Northcote Rise

It’s Halloween today, and we have to be honest with you. Northcote just isn’t that scary.

Half of High Street already dresses in black on a regular Tuesday. The vintage racks are full of long dark coats all year round. Fake cobwebs would barely get a second look.

The scariest thing around here is missing the last tram home after a gig. Or getting to your favourite cafe and finding the pastries sold out before 10am.

So we’ll leave the haunted houses to someone else. But if you spot a witch or two wandering down the strip today, give them a wave. They’re probably just heading to brunch.

And if you’re after a bit of retail therapy, a bite to eat, a gig or a few drinks with your mates, come and see us. Costume optional.

Happy Halloween from Northcote Rise.

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Not every part of Northcote Rise is about coffee and live music. Some of it keeps the whole neighbourhood ticking along.

Welcome to the business end of High Street.

At Shop 3/405 High Street, Mortgage Choice helps locals sort out home loans, investment loans, commercial lending, leasing and insurance. They’re a good crew to have a chat with before you sign anything big.

Ray White is in the mix too, looking after the property side of things, whether you’re buying, selling or renting in the inner north.

And at 4/405 High Street, Otto handles IT support from behind that bright green shopfront you honestly can’t miss. Their motto is “Humanising Technology”, which we reckon is a pretty good goal.

Three local businesses, all doing the practical stuff that keeps Northcote running. Next time you’re passing, pop in and say hello.

It’s finished! 🎨

Local artists Creature Creature have completed their Northcote Portraits artwork at , and we’re so proud to finally have Ambrose and Chanel’s work on High Street Northcote.

Rendered in signature ornamental style, the artwork draws on the colours and character of the businesses that have called this corner home, past and present. Birds, fruit and blossom weave together in soft washes of peach, gold and sky blue, a nod to the stories layered into this little piece of High Street. Next time you grab a coffee at Little Local, take a moment to stop and look up.

And there’s more on the way:
✨ At Lam Lam, is painting a beautiful portrait that tells the story of the site's past and present.
✨ At Leonard St, is creating an intricate botanical in fine linework honouring the clothing businesses that have called that location home.

Each artwork is a reminder that our streets hold more than shops and buildings. They hold memories, milestones and stories worth keeping alive.

Northcote Portraits celebrates the people, places, stories and history that make Northcote Rise what it is. The full project launches in November, with more details to come.

Keep your eyes on High Street. There’s plenty to discover and more artwork to come.

For over 8 years, Fort Green has been creating more than just a place to move, it’s built a community where everyone feels welcome.

Founded by Bannie, a former yoga teacher with a background in exercise science and nutrition, fortgreenstudio was born from a desire to create a space where community comes first, without the ego or pressure that can sometimes surround fitness.

Today, the studio offers a range of yoga styles, mat Pilates and barre classes, with something for everyone, from complete beginners to seasoned practitioners. With a passionate team of teachers and more than 50 classes a week, there are plenty of ways to find your flow.

New to yoga or Pilates? You don’t need to know your downward dog from your warrior pose. Fort Green is all about moving mindfully, feeling good and finding what works for you without worrying about what anyone else is doing.

You can even get started with their $119 introductory offer, which gives you one month of unlimited classes to explore different styles and teachers. Right now use code TAKE20 for $20 off their 1 month introductory offer.

A proud part of Northcote Rise, Fort Green celebrates the local connections and supportive small-business community that make High Street such a special place to be.

Pop in, roll out your mat and discover your new favourite way to move.

📍 202A High Street, Northcote

Who’s making a little artistic magic on High Street Northcote today?

None other than local favourites Creature Creature! 🎨

Ambrose and Chanel are bringing their incredible creativity to Little Local as part of the Northcote Portraits Project, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to finally have these two creating something special on High Street Northcote.

Pop by littlelocal_dc today, see what they’re up to and watch the artwork come to life. They’ll be putting the finishing touches on it today, so this is your chance to catch them in action!

We’re very honoured to welcome creaturecreaturestudios to Northcote Rise and can’t wait to share the finished piece with you.

Northcote Portraits celebrates the people, places, stories and history that make Northcote Rise what it is. And this is another exciting piece of that story.

"How long have you been doing this?" is a small question that tends to open up a lovely conversation.

Traders on this strip carry decades of muscle memory, trial and error, and quiet pride in their hands — the kind of thing that never quite makes it into a product description, but is always worth asking about.

🌏♻️ Happy World Op Shop Day! ♻️🌏

If you love a good op shop rummage, High Street Northcote is a pretty great place to spend an afternoon.

Northcote Rise is home to a brilliant mix of op shops, each with its own character and plenty of treasures waiting to be found — from vintage clothing and retro homewares to books, records and those completely unexpected finds you didn’t know you needed.

Op shopping is about so much more than finding a bargain. It’s a great way to shop more sustainably, give pre-loved things a second life, support important community organisations and, let's be honest, have a bloody good rummage.

Whether you’re a seasoned thrifter or just enjoy seeing what you can find, take a wander along High Street and check out the op shops that make Northcote such a great spot for pre-loved shopping.

And while you’re there, say hello to the wonderful people behind the counters who keep these places running.

Tag your favourite Northcote op shop below 👇

• Save the Children
• Salvation Army
• Uniting Op Shop
• Sacred Heart Op Shop
• Red Cross Shop

Last week we celebrated 50 years of Dixon’s. This week, we caught up with the legend who started it all, and he still lights up talking about records.

David Dixon grew up in a big, musical family, learning to put the needle on his sister’s 78s when he was barely tall enough to reach the turntable.

Later on when he told his uncle he wanted a business of his own, the advice was simple. “Make your hobby your business, David.”

So he did. A stack of 5,000 secondhand 45s became a little shop in Blackburn, and half a century later is still going, with a shop right here on High Street.

The Northcote store has been part of Northcote Rise for five years now, and David is the first to say the staff are the heart of it. Plenty of them are musos and mad collectors themselves, and when something unusual comes in, it goes straight on the turntable.

Fair warning though. The 70s stuff moves fast, especially Pink Floyd and AC/DC, and a copy of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours never hangs around for long.

Pop in, have a flick through and say hello. Here’s to the next 50.

There’s a sweet story behind the walls of , and artist has poured time, care and craftsmanship into creating an artwork that pays tribute to the confectionery businesses that once called this building home.

It’s a wonderful nod to High Street’s past, celebrating the businesses, people and stories that have shaped Northcote Rise over the years. Damian’s attention to detail and dedication to bringing this piece to life is something special, and we’re thrilled to see his work become part of the streetscape.

As part of the Northcote Portraits Project, this artwork is a reminder that our streets hold more than shops and buildings. They hold memories, milestones and stories worth keeping alive.

Northcote Portraits celebrates the people, places, stories and history that make Northcote Rise what it is.

The full project launches in November, with more details to come.

Keep your eyes on High Street. There’s plenty to discover and more artwork to come.

🎶 Dixons Recycled Records is turning 50!

And if you haven’t been in for a while, tomorrow is a pretty good excuse to pop in and have a dig.

For five decades, Dixons has been buying and selling records, CDs and DVDs, and along the way has become part of the story of Melbourne’s music-collecting community. Thousands of records have passed through the store — some rare, some unexpected, and plenty that have ended up as firm favourites.

To celebrate 50 years, is asking customers to share their favourite Dixons memories using — whether it’s a record you hunted down for years, a brilliant unexpected find, a favourite staff member or simply a memory of the store.

So this Saturday, head up High Street, grab a coffee, have a wander and get digging at Dixons.

You never know what’s waiting for you in the racks.