Fairfield and Alphington

Fairfield and Alphington are approximately 6km north-east of Melbourne's CBD and share the local governments of Darebin and Yarra.

Fairfield is 6km north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District and its local government area is the Cities of Darebin and Yarra.

Fairfield has a population of about 6 thousand people. The Fairfield Post Office opened on 21 February 1887 and has since relocated. The historic Grandview Hotel was completed in 1888.

Fairfield is predominantly residential, with a small north-eastern pocket remaining light industrial area. The lively Station St shopping district has a mix of businesses including cafes, bars, restaurants and food and wine specialists.

Alphington is primarily a residential suburb 7km from the CBD and has a population of around 3,500. Its local government area is the Cities of Darebin and Yarra.

Alphington shares a postcode with neighbouring Fairfield, and is bounded by the Yarra River in the south and the Darebin Creek in the east.

What's happening in Fairfield and Alphington?

Find out the latest news and developments going on in your neighbourhood from park upgrades to major planning developments. Keep informed and get involved!

  • Our Fairfield Village - We are planning for the future of Fairfield Village, including how we can enhance public spaces, manage development and respond to transport pressures. Visit yoursay.darebin.vic.gov.au to stay up to date with this exiting project.
  • Art Spaces - Fairfield Library - We offer art space at Fairfield Library free of charge to artists, community groups and schools for a period of four weeks.

Getting around

Fairfield and Alphington is well connected by public transport, you can catch a train, bus or tram to get around to your favourite cafes and local haunts!

Alphington

Train: Alphington Station (Hurstbridge Line)
Tram: No tram in Alphington, nearest Route 86
Bus: Route 508, Route 350, Route 546, Route 567
Walking and Cycling: Hurstbridge Line Shimmy bike route, Darebin Creek Trail

Fairfield

Train: Fairfield Station (Hurstbridge Line)
Tram: No tram in Fairfield, nearest Route 86
Bus: Route 508, Route 510, Route 546, Route 567, Route 609
Walking and Cycling: Hurstbridge Line Shimmy bike route, Christmas Street Shimmy bike route, Darebin Creek Trail 

For more information

Download a Darebin TravelSmart map or collect one from any of our Libraries or Customer Service Centres.

Places of interest

Have you visited the top places of interest in Fairfield and Alphington? The Darebin Parklands provide a great day out walking or cycling, and the Spiritual Healing Trail is a walk you can do to reconnect with the land.

Alphington and Fairfield Play Map

Play is so important for children’s health, wellbeing, learning and development. This map is a celebration of simple, inexpensive ideas to get all children playing, while exploring all the wonderful places and spaces Darebin has to offer!

We reached out to the children and families in playgroups, child care centres, kindergartens and Primary Schools across Darebin to ask them what THEY enjoyed when and where they play. These consultations formed the backbone to creating the Darebin Play Maps.

The Play Maps are designed to be used by children and families to stimulate ideas, give prompts and mark out the local spaces that children love to play in. While every effort has been made to make sure the play suggestions are appropriate, families need to use their own common sense and boundaries to ensure that their children are safe.

View the Alphington and Fairfield play map(PDF, 4MB) .

  1. FIDO - Fairfield Industrial Dog Object
  2. Station Street, Fairfield
  3. Darebin Parklands, Alphington
  4. Spiritual Healing Trail
  5. Alphington Community Centre
  6. Darebin Creek Trail
  7. Pitcher Park, Alphington
  8. Fairfield Library
  9. Parks and Reserves Fairfield or Alphington

Walk along the Spiritual Healing Trail at Darebin Parklands

Darebin Parklands, Yarana Road, Alphington

The trail was a gift from the Aboriginal community as a gesture of reconciliation. The trail aims to promote good health and wellbeing by providing a sense of connection to the land. The trail was established by Aboriginal Elder, the late Uncle Reg Blow in partnership with Darebin. 

Your community

Connect with your local community in Fairfield and Alphington. Are you an artist looking for inspiration or a volunteer wanting to donate your time to a local organisation?

Fairfield

Alphington

Connect with Alphington Community Centre on Facebook

History

Fairfield and Alphington have a rich history. The Weslyan chapel built in 1858 (today’s Uniting Church) and a two story bluestone shop (756-8 Heidelberg Rd) are the oldest buildings in the Northcote/Heidelberg area.

  • The Centenary Dairy in Alphington, started in 1934 when George and Agnes Cutts built a dairy and milk bar. It remained in the family until it closed in the 1980s.
  • In 1854 130 plots were offered for sale at "Alphington Village" estate, named after William Manning's home town in Devon, England.
  • St Paul's Anglican Church was established on 9 August 1885 at the corner of Station Street and Railway Place. The church started the first school in Fairfield in 1885. That school was subsequently managed by the State government and went on to become Fairfield Primary School.
  • John Adams opened a general store in Alphington and became the first postmaster in 1858.
  • In 1919 the Australian Paper and Pulp Co. mill was established becoming the largest industrial complex in the district.

Find out more at Darebin Heritage.

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