A lot of us (of a certain age at least) will have fond memories of the local milk bar of our childhood. In the last couple of decades, however, milk bars have become a thing of the past, and now when you spot one it is a relic rather than the norm. Often we fail to really notice these everyday places until they have all but disappeared.

Corner milk bar with broken and faded signage
Exterior views of milkbars in Abbotsford, Victoria. 1983/1984. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/1
Store front with striped awning over front door and display window, Milk Bar sign at roof, advertising covering most of window
Exterior views of milkbars in Abbotsford, Victoria. 1983/1984. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/45

Luckily for us, photographer Christopher van der Craats set about photographing every local milk bar he could find around Melbourne’s suburbs over a period ranging from the late 1970s to mid 1980s.

Milkbar adjoining terraced house, newspapers advertised at roofline
Milkbars at unidentified location. 1978/1985. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/164
Double storey terrace building with ground floor milk bar, striped awning over door, cigarette advertising on window, milkbar placard on porch in front of door
Exterior views of a milkbar, Victoria. 1983/1984. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/120

In a statement he provided accompanying his donation in 2019, Van der Craats says “The Milk Bar is a significant cultural aspect of suburban culture before supermarkets and convenience stores. In the period between when they were taken and now they have disappeared almost entirely”. These images have recently been digitised and can now be viewed online via the Library’s catalogue.

Milkbar in residential street, houses on both sides. Name in pediment 'L E Corrigan' Lan Choo Tea advertised on parapet, newspapers on wall below parapet

Milkbars and convenience stores in unidentified locations. 1978/1989. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/155

Kiosk at the end of the St. Kilda pier, the name Kirby's on wall below roof, plastic strip curtain across door.

Exterior view of milkbars, St. Kilda, Victoria. 1983/1984. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/96

The first Australian milk bar was opened in Sydney in 1932 by Greek immigrant Mick Adams (a.k.a. Joachim Tavlarides).1 Milk bars proliferated all over the country between the 1930s-1970s before they were challenged by larger supermarkets and franchised convenience stores.2

Looking over this collection of photographs brought back so many memories – of now defunct treats and newspapers (Mello Yello, The Sun); of those Peter’s ice cream cone lights (it was rare to see one intact!); and of the ubiquity of cigarette advertising.

A single fronted milkbar with large porch roof over path, wooden fence on each side of front facade

Exterior view of a milkbar in Anglesea, Victoria. 1978/1989. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/6

Single fronted milkbar with porch over footpath supported by wooden posts, showing a variety of advertising and newspaper headlines in windows

Exterior views of milkbars in Brunswick, Victoria. 1983/1984. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/18

Brick corner building with porch over path around facade, newspapers advertised on wall above porch roof, parapet at roof, corner door; petrol bowser on path in front of shop.

Exterior view of a milkbar in Doreen, Victoria. [1978?]. Photo by Christopher van der Craats. This work is in copyright; H2019.250/32

As well as providing a handy spot to pick up the paper and your milk, milk bars also formed the heart of many communities. They were often owned and run by first generation migrant families and were important cultural hubs. They served a significant social function, helping to combat social isolation amongst some of the more vulnerable sectors of our communities.3 Milk bar photographer and enthusiast Eamon Donnelly, in his book Milk Bars states:

These sweet and colourful family run institutions helped shape our suburban landscape, supported our neighbourhoods and contributed to our diverse culture.4

Please visit our catalogue to find more of Christopher van der Craats’ recently digitised images. Perhaps you will recognize your local milk bar amongst the images. If you do, let us know!


More to explore

Want to see more photos and learn about the history of milk bars in Australia? The following items may be of interest to you:

Milk bars book by Eamon Donnelly

Milkbar : a photographic archive vol. 1 by Eamon Donnelly

Greek cafés and milk bars of Australia by Effy Alexakis and Leonard Janiszewski


References

  1. Alexakis, E & Janiszewski, L, 2016, Greek cafes and milk bars of Australia, Halstead Press, Braddon, A.C.T.
  2. Donnelly, E, 2018, The milk bars book, Eamon Donnelly, Melbourne
  3. Horne, S, 1984, A study of milk bars and corner shops in Melbourne: shopping as a social activity, Dept. of Social Studies, University of Melbourne
  4. Donnelly, E, 2018, The milk bars book, Eamon Donnelly, Melbourne, p 9

This article has 6 comments

  1. I would love to see the bonbeach and carrum ones

  2. The 4th picture (120) is on the corner of Grattan & Rathdowne st Carlton

  3. Yes it took me back – thank you to the artist – I’d forgotten about how much signage there was like the newspaper headlines in the wire racks on the footpath – just looking at these photos reminds me of the summer heat and the potential taste of a pine-lime splice….or maybe a golden gaytime…..or drumstick! Anyway thanks for re-sparking the happy memory.

  4. You guys have to check out gold st milk bar in Collingwood they have seriously done something special

  5. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4241971
    This now derelict milkbar in Richmond has always fascinated me, so incredible to see it in its heyday! Its on the corner of Burnley and North Streets.

  6. http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4241971

    This now derelict milkbar in Richmond has always fascinated me, so incredible to see it in its heyday! Its on the corner of Burnley and North Streets.

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