Established in 1887 and located 15 km northwest of Melbourne, St Albans is now a melting pot of cultures with more than 50 percent of residents being born overseas.
Based on the 2011 ABS census, St Albans is a very multicultural area with 53.5% of residents being born overseas and has a high proportion of non-English speaking background residents. Divided into two area - east and south, St Albans is one of the most populous suburbs with more than 35,000 residents (based on 2011 census).
Its ethnic composition is predominantly second and third generation immigrants with 43% of its population belonging to Southern or Eastern European origin, particularly from the Balkan region. Asian migrants, particularly from Vietnam and the Philippines, also made the area home. In the past few years, the suburb, which used to be a grazing land, has been seeing a big increase of refugees from Africa.
Politically, in the federal state, it is part of Maribyrnong electorate currently held by the leader of the opposition, Bill Shorten. It has its owns state electorate held by Natalie Suleyman, also of Australian Labor Party.
St Albans has three train stations -- Ginifer on St Albans Rd; St Albans, also on St Albans Rd, which serves as a bus link; and Keilor Plains on East Esplanade
The place is good in education as several primary and secondary schools are located there. Victoria University has a campus in the area.
Unfortunately, the 13-square kilometre St Albans once earned in 2014 the dubious title of being "the homicide capital of Victoria."
Joseph, a resident of St. Albans has this to say.
Boyet has this to say about St. Albans.
Snapshots of St Albans
St. Albans Source: SBS Filipino / C. Rivera
St Albans Source: SBS Filipino / C. Rivera
AMES Australia Source: SBS Filipino / C. Rivera
St Albans Uniting Church Source: SBS Filipino / C. Rivera
Filipino establishment
There was a time when the area had at least two Filipino stores, and a restaurant, but one of them moved to the nearby suburb while Ria Filipino Groceries remains in the place.
Ria Filipino Groceries in St. Albans Source: SBS Filipino / C. Rivera
