Abandoned student village
Another weekend, another urbexpedition. I’m beginning to think I just shouldn’t go back to working at the pub on weekends!
The sky was suitably grey and melancholy. The company was suitably twisted and eager for exploration.
School’s out forever.
(Having a bit of fun with photoshop here…)
I didn’t find the place particularly depressing when I was there. The rooms are mostly empty except for a few pieces of destroyed furniture here and there; no personal belongings remain. But I just looked at some photos of the place when it was still a vibrant student village, showing smiling students hanging out there, and now looking back at my photos I feel a sense of sadness. These buildings saw people building new friendships, having fun together and creating memories. I wonder if they feel sad when they see the place now?
And this makes me particularly sad:
I don’t know who Sarah is but I hope she is safe…
x Kitten of Doom
Kitten of Doom 
Hey where is this place? It looks really interesting
Awesome photos. Loving the blog!
Thanks! I am enjoying your work as well. Saw you draw in one of the Secret Wars semis; ’twas a good competition.
This place is creepy as haha! Anyone ever been here at night? Gets uber unsettling. My friends and I visited it about 2 weeks ago (after midnight of course lol) and heard some pretty scary noises coming from the main dorm/rumpus room.
Been to this place a few times, including tonight actually. Im surprised to find vitually nothin on the internet about it, when it closed, the history of the building. I have friends who say their was a cabinet with the names of the in habiters and what not. Has a generally scary feel, but we experienced nothing except some awesome graffiti art. If anyone knows anything more about this place.. maybe before it was a village, i’d love to know.
I worked there today and it was creepy enough in the daylight. Obvious signs of inhabitants but I didnt actually see anyone. Some interesting graffiti art
I actually lived here for four years while I was studying. It dates back to WWII (part of the explosives factory) and was then opened as a Migrant hostel in the 1960’s and was then handed over to Victoria University and was student accommodation from 1991- 2016).
Some parts of the Residence (3rd Pick Down) was refereed to as the Long Room (those who have been there will know why) closed in 2001 and Victoria Police used the site for training on occasion.
The place may look depressing now, but back in its day it was home to 400+ Uni Students and before countless thousands of migrants who made Australia there home. The contribution this facility had on many lives is remarkable.
I left the Student Village’ in 2004 (it really should have been condemned before then). But it was a great place to live, good memories and good friends.
Former Student and Resident at Student Village.
Thanks for your message Mike! If you care to elaborate on the ‘long room’ please do; sounds interesting!
It was opened as a student village in 1989- I was there the first year, when I attended RMIT. Lots of good memories. I was student treasurer for that year, being responsible for upgrading the “hanger” into a student recreation hall, buying pool tables, pinball and table tennis tables. Rooms were modest, but so was the boarding costs. Only around three hundred students that year, but we all made the most of it. Bugger all supervision so we had the run of the place, driving an old Valiant under the circular building(it was vacant and off limits) playing “The Running Man”, chasing down students who would dive into the alcoves before we sped past….walking on top of the walkways between buildings to save a trip down the stairs and cutting into the telephone cables and wiring up a “Red Box” to call home….no mobiles then.
Fond memories and great community. Wonder what they are all doing now…
Sounds like you had a great time! 😉
Please don’t feel sad…These now dilapidated buildings saw not only new friendships made that continue to last to this day, but also many relationships that turned to long term partnerships and marriages. I wonder how many children are the result of their parents meeting at “The Village”?! There was always friendly inter-college rivalry and if you were bored then a quick walk was all that was needed to find someone else out and about. 1995-1997
Charlotte Bull?
So sad to see the place the way it is now. I lived there for half a year in 2003 and met a great deal of good people. That “Hanga” was the place for great parties in 2003. A bit run down, but friendly people and great atmosphere. I actually wonder what went so wrong for it to end up like this!? There were enthusiastic people running things, arranging events and activiest back then. What happened between 2003 and 2016 for it all to end up in such a sorry state?
The Village was a terrific place to live in the early 90s. Whyever was it abandoned?? It could be used for homeless housing now! Why isn’t it?