photograph and a great coffee shop to enjoy. My favourites are Jimmy the Saint on Gladstone St and The Relief Unit in Park St, which also serves delicious bacon butties. I love the diversity of buildings in the area, old and new; modern and traditional and the many restaurants and wine bars that are on our ever-growing list to try. 

What are the challenges about living/working in Montague?

The greatest challenge living in this area has to be the unprecedented construction going on that doesn’t appear to be well-governed and thought through in relation to impact on existing residents. The early morning starts, tradesmen’s vehicles taking up all parking spaces in local streets and construction vehicles blocking driveways means we struggle six days a week to lead a normal life that residents in the suburbs take for granted. We also live in an area where rubbish dumping in Woodgate St means we are constantly calling Port Phillip Council to come and clear away the rubbish. The lack of street lighting in this area is an ongoing cause of concern to our residents.

How does living or working in Montague affect your quality of life?

If there is one positive that I can take out of COVID, it is the opportunity to get out for a walk every morning and find new gems in the area, whether it be a cafe, photo opportunity, new wine bar (for the evening), or a new person to meet and say hello to. This wouldn’t have been possible if I was driving to work in Mt Waverley every day. The health aspects of walking every day cannot be overstated. 

If you could change something about Montague, what would it be?

If there was something in Montague I could change, it would be easily the volume of construction. The 109 tramline is already struggling with the number of passengers, especially when cruise ships are in Port between October and May and when these new 40-plus storey buildings are finished, how will our infrastructure support all of these additional residents? Are there plans for more supermarkets, parking, public transport, parks and gardens in our area, or are we just extending the CBD concrete jungle? •