Future Melbourne

Lygon Street: can Melbourne’s Little Italy find its next chapter?In this episode of Future Melbourne, we sit down with Sergio Alderuccio, president of Carlton Inc., to explore the past, present and future of one of Melbourne’s most iconic streets.From its roots as the birthplace of Melbourne’s café culture to its golden era as a bustling hub of Italian life, food and celebration, Lygon Street has long held a special place in the city’s identity. Sergio shares his personal connection to the strip, the stories that have shaped it, and what it meant at its peak — from packed-out festas to unforgettable moments like World Cup celebrations spilling into the street.But like many high streets, Lygon St is changing. We unpack the challenges facing traders today, from shifting consumer habits and foot traffic to vacancies, safety, cleanliness and the evolving mix of businesses along the strip. As new cultures and cuisines reshape the southern end, questions are being asked about what “Little Italy” means in 2026 — and whether the street can, or should, return to its roots.We also explore the role of Carlton Inc. in supporting traders and activating the precinct, the push to revive the Lygon Street Festa, and the growing collaboration between businesses and residents around a shared vision for the street’s future.This is a conversation about identity, evolution and what it takes to keep a great Melbourne street alive.

How safe is Melbourne’s CBD — and how much of the concern is perception versus reality?In this episode of Future Melbourne, we speak with Inspector Dale Huntington, Victoria Police’s Local Area Commander for Southbank and Melbourne East, about the evolving safety picture across central Melbourne.With crime and amenity becoming defining issues in recent years, this conversation takes a calm and considered look at what’s really happening on the ground. We discuss crime trends in the CBD and surrounding precincts, the impact of COVID on the city’s rhythm, hotspot areas, retail theft, youth offending, knife crime, public order and the challenges of policing one of the busiest and most complex urban environments in the state.We also explore how Victoria Police is responding through initiatives like Operation Harmony, the role of neighbourhood policing, the emergence of the City of Melbourne’s Community Safety Officers, and the importance of working with council, businesses, residents and support services when responding to issues around homelessness, mental health and visible drug use.Inspector Huntington brings decades of operational policing experience to the conversation, including major events, public order, transport safety and executive leadership within Victoria Police. He offers a valuable perspective on what safety means in a modern global city — and what Melbourne needs to do to remain both safe and welcoming in the years ahead.

In this episode, we dive into one of the most pressing issues facing Melbourne — housing.From affordability and supply to planning, density and the role of government, the conversation around housing has become central to the future of our city. As Melbourne continues to grow, the challenge is not just building more homes, but building the right homes in the right places.Joining me today is Rob Pradolin — founder of Housing All Australians and former General Manager of Frasers Property Australia — who has become a leading voice in the push for practical, system-wide reform across Australia’s housing sector.During this discussion, we unpack what’s driving the housing crisis, where the system is falling short, and what needs to change to deliver more accessible and sustainable housing outcomes.

In this episode we’re heading to Melbourne’s waterfront and one of the city’s most debated neighbourhoods – Docklands. Over the past two decades, Docklands has grown from former port land into a major urban renewal precinct now home to more than 18,000 residents, thousands of workers and some of Melbourne’s most recognisable waterfront spaces. But it’s also a place that continues to attract strong opinions about what it is — and what it should become. Joining for the discussion is Docklands resident, former City of Melbourne councillor and co-president of emerging Docklands group Community3008, Jamal Hakim. In this conversation we’ll explore Docklands’ history, the challenges it’s faced in recent years, and the opportunities that could shape its future as Melbourne continues to grow.

In this episode we take a closer look at the future of Melbourne’s CBD and the economic forces shaping it in the years since the pandemic. Few cities in the world experienced the disruptions of COVID quite like Melbourne. Long lockdowns, changing work patterns and the rise of hybrid work have all reshaped how people use the city. Office vacancies remain high, foot traffic has shifted, and the conversation about how to revitalise the CBD is still very much underway. Joining for the conversation is Stephen Mayne — former City of Melbourne councillor, founder of *Crikey*, and one of Australia’s most well-known shareholder activists. Stephen has spent years analysing the intersection of politics, business and governance, including during his time on council where he oversaw the city’s finance portfolio. In this episode we explore how Melbourne’s CBD is evolving, what the City of Melbourne can realistically do to bring people back into the city, and what the next chapter of the central city economy might look like.

Queen Victoria Market is one of Melbourne’s most recognisable landmarks — a place of fresh produce, family traditions, small businesses and civic history stretching back more than 145 years.But like much of the CBD, the market has been navigating a period of profound change. From a $268 million renewal program and the impacts of COVID, to shifting consumer habits and tensions around trader costs and governance, QVM is evolving in real time.In this episode of Future Melbourne, we speak with Queen Victoria Market CEO Matt Elliott about leading one of the city’s most complex and beloved institutions. We explore the balance between heritage and modernisation, the realities facing traders, the future of the Peel Street and general merchandise areas, and how the market fits into a changing central city.What does a thriving Queen Victoria Market look like in 5, 10 or even 20 years? And how do you renew an icon without losing what makes it special?This episode is part of Future Melbourne, a podcast series by Hyperlocal News, publisher of CBD News, Docklands News, Southbank News and North West City News, proudly supported by Good One Creative.