FYSHWICK, ACT
HIP HOOD
INDECADESPAST,Fyshwickhadquitethereputation.
You’dfindadultstores,ladiesofthenightandfirework
sellersgalore,butyou’dbehardpressedtogetadecent
coffee.Nowanurbanreinventionistakingplaceand
someofthecity’smostenergeticinnovatorsareheading
justsouthofthecitytocreateanewandexcitingenclave
ofgoodfood,emporiumsandenterprise,alongsidesome
ofthestalwarts.
Fyshwickisn’tCanberra’sprettiestsuburb,whichis
nosurprisegivenitspast.ItoncehousedtheMolonglo
InternmentCamp,builtin 1918 inthefever-pitchdays
followingtheFirstWorldWar.Theplantohouse
thousandsofGermanandAustriannationalswas
short-livedandinsteadcamehundredsoffamiliesfrom
recentlyclosedcampsinNewSouthWales.Whenthose
familiesweredeportedthefollowingyearthecamp
closed,butthestreetsthatserviceditremainedto
becomethoseofFyshwick.
Intheearlydaysofgrowingabrand-newcity,the
suburbwasslatedasalightindustrialareaandlarge
commercialsitessawmanufacturers,distributorsand
mechanicsmovein.Manystreetsbearthenamesof
industrialtownsasanodtothearea’sbeginnings.
Farfromtheworldofshoppingmalls,Fyshwickis
dottedwithsurprisingfindsanduniquetraders.It’sa
placewherenewmeetsold,withinterestingpairingsandunlikelyneighbours.Thelightindustrycontinues,
butarebirthisoccurring.
“It’sthevibrancyofthemixherethatdrawspeople:
thebespokenexttothechain,thehandcraftednextto
themanufactured,”saysRebekahofvintagefashionstore
MaterialPleasures.“Plus,youcan’tunderestimatethe
lureoffreestreetparking.”
It’sanareaRebekahknowswell.Herfamilyhasbeen
associatedwithFyshwickfordecades,havingboughtone
oftheoriginalblocksoflandinBarrierStreetauctioned
in 1966 onthe‘othersideoftherailway’.
Butit’snotjusttheoldhandswhoinhabitthissuburb,
orvisit.Anewgenerationisbeingdrawnherebynew
offerings,puttingFyshwickhighonthehiplist.For
example,warehouse-ladenDairyFlatRoadinparticular
hasbeenreimagined,andnowhousesacollectionoffresh
faces,includingapop-upfoodandwineevent,Forage,
aswellasadrink-inbrewery.
LaurenceKain,onehalfofthefoundingteamat
CapitalBreweryCo.,isexcitedatthearea’spotential.
“Fyshwick’saperfectspotforus,withroomenoughto
allowustogrowourproduction,butcloseenoughtostay
connectedtothecommunityandallowustooffera
wholeexperienceforourcustomers.Weloveithere.”
ThefutureofFyshwickislookingbrightasitcontinues
toevolve.Moveover,Braddon:Fyshwick’sonthemove.ONCE AN industrial hub and the topic of hushed conversations, the ACT’s
Fyshwick is being REINVENTED thanks to a band of forward-thinking
ENTREPRENEURS and a FEAST of new delights. Long-time LOCAL
Christine Aldred reveals some of its HIGHLIGHTS.
CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT:
Spend a lazy few hours at
Fyshwick’s Capital
Brewing Co.; Stop for a
coffee at Piccolo Market
Coffee while you browse
the Niche Markets; A
dragonfly in its wetlands
home.PHOTOGRAPHY: ASHLEY ST GEORGE (PICCOLO COFFEE); CHRISTINE ALDRED (URBAN PROVIDORE, WILDFLOUR, DESIGNER OP SHOP)