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Hardy Gallagher Reserve

Hardy Gallagher Reserve is named after two men who fought to save this now beautiful parcel of open parkland bound by Lang Street, Park Street, Solly Avenue and Holtom Street West in North Carlton, Victoria. Those two men were Melbourne City Councillor’s Fred Hardy, and a prominent trade unionist, Norm Gallagher who were both passionate about making this area available for the public.

From 1888-1948 this area was used as a passenger train line and known as the “Inner Circle Railway Line”. From 1948 to the 1970s it was used as a goods line once or twice a day. In 1970 it was discovered that the Victorian Railways had leased this Crown land to a developer, Mr R.A. Rayner, who had plans to build a warehouse for use as a distribution outlet for Kimberley Clark products, mainly Kleenex tissues.

The newly established Carlton Association responded to this threat and rallied the residents. Fred Hardy, the Council representative for this area, was a member of the Labor Party and had contacts with the unions. This was how Norm Gallagher became involved.

It was Norm Gallagher’s dramatic intervention at 4.45 am on November 14, 1970 which brought the railway land campaign to national attention due to the arrest and later the jailing of Gallagher. In an interview, Gallagher said, “They thought that they could get away with pouring the concrete early in the morning when everyone was sleeping”.

Since the railway link was converted to a park, it has been planted with a mixture of native and indigenous trees and shrubs. In addition, many of the mature exotic trees planted when the railway line was first developed still remain.

The continuous strip of open space and presence of trees is home to many native birds. Hardy Gallagher Reserve also serves as a local recreational area with some seating, play equipment and walking paths. The historic North Carlton Railway Station now serves as a community centre, with the Montemurro Bocce Clubhouse and Rink also there. A popular bike path, the Capital City Trail, runs through the reserve following the original train track.

This serene, peaceful area was once the site of much local protest when residents and the unions stood up to developers and won. Despite the railway land campaign’s significant effect on future urban protests in Australia, it remains almost unrecognised and overlooked in the history of Melbourne’s inner city suburbs.

After the campaign of 1970 and 1971, it was agreed that the Victorian Railways would hand over the management of the land and the old railway station to the local council of the time. By 1973 the land was named Hardy Gallagher Reserve in recognition of the enormous contribution of Fred Hardy, Norm Gallagher and the residents. It remains Crown land today available to the community as a whole.