{"id":200095,"date":"2019-09-05T18:18:29","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T08:18:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.australiantraveller.com\/?p=200095"},"modified":"2023-02-17T13:17:17","modified_gmt":"2023-02-17T02:17:17","slug":"10-of-the-best-things-to-do-in-fyshwick-act","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.australiantraveller.com\/act\/canberra\/10-of-the-best-things-to-do-in-fyshwick-act\/","title":{"rendered":"10 of the best things to do in Fyshwick, ACT"},"content":{"rendered":"
In decades past, Fyshwick had quite the reputation. You\u2019d find adult stores, ladies of the night and firework sellers galore, but you\u2019d be hard pressed to get a decent coffee. Now an urban reinvention is taking place and some of the city\u2019s most energetic innovators are heading just south of the city to create a new and exciting enclave of good food, emporiums and enterprise, alongside some of the stalwarts.<\/p>\n\n
Fyshwick isn\u2019t Canberra\u2019s prettiest suburb, which is no\u00a0surprise given its past. It once housed the Molonglo Internment Camp, built in 1918 in the fever-pitch days following the First World War. The plan to house thousands of German and Austrian nationals was short-lived and instead came hundreds of families from recently\u00a0closed camps in New South Wales. When those families were deported the following year the camp closed, but the streets that serviced it remained to become those of Fyshwick.<\/p>\n\n
In the early days of growing a brand-new city, the suburb was slated as a light industrial area and large commercial sites saw manufacturers, distributors and mechanics move in. Many streets bear the names of industrial towns as a nod to the area\u2019s beginnings.
\nFar from the world of shopping malls, Fyshwick is dotted with surprising finds and unique traders. It\u2019s a place where new meets old, with interesting pairings and\u00a0unlikely neighbours. The light industry continues, but a rebirth is occurring.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the vibrancy of the mix here that draws people: the\u00a0bespoke next to the chain, the handcrafted next to the manufactured,\u201d says Rebekah of vintage fashion store Material Pleasures. \u201cPlus, you can\u2019t underestimate the lure of free street parking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
It\u2019s an area Rebekah knows well. Her family has been associated with Fyshwick for decades, having bought one of the original blocks of land in Barrier Street auctioned in 1966 on the \u2018other side of the railway\u2019.<\/p>\n\n
But it\u2019s not just the old hands who inhabit this suburb, or visit. A new generation is being drawn here by new offerings, putting Fyshwick high on the hip list. For example, warehouse-laden Dairy Flat Road in particular has been reimagined, and now houses a collection of fresh faces, including a pop-up food and wine event, Forage, as\u00a0well as a drink-in brewery.<\/p>\n\n
Laurence Kain, one half of the founding team at Capital Brewery Co., is excited at the area\u2019s potential. \u201cFyshwick\u2019s a perfect spot for us, with room enough to allow us to grow our production, but close enough to stay connected to the community and allow us to offer a whole experience for our customers. We love it here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
The future of Fyshwick is looking bright as it continues to evolve. Move over, Braddon: Fyshwick\u2019s on the move. Here’s what to do while you’re there…<\/p>\n
Cool but cosy is the newly minted Wildflour, an artisan bakery and cafe.<\/p>\n\n
A reinvention of Remy\u2019s Bakery, it brings some of Canberra\u2019s favourite coffee gurus and foodies under one roof: Remy\u2019s stayed on to continue the famed sourdoughs and pastries, and all-day dining has been added to the mix, including coffee by Ona, another Fyshwick legend. Mums and dads will love the covered outdoor space and cubby house for the kids.<\/p>\n\n
Address:\u00a0<\/strong>8 Townsville St, Fyshwick<\/p>\n