Collingwood, Richmond, Fitzroy some of Victoria’s most densely populated suburbs

St. Kilda is the most densely populated suburb in Victoria, Australia’s most densely populated state (ACT aside). Only Coogee, Bronte and Bondi, West Sydney and North Sydney are more densely populated. But parts of Fitzroy and Collingwood are more densely populated still according to KPMG partner and population analyst Bernard Salt.

Victoria’s population hit 5 million recently, of whom 3.7 million lived in Melbourne as at June 2006, compared with 4.3 million in Sydney. Sydney only caught up with Melbourne’s size at federation, but Salt suggests Melbourne may overtake Sydney, the growth rate of which is less than Melbourne’s.

3 of best 10 cheap eats within this blog’sosphere

The Age has helpfully identified “10 of the best” — I like the modesty of these words in a best of list — inventive cheap eats. Southern Richmond’s Pearl gets an honourable mention for $16 eggs on toast (keep it real, Cheap Eats), but I have to admit it’s one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to, and you can go there for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a drink. Then the Builder’s Arms on Gertrude Street Fitzroy comes in at number 3 for a $14 “3 mint pea soup with smoked paprika butter with steamed prawns” which sounds rather good. And Replete just down from MLC in Hawthorn, but metres away from being Kew, gets another gong at #6 for $12.50 ricotta hotcakes with lemon curd and strawberries. Thanks to Flickr’s Spin Spin for the photo of an uncommonly unpopulated image of the Builder’s Arms.