The City of Darebin’s southern boundary is five kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD. The municipality extends north for another 25 kilometres, bordered west and east by the Merri and Darebin creeks. Beyond are new fringe suburbs and industrial estates. Darebin is known for its manufacturing, producing shoes, furniture, car parts, paper products, stainless steel products and food. It has a strong traditional retail centre and a large shopping complex. Several small shopping strips have undergone a café led recovery. Darebin also has La Trobe University and the Northern Metropolitan Institute of TAFE.
20 years in Darebin
1981 – Population 134,000. Households shrinking as children leave home, many moving to new outer estates. Population declines steadily. By mid 1990s it is less than 128,000.
Late 1990s – Rejuvenation begins in south. Apartments and townhouses increase density. Population stops declining.
2001 – Population increasing and projected to grow steadily for 20–30 years.
By 2021 – Expected population 134,000. From 1981 to 2001, our families grew up, the number of young people fell, with a corresponding rise in adults aged 25–49, and adults over 60 years.
The number of southern Europeans dropped, but the proportion of our population born overseas remains stable with new residents from China, India and African countries.
Across Darebin there has been a dramatic shift in occupation, particularly in the south, from semi and unskilled labour to high skilled, white collar workers.
