What's the most Italian neighbourhood/suburb/area in Australia? (buying, gated)
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Got me curious, which area in Australia, particularly in the metropolitan areas, feels the most Italian? As in highest percentage of people with Italian ancestry and/or born in Italy, Italian groceries/delis, Italian restaurants.etc.
Melbourne is still the most Italian city, but I was a bit surprised that large parts of the metro aren't really that Italian at all, like most of the Eastern suburbs. It's mostly the northern and some western suburbs it seems. Like there's a suburb called Avondale Heights which is about 22% Italian, yet neighbouring Maribyrnong doesn't feel all that Italian. Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Keilor are all pretty Italian, as is Brunswick, although Brunswick seems to have more of a Middle Eastern/Turkish feel to me nowadays actually. I know the northern suburbs like Coburg, Nortcote, Preston, Heidelberg too. Carlton is of course the most famous Italian neighbourhood in Melbourne, but aside from the Lygon street restaurant strip and some Italian clubs it seems to be getting more Asian if anything with the influx of students.
In Perth the area south of Fremantle, South Fremantle, Cockburn, Hamilton Hill, Hilton, White Gum Valley is well known for Italians and other Southern Europeans. Lots of Italian restaurants.etc. Balcatta, Yokine, Tuart Hill etc too. A lot of Italians were involved in the fisheries industry out of Fremantle etc.
Not as familiar with the demographics of Italians and Italian Australians in the other capitals, but I think in Sydney it's the Southwest mainly isn't it?
Wollongong is noticeably Italian and a statistically high percentage, with Italian cultural events.
Leichardt in Sydney's Inner West is renowned as an Italian hub as well.
If we're talking rural areas as well as metros, then the area around Ingham in North Queensland probably takes the cake. Northern Italian migrants initially came to the area in the 1890s to work on the sugar plantations, and over time their families eventually started buying up the farms (plantations were divided up into family owned farms as per govt policy I believe) which their descendants occupy today (although there are also many non sugar related Italian businesses in the city). Census 2011 says Ingham itself is 23% Italian but it's likely over 50% have some Italian ancestry due to their presence being so strong in the area for 120 years! Ingham also hosts the Australian Italian festival each year which seems to be growing in popularity.
Griffith NSW also gets an honourable mention as it is another regional centre with a heavy Italian Australian presence.
In the metros it's a bit harder to identify the strong Italian enclaves. Obvious ones like Leichhardt and Lygon St Carlton are these days more like Little Italy theme parks than the genuine Italian neighbourhoods they were in decades past. Leichhardt is only 7% Italian and Carlton even less so. Italian families populated these inner city areas when they first arrived in Australia but eventually gentrification moved them on to outer suburbia. In Melbourne I believe the most Italian suburb is Greenvale (25%), while in Sydney the honour goes to Haberfield (23%). Even though these are more "authentic" than their respective more well known Little Italy precincts, the Italian ambience just isn't as prevalent. I can't speak for Haberfield, but for me Greenvale feels just like any other outer suburb - McMansions, strip malls, fast food places etc. No Italian ambience in my opinion whatsoever.
Having said all that though, a lot of Italians in Melbourne still gather in Lygon Street to meet up, socialise and watch soccer even though they live in the outer suburbs. In fact I'll be heading down there with a few Italian mates to watch the Italy v England World Cup game in a couple of weeks!
If we're talking rural areas as well as metros, then the area around Ingham in North Queensland probably takes the cake. Northern Italian migrants initially came to the area in the 1890s to work on the sugar plantations, and over time their families eventually started buying up the farms (plantations were divided up into family owned farms as per govt policy I believe) which their descendants occupy today (although there are also many non sugar related Italian businesses in the city). Census 2011 says Ingham itself is 23% Italian but it's likely over 50% have some Italian ancestry due to their presence being so strong in the area for 120 years! Ingham also hosts the Australian Italian festival each year which seems to be growing in popularity.
Griffith NSW also gets an honourable mention as it is another regional centre with a heavy Italian Australian presence.
