The economic depression of the 1930s saw thousands of Melburnians thrown out of their homes and into the streets.

However, these actions did not go unopposed, as across the city pickets, occupations and protests were organised to disrupt and prevent evictions and auctions.

This walking tour visits the sites of some of Melbourne’s fiercest anti-eviction battles in the northern Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.

Listen now or download for later

Download audio file (Iain-McIntyre-Lock-out-the-landlords-PeoplesTour.mp3)

This tour has six stops and is 20 minutes long. Download the file here (14 mg).

Your tour guide Iain McIntyre

Iain is an author, radio presenter and musician who has contributed to a number of publications including Rolling Stone, Chain Reaction and The Big Issue about Australian and international music, history and popular culture.

He has edited Tomorrow Is Today: Australia In The Psychedelic Era, 1966-70 for Wakefield Press, self published a book on the AIDEX ’91 anti-arms fairs protest and contributed radical dates to Community Radio 3CR’s 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Seeds Of Dissent calendars.

Iain’s latest book is How to Make Trouble and Influence People, published by Breakdown Press in October 2009. It reveals Australia’s radical past through tales of Indigenous resistance, convict revolts and escapes, picket line hi-jinks, student occupations, creative direct action, media pranks, urban interventions, squatting, blockades, banner drops, street theatre and billboard liberation. It includes stories and anecdotes, interviews with pranksters and troublemakers, and 300 spectacular photos documenting the vital history of creative resistance in this country.

Getting there

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Public transport

• Train: catch the Upfield line to Jewell Station and walk north to Dawson Street. At Dawson Street turn right, walk past Brunswick Library. The Town Hall is on the corner of Dawson Street and Sydney Road.
• Tram: catch the 19 Coburg tram from the City, get off at Brunswick Town Hall.

Car

• Public parking opposite Brunswick City Baths on Dawson Street, turn left off Sydney Road.

Bike

• Take the Upfield bike path and at Dawson Street, turn right. Bike parking in front of Brunswick Town Hall.

Credits

This tour was recorded and edited by Nicole Hurtubise, produced by Community Radio 3CR and funded by the Office of Public Records Local History grant program.

2009 Melbourne Fringe Festival event

We were proud to be part of Melbourne Fringe Festival. Check out the photos on Flickr of the Fringe Festival walking tour on Sunday 11 October 2009, led by Iain McIntyre and Margaret West.