"Council has just voted to rename the Marrickville Rd Precinct as “Little Greece” 🇬🇷 This is about respecting our migrant heritage and continuing to build our multicultural future. To all the Greek Australians who have built Marrickville into one of the best places on earth we say simply, Efharisto 🙏🏼," Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne announced on Facebook.
The name and location of the precinct follow recent community consultation. This found that “Little Greece” was favoured over other alternatives such as “Little Athens.”
Marrickville has always been the home for the Greek community, where Greeks would go to the Deli’s or continental grocers, hang out at the kafenia or attend Greek School, church or political meetings.
“The Hellenic diaspora has done more to build multiculturalism in the Inner West as any other group. The contribution of Greek migrants over more than half a century has been central to making the Inner West the birthplace of Australian multiculturalism,” Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne previosly told Greek City Times.
To this day if you walk down Marrickville Road or Illawarra Road, you will hear Greek being spoken everywhere.
“Whilst Melbourne is famous as a Greek population centre, the truth is the Greek migrants in Marrickville have been there longer than any part of Australia. It is so important we recognise the contribution they have made…expressing thanks and respect to all of the Greek migrants and the descendants who have made it the Inner West it is today,” Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne concluded.