Background

Footscray sits 5 km west of central Melbourne and is named after 'Foots Cray', a locality south-east of London on the River Cray in Kent. Footscray is sited largely on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. Footscray was home to the Aboriginal Woimurrung and Boonwurrung tribes of the Kulin nation for over 40,000 years.

Footscray is characterised by a very diverse, multicultural central shopping area, which reflects the successive waves of immigration experienced by Melbourne, and by Footscray in particular. Once a centre for Italian and former Yugoslavian migrants, it is now a hub for Vietnamese, and increasingly, East African immigrants in Melbourne. 

In 2006 less than half the population (41.1%) was born in Australia. The average person in Footscray is a youthful 33 years of age.

Central Footscray Shopping

Footscray shopping district is a vibrant and diverse destination. A stone's throw from central Melbourne, Footscray offers an experience unique in Victoria.

Shaped by its working-class roots and its immigration history, central Footscray a thriving centre of commerce, it is also a culinary treasure, offering more than 130 restaurants. Also home to the fresh produce of Little Saigon and the Footscray Market.

Sources:

• Wikipedia
• Maribyrnong Council
• Footscray Historical Society