Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library

Open

We’ve had record crowds visiting our spectacular new Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library, since it opened in April.

Located in the heart of North Fitzroy, this extraordinary community facility offers a range of services and activities for people of all ages, within a state-of-the-art building.

Bargoonga Nganjin means ‘Gather Everybody’ in Woiwurrung, the language of the Wurundjeri people.

To hear the pronunciation of Bargoonga Nganjin and find out more about Woiwurrung language, visit the audio visual display the entrance to the library.

Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library offers a range of programs and services to stimulate lifelong learning and creativity for adults, young people and children alike.

These include digital literacy programs, regular children’s storytime sessions, creative programs and events, including author talks, panel discussions, films and music performances as well as events in community languages.

The library also has a range of flexible learning spaces, which can be used for quiet study or group discussions.

Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library offers a range of programs and services to stimulate lifelong learning and creativity for adults, young people and children alike.

These include digital literacy programs, regular children’s storytime sessions, creative programs and events, including author talks, panel discussions, films and music performances as well as events in community languages.

The library has a range of flexible learning spaces, which can be used for quiet study or group discussions.

Where is Bargoonga Nganjin located?

182 St Georges Road, North Fitzroy

When is Bargoonga Nganjin open?

Aboriginal Yarra

The area now known as the City of Yarra stands on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people.
Their connection to the land and its waterways extends back tens of thousands of years to the beginning of time when their creator spirit Bunjil formed the land and all living things.

Colonial settlement impacted heavily on the Wurundjeri, but they survived and the strong bonds between families and clans could not be broken. It is a testament to the ongoing strength of the Wurundjeri people that Wurundjeri Elders continue to make us welcome on their traditional lands.

As well as the Wurundjeri, there are many other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are connected to this area. From the 1920s onwards, the suburb of Fitzroy in particular became an important meeting place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from tribes around Victoria and beyond, and the social and political hub of Aboriginal Melbourne.

Today this area continues to be a place of gathering, with the library at the heart, where everyone is welcome to come together, share and learn.

What does Bargoonga Nganjin mean?

Bargoonga Nganjin means ‘Gather Everybody’ in Woiwurrung, the language of the Wurundjeri people.

It is pronounced Bar-goon-ga Narn-yin. Watch the video below to hear it pronounced.

About Bargoonga Nganjin

Bargoonga Nganjin means ‘Gather Everybody’ in Woiwurrung, the language of the Wurundjeri people.

It is pronounced Bar-goon-ga Narn-yin. Listen to the pronunciation here.

The library

The building was designed by Collingwood-based architects Group GSA and built by Buxton Constructions.

Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library offers a range of programs and services to stimulate lifelong learning and creativity for adults, young people and children alike.

These include digital literacy programs, regular children’s storytime sessions, creative programs and events, including author talks, panel discussions, films and music performances as well as events in community languages.

The library has a range of flexible learning spaces, which can be used for quiet study or group discussions.

Maternal child health services and playgroups

The facility offers maternal child health and playgroup services, providing a range of support for local families. Services include child health and development, first time parent groups, feeding rooms, facilitated playgroups, community playgroups, parent information sessions and first aid sessions.

Council customer service

At the customer service counter, you can speak to our friendly staff about any Council services and programs, such as applying for a parking permit, paying rates or animal registrations, and all other Council-related matters.

The customer service counter is open from 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Community meeting rooms and activity spaces for hire

Bargoonga Nganjin offers a range of meeting rooms and activity spaces for hire by the community, including:

A large flexible community activity space that can accommodate up to 150 people.
Two medium-sized meeting rooms with audio visual facilities.
A conference room ideal for showing films or holding lectures.
Building features

A variety of environmentally sustainable design features see Bargoonga Nganjin achieve a six star Green Star rating – the highest environmental rating awarded by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Some of these features include:

• Solar panels on the roof providing up to 12.5 kilowatts of power.
• Facades to reduce heating from sunlight.
• Collection of rainwater for reuse throughout the building, provided through water storage tanks in the basement.
• An automatic irrigation system for rooftop garden plants, with moisture sensors, to minimise water usage.
• Energy efficient fixtures and fittings.

Getting there

Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library is located at 182 St Georges Road, North Fitzroy.

Public transport: Tram 11 (Alfred Crescent, Stop 21).

Bicycle parking is also available.

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Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library officially opened its doors on Saturday 8 April, bringing to fruition a state-of-the-art community facility and realising a long-held dream of the local community.

Over three levels, Bargoonga Nganjin is home to a library, maternal child health service, playgroup spaces, Council customer service centre, community meeting rooms, exhibition space and a spectacular roof top garden.

Yarra Mayor, Councillor Amanda Stone, said the community and Council were thrilled with the new building.

“Bargoonga Nganjin is a wonderful, modern facility offering a suite of community services for people of all ages, from newborn babies to seniors and everyone in between. It will support the lifelong learning and the ongoing health and wellbeing of our community for decades to come,” she said.

“This is a landmark building, right in the heart of North Fitzroy. The design is contemporary and striking, yet it sits harmoniously with the unique heritage character of the area.

“We are extremely proud that Bargoonga Nganjin has a six star Green Star rating – the highest environmental rating awarded by the Green Building Council of Australia. It has a range of sustainable features, including solar panels, water tanks, and shade panels to increase the building’s energy efficiency.

“The North Fitzroy community has been rallying for a new library since the early 1990s. They had a vision for a ‘library for the future’ and which has now been realised.

“The $17 million building was funded almost entirely by Council, with the assistance of a $1 million grant from the State Government’s Living Libraries and Community Support Fund.  In 2011, we compulsorily acquired the land at 182-186 St Georges Road, North Fitzroy, and the planning and design process began.

“It is thanks to the dedication of local residents, especially members of the Friends of North Fitzroy Library group and the project’s Design Reference Group, that we now have this amazing community facility,” said Cr Stone.