Living Local: Frankie

When Frankie and her partner first moved from Fitzroy and were looking to buy a house, of all the places they looked, Kensington was the big surprise: “we couldn’t believe our luck when we stumbled across this gorgeous little pocket. One of the first things I noticed was that Kensington was like a village in a city”. 

It didn’t take long for Frankie to become passionate about Kensington, which she describes as “a cross between Fitzroy and Albert Park”. And that’s because of the people who live here. 

“This is such a safe spot for people who have different and diverse tastes and diverse needs. It’s very forward-thinking. You can be whoever you want to be in Kensington.”

Everyone’s welcome. You can live free without judgment here. And it just makes everyone comfortable really quickly.” 

She also describes it as “open at the edges, but community at its core. Once you find your community in Kensington, it’s pretty tightly held. The ties are strong. They hold each other dear.”

Frankie would know. She has lived here for nearly a decade. In that time she has started a family and built a business, The Dirt Company, which has sustainability at its core. For both of these important undertakings, Kensington was the perfect choice.

When it comes to raising a young family, Kensington made life easy, both in terms of the community values that surrounded her family and for young professionals looking for a well-rounded life without having to stray too far from their home neighbourhood.

“The reason we came, and stayed in Kensington rather than moving out, is because it feels safe, it feels comfortable, but you still feel as though you have access to every type of lifestyle you could ever want. You can tap into many different lifestyles here. There aren’t too many things you can’t do in Kensington.”

Or put another way, “Kensington has a super large range of amenities, including young bars, restaurants, shops etc. But rather than Kensington being ‘hip’ and ‘young’, I would describe it as a bit more of an old soul. It’s like your much-loved nonna’s house.” The perfect place, in other words, to raise a family.

Kensington is also the sort of place that aligns very much with people who want to make a difference. Take Frankie’s commitment to sustainable living as an example: “Kensington was like hand-in-glove when it came to our business. Our first customers were the people in our street. They want the convenience of inner-city life, but they want to do the right thing. People in our suburb really care. 

And now, nearly ten years after first moving here, every time she drives up Epsom Road into Kensington from the north, Frankie feels like she’s coming home.“As you drive up the Epsom Rd hill into Kensington – that’s the way I always come home on my way from the airport – there are these big old oak trees. It’s like you’re driving into Melbourne, almost into the CBD, yet you have this quiet street with oak trees everywhere. It’s beautiful at any time of the year – you can really see the seasons of Melbourne when you drive along that road. And yet, this is a main road almost in the centre of a really big city and it’s sleepy and beautiful. It hits me every time.”

⦿ Frankie’s Local Recommendations

top kensington places for coffee

• Grounded house 
• Fruits of Passion 
• Local Fold 

top kensington places to eat

• La Tortilleria – authentic Mexican 
• The Abyssinian – amazing African food 
• Clay Oven – Kensington’s best pizza 
• Henry St Brewhouse – hidden brewery with a fun story 
• Fruits of Passion – best all-rounder café; Carla knows everyone’s name (and their children)