Abbotsford Heritage Walk

Noteworthy spots

The Abbotsford area was traditionally part of the lands of the Wurrundjeri people of the Kulin nation. With the European settlement of Melbourne from 1835, the land along the Yarra River became a site for early homesteads, such as The Rest and Abbotsford House, but soon saw the development of noxious industries on the riverbanks.

In more recent years many of these locations have been replaced by large-scale residential blocks. Abbotsford was part of the City of Collingwood from 1855 to 1994. A walk-through shows glimpses of the original riverside bushland, early industry and 19th century settlement. There's also the diversity of more recent settlers such as the Vietnamese community.

Collingwood Town Hall

In 1883 there were arguments in the council chamber over the priority of street repairs versus construction of a town hall to rival the one in Fitzroy. Construction of this grand town hall commenced in 1885. The architect was George Johnson and it is considered to be an outstanding example of this type of municipal structure. Collingwood Town Hall is on the Victorian Heritage Register.

St. Philip’s Church

The open space next to the town hall was the site of the earlier St. Philip’s Church which opened in 1865. The bluestone church was demolished in 1968 due to declining attendances and lack of finances to repair the deteriorated building. The Vicarage was built next door in 1866 in the same style as the original church building. It is little changed on the exterior. It was designed to look into a garden which was originally laid out by patients of the Yarra Bend Asylum.

297-301 Victoria Street

Built in 1888 for Joseph Gabriel, a chemist who occupied the corner site, these are particularly ornate examples of the Italianate style, by architects Powell and Whitaker. The unusual shopfront windows are original. From Charles Street, enjoy the view of Kretzschmer’s carvings of Hygeia, the Goddess of Health, on the side of the shop.

Skipping Girl Vinegar Sign

‘Skipping Girl’ vinegar, made in Abbotsford, was introduced at the start of the 20th century. The bottle featured a young girl with a skipping rope, and in the 1936 the manufacturer brought its label to life with a neon sign on the vinegar factory. After the factory was demolished, the 1930s version of the sign was replaced with a smaller version on this building in 1970. Mystery still surrounds the identity of the real ‘Little Audrey’. The 1937 building, and its 1929 neighbour at 655, are excellent examples of Moderne style as applied to industrial architecture. This sign is on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Yarra Falls Spinning Mill

Yarra Falls Spinning Mill was established in 1917 to assist in providing war supplies and in a response to the wartime shortage of textile yarns. By 1923 the mill was producing 25,000 pounds of spun yarn per annum, and employed 600 people, many of whom lived in low cost housing owned by the company. The site has now been redeveloped. The remains of the old chimney can be seen through the new development. Look for the history plaque at 8-10 Trenery Crescent.

Victoria Park

Victoria Park was built on part of Dight’s Paddock and was the long standing home ground for the Collingwood Football Club. The Club was founded in 1892 and won its first premiership in 1896. For its first 50 years almost all the players were Collingwood residents, and although this has changed in recent years the ‘Magpies’ remain an important focus of Collingwood identity. Victoria Park is on the Victorian Heritage Register.