Edgelands

As my various longitudinal studies of places are based on inner older places in Melbourne, I’ve found in quite interesting to see what is happening on the edges of the city. The population since I’ve moved here in the late nineties has more than doubled while still really maintaining a miniscule population density. It’s only been around 25 years since there has been mass apartment living in the greater melbourne area and we have a dramatic housing shortage. The suburbs is swallowing former satellite towns like Melton. What used to be market gardens in areas surrounding Weribee are now housing estates.

I mainly see people driving solo in cars across Melbourne and people wonder why traffic is bad. Having taken the two train lines today, I’m stgagered at the number of apartment buildings that are under construction - it’s amazing to see but when you compare it to cities like Tokyo, Chicago or Paris, we’re way behind - I think. I love seeing the torrent of people from so many different cultures we have in Melbourne. The edgelands looks at the pressures put on the city, transport & people by government, migration and planning.

My paremeters are to make pictures around the ends of the metro lines of Melbourne, I’ve ignored for the time being the trunk lines and am planning on working on the following lines. “ Mernda, Hurstbridge, Lilydale, Belgrave, Packenham, Cranbourne, Frankston, Werribee & Sunbury.