How 29 miserable neighbours ruined a wholesome pastime for Melbourne

The fun police are out in force and they’re coming for Carlton’s median strips.

On warm evenings, the wide grassy areas in the middle of the road on tree-lined Canning, Rathdowne and Drummond streets are filled with clusters of friends and neighbours sprawling around picnic blankets and couples lying on the grass with their arms around each other.

Cyclists whir past along bike paths as the sun’s last rays bathe the grassy expanse in a golden glow.

These wholesome scenes have been a feature of life in Carlton since the days when I was at uni student there, but a couple of whingeing neighbours seem to have put an end to it.

Drinking is no longer allowed along the wide green median strips along these Carlton streets after the local council received complaints about noise, rubbish and unsafe behaviour.

The City of Yarra has capitulated to the interests of a few inner-city residents over the rights and enjoyment of the broader community.

It’s a ban that can only be described as very Sydney. Our northern neighbours have a history of wowserism, littered with lockout laws and drinking restrictions.

The source of most of the hand wringing appears to be the area outside the Wine Corner Store on the corner of Canning Street and Alexandra Parade where patrons from the bar and bottle shop frequently grab a glass of wine and head over to the grass to enjoy it.

Following a petition with a paltry 29 signatures on it, the City of Yarra has classified all three median strips in Carlton as “part of the road” rather than a municipal reserve and so has prohibited drinking there.

But the wide expanses of grass in the middle of these roads are not your typical slim median strips. They’re more like public parkland that can easily accommodate groups of happy picnickers and wine drinkers.

The roads are quiet with a speed limit of 40 and they carry almost as many bikes as cars on a typical day.

Safety does not seem to be the issue, as the owner of the Wine Corner Store points out “children kicking a footy or people lying in the sun” are still allowed.

The problem is people enjoying a glass of wine.

Spend a few days in London or any other European city and marvel at how adults are trusted to take their beer or glass of wine and stand anywhere they like on the street near the pub rather than in a fenced off designated area.

The freedom is truly exhilarating.

The petition against the use of the Canning street median strip complains of litter, broken glass, noise late into the night and public urination.

Of course residents shouldn’t be subject to bad behaviour but providing bins and toilet facilities along with some friendly guidelines on being respectful of neighbours could be a good first step rather than an outright ban.

As the population of Melbourne continues to grow “third spaces” like Carlton’s median strips are becoming increasingly important.

It appears that a small number of nearby residents don’t like the revelry but for many who live in small houses or apartments without any outdoor area these third spaces where you can meet up with friends and family without spending money are essential.

Over the years Carlton’s median strips have been the happy location for birthdays, Christmas parties, even the occasional wedding.

During long COVID lockdowns a bit of outdoor time on the grass was a sanity saver.

Pick the right summer evening, and you might see an entire dinner party complete with chairs, tables and linen transplanted to an al fresco setting.

It’s magical, heartwarming and uniquely Carlton.

The backlash from the council’s ban has been immediate with many residents who support socialising on the median strips complaining that they were not consulted.

A rival petition has been created calling on the council to “Free the Strip: Protect Carlton North’s Community Green Spaces”.

City of Yarra mayor Stephen Jolly has sprung into action and says the council is looking at reclassifying the median strip as a park or getting the bar to apply for a parklet or outdoor trading permit.

What’s clear is that we need more opportunities for connection and community, not people sitting alone and isolated in their own homes complaining about others having fun.

There is a long history of advocacy in Melbourne’s inner north and if there’s one protest we can get behind it’s to protect our right to drink a chilled glass of rosé outdoors.

Movements are already under way for a mass picnic in protest or to occupy the space for a drink/sit in “like when they saved the pool, but drunk”.

To the barricades! (Or the median strip).

Cara Waters is The Age’s city editor.

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