Latest articles by Sean Car
Carlton welcomes first international hotel brand
Carlton has welcomed its first internationally branded hotel, with Crowne Plaza Melbourne Carlton officially opened on July 13 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Tourism Minister Natalie Suleyman.
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Da Guido La Pasta enters its next chapter
After 10 years on Lygon St, Da Guido La Pasta is entering a new chapter, with owner Mirco Cossavella using the milestone to reimagine the Carlton restaurant while preserving the Italian hospitality at its heart.
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Infrastructure plan puts focus on Carlton, Parkville and East Melbourne
The City of Melbourne’s new 10-year Community Infrastructure Plan has identified early years services, flexible community spaces, open space and partnerships with major institutions as key priorities for Carlton, Parkville and East Melbourne.
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New powers target Carlton eyesore
New state government reforms could give the City of Melbourne a stronger hand to pressure owners of long-vacant and derelict buildings to act, with Carlton’s former Cancer Council site among the most prominent local examples.
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Draft urban forest plan looks to protect Parkville’s green character
Parkville’s much-loved green character would be strengthened and made more climate-resilient under a draft urban forest plan set to go before the City of Melbourne on July 7.
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LINA backs urgent reforms to support local news
A national organisation supporting local and independent news publishers, which has just moved to Carlton, is ramping up calls for urgent changes to federal media bargaining reforms, warning that small newsrooms could again be left behind unless the proposed legislation is amended.
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Flower show extension sparks fresh Carlton Gardens concerns
A decision to extend the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show’s licence in Carlton Gardens until 2029 has reignited concerns about community consultation and the long-term protection of the World Heritage-listed precinct.
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“Tree-thousand” greening milestone marked in Carlton
The planting marks the delivery of the council’s 2026–27 commitment to add 3000 new trees across the municipality as part of its broader Urban Forest Strategy.
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MCG redevelopment progresses amid Yarra Park concerns
The Victorian Government has appointed the lead design and engineering team for a potential redevelopment of the MCG, in a move likely to be closely watched by East Melbourne residents already contesting the future direction of Yarra Park.
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“Tip the balance for good”: residents sound alarm over final Yarra Park Master Plan
The future of Yarra Park is again under scrutiny, with the East Melbourne Group preparing to hold an emergency meeting over fears the final master plan for the park will tip the balance too far towards commercial and event use.
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Discoteca Italiana brings Italian buzz to Melbourne Museum
Melbourne Museum will be transformed into a one-night-only Italian nightlife experience on Saturday, June 6, as Discoteca Italiana brings music, food, dancing and after-hours exhibition access to Carlton.
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La Mama to launch three-month season of bold new works
La Mama Theatre will launch one of its most anticipated annual programs on June 2, with EXPLORATIONS returning for a three-month season of brand-new works-in-progress.
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Academy students take flight with Mary Poppins production
Students from the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy have brought a touch of magic to the stage with their production of Mary Poppins, which began on May 20.
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Royal Exhibition Building marks 125 years since birth of federal parliament
Australia’s democratic story returned to one of its most symbolic stages earlier this month, as national and state leaders gathered at Carlton’s Royal Exhibition Building to mark 125 years since the opening of the nation’s first federal parliament.
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Council backs St Nicholas Church redevelopment in East Melbourne
The City of Melbourne has approved a long-running planning application for St Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in East Melbourne, giving the green light to a heritage-sensitive redevelopment.
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Potter Museum announces major exhibition exploring the art and meaning of the gum tree
The Potter Museum of Art has announced a major new exhibition that will explore one of Australia’s most enduring and complex symbols: the gum tree.
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Calls grow for a master plan to guide Lygon Street’s next chapter
The idea of a long-term master plan for Lygon St is gaining momentum, with traders, residents and civic leaders increasingly converging around the view that Carlton’s most iconic strip needs a coordinated strategy to secure its future.
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La Mama lines up two sharp and funny May shows with STUCK and GAG REFLEX
La Mama is set for a lively and darkly funny May, with two new productions bringing very different kinds of comedy to its Carlton stages.
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University Square upgrade a centrepiece of council’s new Garden City push
A major second stage upgrade of University Square in Carlton is set to be one of the headline local green space investments in the City of Melbourne’s draft 2026-27 budget, as the council prepares to pitch more than $26 million for new and improved parks across the municipality.
Read MoreYarra Park master plan nears finish line as residents push back on “commercial creep”
A new long-term master plan for Yarra Park is understood to be close to finalisation, setting up what could become one of the most consequential planning updates for East Melbourne’s best-known public space in more than a decade.
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