⊸ News ⋅ By Emily Kulich
Published at 11:55pm on Friday 1 August 2025

COMMUNITY pressure is building against a McDonald’s proposed for Northcote’s Rucker’s Hill.

Above: 323 High Street in its present guise.

Darebin City Council received a planning proposal for a McDonald’s fast food restaurant at 323 High Street, Northcote, on 2 July. In a statement responding to community opposition to the proposal, a council spokesperson said Darebin will assess the application against zone and overlay requirements before making a decision.

An online petition against the proposal, created on 6 July, has already surpassed 10,000 signatures. It is unclear from the website how many petitioners are residents of the area, however many comments on the page claim to be from locals.

In a media release, Northcote Business Association president Andrew Mansfield said members of the group – which includes many independent food and retail stores on the strip – “do not believe that the granting of this permit for this business will have a positive outcome for our existing business community or be welcomed by our bordering residents.”

“Independent operators along the High Street precinct have built and curated a thriving mix of local businesses that have serviced our local community for decades. Given the existing 24-hour McDonald’s franchises that border our precinct – in Preston and Clifton Hill– our opinion is that the granting of this permit is both unwanted and unneeded.”

The NBA release noted the street’s magazine-bestowed status as “the coolest street in the world,” adding that a multinational fast food chain store would “undermine” the street’s identity and “erode the very qualities that earned the strip international acclaim.”

Specific concerns from traders noted by the association include increased litter, late-night disruption, traffic, and the impact on neighbouring food businesses.

The NBA is urging community members to make submissions to the City of Darebin, attend council meetings, and sign the petition.

Local burger joint, 300 Grams, responded to the news of its potential new nearly-next-door neighbour with a play on the McDonald’s menu.

In announcing a new offering(/trademark lawsuit) on social media, the local restaurant posted “Macca’s, we’ve already got Northcote covered for burgers, but as our way of welcoming you to the block, we’re offering the ‘Happier Meal’.”

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