The South Melbourne Commons ('Commons') is a family friendly community hub.  The Commons helps to bring back the sense of living in our local South Melbourne neighbourhood - It's a public place where you bump into your friends and neighbours - It's a place you can visit to buy your fresh organic fruit, vegetables and groceries whilst your kids are engrossed in a gardening workshop.  Enjoy a meal and coffee in the cafe or just sit in our beautiful cafe garden and read the newspaper - everyone is welcome at the Commons.

The Commons provides the local community of South Melbourne with valuable goods and services:

• a community café serving hot organic fair trade coffee and meals made using seasonal produce
• an organic grocery co-op providing fresh fruit, vegetables, cleaning products and common grocery items
• beautiful community food gardens which supply produce for our café and food cooperative
• children’s space featuring playgroups, gardening club, parties and after school activities
• a community hall that you can hire for your functions and events
• affordable office and meeting spaces for community groups
• a playground and much more.

The South Melbourne Commons project is a partnership between Friends of the Earth Australia, The Father Bob Maguire Foundation and the Parish of St Peter and St Paul. Friends of the Earth have leased part of the old Galilee Primary Schools from the Parish of St Peter and St Paul.  The building has undergone a sustainable retrofit to accommodate several social enterprises and provide valuable community services in this now public space.

All enterprises at The Commons must adhere to strict environmental guidelines outlined by Friends of the Earth.  All enterprises must have a social purpose and give something back to the local community.

The Commons is also a place for education.  Targeted signage displayed around the site educates our visitors about the sustainability features present.  Apples and Jam also ensure that our kids minds are engaged and switched on to sustainability thinking.

The Commons aims to be a sustainable community hub, services as a model to motivate residents, community groups and facility managers perform sustainable retrofits on their homes and buildings.

The Commons is the first project to be delivered by the FoEA Eco-Market campaign that aims to explore issues in Australia's food & grocery retail sector and provide Australians with a sustainable alternative to supermarket shopping.

Getting to The Commons

Located on the corner of Bank & Montague St in South Melbourne, The Commons, is a short walk from either the bus or tram/light rail stops, there is limited parking at the site.

Tram & Light Rail:

• Take tram 96 St Kilda Beach/East Brunswick to Stop 127 South Melbourne Station
• Take tram 1 South Melbourne Beach/Coburg to Stop 27 Montague St/Park St, South Melbourne

Bus:

• Bus to corner of Montague/City Road South Melbourne.  Routes 250 / 251
• Bus to corner of Montague/Dorcas St South Melbourne.  Route  253