In the metros it's a bit harder to identify the strong Italian enclaves. Obvious ones like Leichhardt and Lygon St Carlton are these days more like Little Italy theme parks than the genuine Italian neighbourhoods they were in decades past. Leichhardt is only 7% Italian and Carlton even less so. Italian families populated these inner city areas when they first arrived in Australia but eventually gentrification moved them on to outer suburbia. In Melbourne I believe the most Italian suburb is Greenvale (25%), while in Sydney the honour goes to Haberfield (23%). Even though these are more "authentic" than their respective more well known Little Italy precincts, the Italian ambience just isn't as prevalent. I can't speak for Haberfield, but for me Greenvale feels just like any other outer suburb - McMansions, strip malls, fast food places etc. No Italian ambience in my opinion whatsoever.
Having said all that though, a lot of Italians in Melbourne still gather in Lygon Street to meet up, socialise and watch soccer even though they live in the outer suburbs. In fact I'll be heading down there with a few Italian mates to watch the Italy v England World Cup game in a couple of weeks!
Leichhardt, specifically Norton Street is pretty dead these days. Other than Bar Italia & Bar Sport & Moretti's, its just another street. That forum is a monstrosity. Haberfield is better, IMO.
I feel Lygon Street still has a stronger Italian feel, however I've always preferred the restaurants in Faraday & Grattan streets anyway...
Getting excited for the world cup! Good times for viewing next weekend - Aus vs Chile Saturday and Italy vs England both at 8am.... viewings at a few cafes in Leichhardt.
If we're talking rural areas as well as metros, then the area around Ingham in North Queensland probably takes the cake. Northern Italian migrants initially came to the area in the 1890s to work on the sugar plantations, and over time their families eventually started buying up the farms (plantations were divided up into family owned farms as per govt policy I believe) which their descendants occupy today (although there are also many non sugar related Italian businesses in the city). Census 2011 says Ingham itself is 23% Italian but it's likely over 50% have some Italian ancestry due to their presence being so strong in the area for 120 years! Ingham also hosts the Australian Italian festival each year which seems to be growing in popularity.
Griffith NSW also gets an honourable mention as it is another regional centre with a heavy Italian Australian presence.
In the metros it's a bit harder to identify the strong Italian enclaves. Obvious ones like Leichhardt and Lygon St Carlton are these days more like Little Italy theme parks than the genuine Italian neighbourhoods they were in decades past. Leichhardt is only 7% Italian and Carlton even less so. Italian families populated these inner city areas when they first arrived in Australia but eventually gentrification moved them on to outer suburbia. In Melbourne I believe the most Italian suburb is Greenvale (25%), while in Sydney the honour goes to Haberfield (23%). Even though these are more "authentic" than their respective more well known Little Italy precincts, the Italian ambience just isn't as prevalent. I can't speak for Haberfield, but for me Greenvale feels just like any other outer suburb - McMansions, strip malls, fast food places etc. No Italian ambience in my opinion whatsoever.
Having said all that though, a lot of Italians in Melbourne still gather in Lygon Street to meet up, socialise and watch soccer even though they live in the outer suburbs. In fact I'll be heading down there with a few Italian mates to watch the Italy v England World Cup game in a couple of weeks!
Actually the stats make it fairly obvious, Italians are still pretty segregated/concentrated in certain areas, and their presence is quite obvious, even if they're integrating more than other groups because there isn't much of an influx anymore.
The map of the Italian-born gives some indication (though can't seem to find it, it's in one of the social atlases, the full version). A heavy concentration north of the CBD, less so east. Oddly Greeks concentrate a lot in the mid-eastern suburbs like Oakleigh.
Leichhardt, specifically Norton Street is pretty dead these days. Other than Bar Italia & Bar Sport & Moretti's, its just another street. That forum is a monstrosity. Haberfield is better, IMO.
Leichhardt is disgusting. It's sh!tty Eye-talian food that you would have probably expected to get in the 1970's. Haberfield is where it's at.
Yes, there's a 'wog' accent, shared by Greek and oddly enough, Lebanese, Turkish.etc Australians, but of course not all of those people have it. I think it's kind of like the 'ethnic broad' accent exemplified by Con the Fruiterer. The TV character 'Effie' and the TV series/films 'Fat Pizza', as well as the 'Superwog' youtube channel are the best examples.
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