Greek Precinct, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
The Greek Precinct, Melbourne in Victoria
, Australia
, is a Greek cultural
area centred around the eastern end of Lonsdale Street
in the Melbourne city centre
. The area runs adjacent to Melbourne Chinatown
on Little Bourke Street
.
According to the 2001 Australian census
, Melbourne
has the largest Greek Australian
population in Australia (151,785 or around 47%), and the largest Greek population
of any city in the World - outside of Greece
. Economic bilateral relations
between Australia and Greece are worth over A$
140 million.
Melbourne is also a sister city to Thessaloniki
, Greece’s second-largest city.
and Russell Street
, along Lonsdale Street
, in the Melbourne city centre
. It is home to a many Greek restaurants and Greek cultural
shops. Located on the corner of Lonsdale Street and Russell Street is the Greek Community Centre of Melbourne, and at 209 Lonsdale Street is the Sam Papasavas Building - the home of the Australia-Greek Learning and Resource Centre of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
(RMIT).
Located nearby, on the corner of La Trobe Street
and William Street
, is the Hellenic Foundation for Culture
's centre and the Hellenic Museum of Melbourne. Both the centre and museum are housed in the historic former Melbourne Mint
, and is contiguous with the National Centre for Hellenic Studies and Research of La Trobe University
.
In March 2009, the Government of Victoria and the City of Melbourne
announced that the Greek Precinct would receive a A$
3.5 million rejuvenation.
over a week in March, and has been held since 1987. The festival is renowned for its Lonsdale Street "Glendi" (Greek for "party") - a weekend-long event that is held to coincide with the Greek National Day
(March 25).
The annual Greek Film Festival is held in Melbourne over two weeks in September, and has been held since 1990.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, is a Greek cultural
Culture of Greece
The culture of Greece has evolved over thousands of years, beginning in Mycenaean Greece, continuing most notably into Classical Greece, through the influence of the Roman Empire and its Greek Eastern successor the Byzantine Empire...
area centred around the eastern end of Lonsdale Street
Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Lonsdale Street is located in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid, it runs roughly east-west. Lonsdale Street's eastern end intersects with Spring Street while its western end intersects with Spencer Street. It is home to multiple office buildings, courts,...
in the Melbourne city centre
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
. The area runs adjacent to Melbourne Chinatown
Chinatown, Melbourne
Melbourne, Australia's Chinatown is located within the Melbourne Central Business District and is centred near around the eastern end of Little Bourke St. It extends between the corners of Swanston and Spring Streets.-History:...
on Little Bourke Street
Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Little Bourke Street in Melbourne's CBD runs roughly east–west within the Hoddle Grid. It is a one-way street heading in a westward direction...
.
According to the 2001 Australian census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
has the largest Greek Australian
Greek Australian
Greeks are the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, after those declaring their ancestry simply as "Australian". In the 2006 census, 365,147 persons declared having Greek ancestry, either alone or in conjunction with another ethnicity....
population in Australia (151,785 or around 47%), and the largest Greek population
Greek diaspora
The Greek diaspora, also known as Hellenic Diaspora or Diaspora of Hellenism, is a term used to refer to the communities of Greek people living outside the traditional Greek homelands, but more commonly in southeast Europe and Asia Minor...
of any city in the World - outside of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Economic bilateral relations
Bilateralism
Bilateralism consists of the political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. For example, free trade agreements signed by two states are examples of bilateral treaties. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which refers to the conduct of diplomacy by a...
between Australia and Greece are worth over A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
140 million.
Melbourne is also a sister city to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greece’s second-largest city.
The Precinct
The Greek Precinct is located between Swanston StreetSwanston Street, Melbourne
Swanston Street is a major thoroughfare in the centre of Melbourne, Australia. It is historically one of the main streets of central Melbourne, laid out in 1837 as part of the Hoddle Grid, the layout of major streets that makes up the central business district...
and Russell Street
Russell Street, Melbourne
Russell Street is a north-south street in the central business district of Melbourne, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid laid out in 1837. At its southern end it intersects with Flinders Street and Federation Square, while at its northern end it becomes Lygon Street, a street famous for its...
, along Lonsdale Street
Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Lonsdale Street is located in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid, it runs roughly east-west. Lonsdale Street's eastern end intersects with Spring Street while its western end intersects with Spencer Street. It is home to multiple office buildings, courts,...
, in the Melbourne city centre
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
. It is home to a many Greek restaurants and Greek cultural
Culture of Greece
The culture of Greece has evolved over thousands of years, beginning in Mycenaean Greece, continuing most notably into Classical Greece, through the influence of the Roman Empire and its Greek Eastern successor the Byzantine Empire...
shops. Located on the corner of Lonsdale Street and Russell Street is the Greek Community Centre of Melbourne, and at 209 Lonsdale Street is the Sam Papasavas Building - the home of the Australia-Greek Learning and Resource Centre of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
RMIT University
RMIT University is an Australian public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. It has two branches, referred to as RMIT University in Australia and RMIT International University in Vietnam....
(RMIT).
Located nearby, on the corner of La Trobe Street
La Trobe Street, Melbourne
La Trobe Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly from east to west and forms the northern boundary of the CBD ....
and William Street
William Street, Melbourne
William Street is a major street in the central business district of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs roughly north-south from Flinders Street to Victoria Street, and is located in the western half of the Hoddle Grid....
, is the Hellenic Foundation for Culture
Hellenic Foundation for Culture
The Hellenic Foundation for Culture , founded in 1992, is a cultural and educational organization, based in Greece , which aims to promote Greek language and Greek culture.-Identity:...
's centre and the Hellenic Museum of Melbourne. Both the centre and museum are housed in the historic former Melbourne Mint
Melbourne Mint
The Melbourne Mint, in Melbourne, Australia, was a branch of the British Royal Mint. Until 1916 it minted only gold sovereigns, and all Australian coins between 1927 and 1967...
, and is contiguous with the National Centre for Hellenic Studies and Research of La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
.
In March 2009, the Government of Victoria and the City of Melbourne
City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
announced that the Greek Precinct would receive a A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
3.5 million rejuvenation.
Antipodes Festival
The annual Melbourne Antipodes Festival is held on Lonsdale StreetLonsdale Street, Melbourne
Lonsdale Street is located in the centre of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, part of the Hoddle Grid, it runs roughly east-west. Lonsdale Street's eastern end intersects with Spring Street while its western end intersects with Spencer Street. It is home to multiple office buildings, courts,...
over a week in March, and has been held since 1987. The festival is renowned for its Lonsdale Street "Glendi" (Greek for "party") - a weekend-long event that is held to coincide with the Greek National Day
National Day
The National Day is a designated date on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or non-sovereign country. This nationhood can be symbolized by the date of independence, of becoming republic or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler . Often the day is not called "National Day"...
(March 25).
The annual Greek Film Festival is held in Melbourne over two weeks in September, and has been held since 1990.