The FITZROY RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION is a community organisation first formed in 1969 in response to the planned large scale demolition by the state government of Fitzroy and North Fitzroy for redevelopment and erection of high rise flats. FRA aimed to maintain and renew the 19^th century housing stock and associated architecture of Melbourne's first suburb. After largely, but not entirely, winning this battle FRA was very influential with the Fitzroy City Council through to the early 80s on many policy fronts. 

FRA was revitalised in 1994 when the state government sacked all elected municipal councils and appointed Commissioners in their place. The Commissioners were unresponsive to residential amenity interests, and began granting large numbers of planning permits for late trading nightclubs and bars in areas immediately adjacent to resident homes. 

The Commissioners decided to close the "loss making" Fitzroy Swimming Pool, provoking a storm of community protest, leading to it being occupied by pool users and eventually the decision was reversed. Those same Commissioners closed the Fitzroy Town Hall, locating most council employees in Richmond Town Hall.

At much the same time deregulated planning laws were put in place by government which gave developers the view that the inner city area was ripe for piecemeal speculative demolition, and construction of buildings out of sympathy with the existing stock.

The objective of the FRA is simple: to keep Fitzroy liveable. 

Hence our areas of interest include:

 
• maintaining a proper balance between residential and commercial interests
• concerns over safety and noise levels in the streets, particularly in residential areas late at night
• trying to ensure new developments do not ruin Fitzroy’s unique character
• the preservation of heritage buildings
• opposition to encroachment of late trading nightclubs, entertainment venues and bars because of their detrimental effect on residential amenity
• reasonable car parking arrangements so that residents can park within walking distance of their homes

Fitzroy is about two to three kilometres north-east of the centre of Melbourne*, and home to about 20,000 people. Melbourne's first suburb, Fitzroy was a traditional meeting place for indigenous Australians prior to European settlers moving in to dispossess them in the late 1830s. Most current housing stock was built from the 1850s to 1890s and is largely terrace or row houses. 

Much of the area is intact because Melbourne's development moved outwards into undeveloped land. Initially a middle class area, Fitzroy became a working class area in the early to mid 20^th century as inner city living lost its attractions for the middle class in the wake of the automobile and urban sprawl. Many migrant families moved in, giving the area a rich diversity. 

 In the 1960's State Government planners decided the "slums" of the inner city should be demolished wholesale and replaced with high rise public housing blocks. It was in this environment that FRA was formed to protect the 19^th century fabric of buildings and the sense of community that had developed here. 

In the last thirty years Fitzroy has partly gentrified, giving us now a suburb that is one of the most diverse and densely populated in Australia. Fitzroy had its own municipal council until 1994 when it was amalgamated with surrounding areas North Carlton, Collingwood and Richmond to form the City of Yarra.

(*Melbourne is a city of 3.5 million people, located on Australia's south-east coast, about 15 hours flying time from Los Angeles, nine hours from Hong Kong.)