National

Victoria

Life in the ’burbs

Opinion

Nina Culley Writer September 15, 2025 — 7.00pm

It was the summer of ’21, peak season for being newly single, and I’d just moved to Carlton. My ex, bless him, helped carry my worldly possessions (boxes of books and an Ikea lamp) from our neatly stacked Brunswick East apartment to the other end of Lygon Street.

My friends asked why I’d chosen Carlton over trendier suburbs like Fitzroy or Collingwood. I had to agree with them. There’s something a little uncool about Carlton – though it’s hard to put my finger on what.

Carlton’s got just as much grit as Brunswick, with its gangland past, graffiti, and clusters of faded housing commission blocks. And it’s not boring, either. It’s got all the inner-north trimmings: gift shops, wine bars

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