By A Curious Local
There’s something about the inner west that’s hard to put into words. Maybe it’s the scent of simmering pho broth mingling with Ethiopian coffee beans as you wander through Footscray Market. Or the way the skyline boasts cranes of change, yet your neighbour still gives you the same home-made treats they have for twenty years. Either way, the charm of our neighbourhood isn’t just in its streets, it’s in its stories—and right now, Open House Melbourne wants to hear them.
The Stories of the City campaign is a callout to all Melburnians to crack open the doors and reveal the often-overlooked tales that make our city hum. And our suburbs are bursting with untold gems.
I’ve lived in the inner west all my life. I’ve watched Vietnamese bakeries share walls with tattoo studios and an old school delicatessen re-emerge as a new school ice creamery. All the while there’s been the quiet endurance of generations who’ve made this place their home. What’s behind the old sweet shop near the station? Who lived in that grand weatherboard with the overgrown garden? How many migrant dreams started in the tiny back rooms of Barkly Street?
We pass these places every day, but how often do we stop to wonder what they’ve seen?
Open House Melbourne is no longer just about grand architecture or fancy facades—it’s about the heartbeat of our community and they’re inviting locals like you and I to share stories and photos of places we think deserve a spotlight.
Got a great yarn about your grandmother’s sewing circle in the 70s? Maybe you know the history of that mysterious blue door on your street? Or perhaps your family’s lived above the same shopfront for three generations – those are the stories that bring real colour to our city.
Don’t worry if you’re not a born storyteller – they’re looking for curiosities and culture. You can contribute online through a simple form. They want the quirky, the heartfelt, the oddball, the everyday magic. In other words: pure and unfiltered.
So, neighbours, let’s fling open the figurative doors and show Melbourne what we’re made of. Let’s preserve the stories behind the shopfronts, the terraces, the corner stores, and the secret laneways. Because when we share our stories, we share the soul of our city.
To get involved, head to openhousemelbourne.org/stories-of-the-city. You’ll find everything you need to submit a story, photo, or idea. Submissions are open until 5 June and collectively, these stories will form a special exhibition, held over the Open House Melbourne Weekend in July, at the Bates Smart Gallery.
I, for one, can’t wait to see the inner west take centre stage.
