Free the Strip! Melburnians fight back against outlawing of much-loved picnic spot
News Source
β’Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:12:42 GMT
π° What Happened
Dozens of people held a picnic on a grassy median strip in Carlton, Melbourne, on Friday. They shared punch and chips on Canning Street. The picnic was a protest against a new council ban on drinking there.
Yarra council brought back an old rule. It means the median strips on Drummond, Rathdowne and Canning streets are no longer treated as parkland. The council says residents complained about noise, rubbish and unsafe behaviour.
A petition asking the council to drop the ban gathered more than 7,700 signatures in a few days. The protest itself stayed friendly.
π The Backstory
The strip has been a local meeting place for years. People use it for picnics, chats and small parties. The ban followed a resident's petition in August that collected only 29 signatures.
A nearby bottle shop shared the news on Instagram, and the story spread quickly. Greens candidate Adam Pulford invited people to join a peaceful protest. Locals say public spaces matter even more since COVID, when many places to meet closed.
π― Why It Matters
Small public spaces shape daily life in a neighbourhood. This fight shows how fast a local decision can turn into a wider debate about who shared places belong to.
Dozens of people held a picnic on a grassy median strip in Carlton, Melbourne, on Friday. They shared punch and chips on Canning Street. The picnic was a protest against a new council ban on drinking there.
Yarra council brought back an old rule. It means the median strips on Drummond, Rathdowne and Canning streets are no longer treated as parkland. The council says residents complained about noise, rubbish and unsafe behaviour.
A petition asking the council to drop the ban gathered more than 7,700 signatures in a few days. The protest itself stayed friendly.
The strip has been a local meeting place for years. People use it for picnics, chats and small parties. The ban followed a resident's petition in August that collected only 29 signatures.
A nearby bottle shop shared the news on Instagram, and the story spread quickly. Greens candidate Adam Pulford invited people to join a peaceful protest. Locals say public spaces matter even more since COVID, when many places to meet closed.
Small public spaces shape daily life in a neighbourhood. This fight shows how fast a local decision can turn into a wider debate about who shared places belong to.