Why North Melbourne Was Once the Pub Capital of Victoria

The Imperial Theatre at 110-114 Errol Street, c1920s. Image credit Gerry Duggan

If you stroll through North Melbourne’s leafy streets today, the tidy terraces and boutique cafés hardly hint at a prolific culture of boozing.

At its peak in the late 1800s, North Melbourne (originally named Hotham) and adjacent West Melbourne boasted an incredible density of pubs, with around 116 licensed hotels packed into just a few square kilometres.

North Melbourne had one of the highest densities of hotels in Victoria during the boom years of the late 19th century.

By concentration, this challenged the number of venues in Fitzroy, Richmond, or Collingwood, which are still famously boozy suburbs.

Gold Rush Boom & the Rise of North Melbourne’s Pubs

Errol St in 1870s.

The discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 sparked a colony-wide population boom, from roughly 97,000 to over 538,000 by 1861, fuelled by thousands of prospectors and merchants.

Hotham quickly transformed into a critical staging area for miners heading north. Pubs like the North Melbourne Hotel sprang up immediately to serve thirsty diggers, becoming social hubs that doubled as recruitment centres, voting halls, and even makeshift courts.

By the 1870s, 79 pubs were operating in North Melbourne alone.

Temperance Movement and the Decline

Enter the Puritans. The sheer concentration of pubs made North Melbourne a prime target for Victoria's temperance movement. Between 1907 and 1916, reformers successfully pushed for widespread licence reductions.

Statewide, over 1,000 hotels lost their licences. North Melbourne was hit particularly hard.

Many pubs disappeared overnight or were transformed into sober "coffee palaces," ornate venues serving non-alcoholic beverages and promoting temperance values.

The Era of the Six-O'clock Swill

Mulcahy’s Hotel, North Melbourne in the 1950s. Now converted to apartments.

Those pubs that survived the temperance purge had another challenge to face: the infamous "six-o’clock swill." Legislation required pubs to close by 6 pm, forcing patrons into frantic post-work drinking sessions.

This era saw pubs adapted with long bars, hard-wearing interiors and no-frills hospitality, becoming refuges for working-class locals such as dockworkers and factory employees.

Pubs That Survived and Were Recently Refurbished.

Several historic pubs weathered these cultural shifts and still stand today. A wave of smart refurbishments post-COVID has resulted in some contemporary and charming venues.

The Courthouse (86-90 Errol St, North Melbourne ):

Originally the Peacock Hotel (1857), then “The Courthouse” for its proximity to the magistrates’ court, its 2023 refurb preserved its art-deco charm. Run by the team behind Naughtons in Parkville, this is a highly contemporary and charming joint.

Bobbie Peels (351 Queensberry Street):

Photo credit: Bobbie Peels

Housed in what was once the Sir Robert Peel Hotel circa 1910, this gastropub honours its heritage with a recent update. In true modern-day form, it even has its run club on Wednesdays.

The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of North Melbourne Pubs

The remarkable rise, fall, and rise again of North Melbourne’s pub scene is a testament to Melbourne’s enduring pub culture. So next time you sip a pint in one of North Melbourne’s beloved locals, remember you’re drinking in a neighbourhood with a uniquely spirited history.

In this case, history might just repeat itself. In many ways, it’s already happening.