Humans of City North: Fiona Whitworth

By day, Fiona plays a leading role in finding ways to use RMIT locations and platforms for common growth as the Associate Director for Precincts within the Policy, Strategy and Impact portfolio at RMIT University and by night, she enjoys soaking up the incredible mix of culture, green spaces, and character that the City of Melbourne has to offer. Precinct development is not just a job for Fiona but a passion deeply rooted in her personal connection to Melbourne. But there’s more to Fiona’s story and connection to Melbourne and the City North district than her job title.

By night, Fiona is a proud Melburnian, immersing herself in the city’s rich culture and activities. Her connections to Melbourne and City North are many and varied, spanning over three decades! City North is where she studied back in the 1990s when completing her arts degree at Melbourne Uni, and again more recently, where she completed her PhD.

Fiona set up her first home away from home at the City North precinct, moving into a small terrace house in Carlton with a friend. It has also been a place she has focused on for work on different occasions, from the City of Melbourne to roles at Queen Victoria Market, Uni of Melbourne and now RMIT.

Although Fiona was born overseas, she grew up in Melbourne, arriving here as a nine-year-old when her family chose to settle down in the Dandenong Ranges in the outer east. As a teenager, she was always intrigued by the city. She was excited to go to the University of Melbourne, catching the train into the city and the tram up to Parkville before moving to Carlton.

Apart from a five-year stint in London, Fiona’s story has always been centred around Melbourne. She has also worked for the City of Melbourne on three occasions and had the opportunity to work at two of the city’s most important public sites – Federation Square and Queen Victoria Market.

Fiona is passionate about making an impact through her contribution at work, particularly on things we share as a community. She wants to make things better in whatever way she can.

Fiona enjoys learning about the city’s many stories and reminiscing about how she has seen it develop over time. She reflects on the city’s incredible mix of culture, green spaces, and character. Even though it has changed a lot, she feels that the essence is the same, and she always feels at home in Melbourne.

Her earliest memory of Melbourne is coming into the city on the train with her mum and sister to see the Lego exhibitions on the top floor of Myer. Going to the big department stores felt like a real treat, and she does miss that sense of history those shops used to have. It’s great that traditions like the Myer Christmas windows live on.

As for the future of Melbourne’s City North district, Fiona would like to see a greater reflection of the area’s Indigenous culture and connections. There are some very significant sites in the area, and Fiona would like to see those stories shared.

Fiona hopes that the area becomes even better known and really celebrated as a distinctive district of Melbourne, maybe with a new name that reflects its history and the many and varied roles it has played over time – and continues to play.

This is Fiona’s story.