Rockin' the Rock

Trip Start Sep 09, 2009

Trip End Ongoing

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Where I stayed

The Rock Backpackers

Flag of Australia Carlton, Victoria, Australia
Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Unique in so many ways, The Rock is an interesting place to say the least. After staying at various friends' apartments, hostels, and couchsurfers for weeks I stumbled upon this former backpackers on Gumtree.com that would become my home for a month. At first glance, visitors do not know what to make of this multi-level, dorm-style share house in Carlton, just a minute walk from the city. The place is literally falling apart. There are five bathrooms of which one is actually usable, there is random junk everywhere, there is amateur graffiti covering the peeling walls, the carpets and furniture are stained and worn, and the last thing you want to do is walk around barefoot. My "bedroom" is a 10-bed dorm room and I have the top bunk of a rickety piece of metal. There are snorers, sleep-talkers, and sleep-farters, but somehow I sleep like a baby every night. Cleaning the house to meet average standards is a lost cause and it probably needs to be gutted for a month. The phrase "Don't let the bedbugs bite" is actually worth saying every night. Most people looking for a decent home would not give The Rock a chance.

Yet there is something special about the place. Sometimes you get a good feeling when you walk into a house and that's all you need to keep coming back. With about 30 people living at The Rock, there are always someone around to talk to. The tenants: Mostly backpackers from the UK, Germany, Brazil, and various other countries. Some of the Irish have been there for months and have settled in. For others, it serves as a temporary home for people passing through or getting set up in Melbourne. While the house seems to be falling apart, the people living in it hold it together. During the week, everyone is on different schedules with work or school or whatever. But, when the weekend rolls around, the party begins. Everyone converges to the kitchen area where the stereo is constantly playing, the wine is flowing and the party usually stays there all night. Previous tenants who have found alternative accommodation or have gone traveling return to The Rock to hang out on weekends because it is the kind of place you never forget.

When you grow attached to anything, you want to hold on to it for as long as possible. The Rock is no exception, but you wouldn't expect it at first. People don't stay at this house for the comfort of a nice house with nice things. It serves a different purpose as an affordable place, close to the city that welcomes a community of travelers that form friendships during a time of
transition. Most tenants are just passing through but end up staying for longer than they expect. For some, it is their first stop of their travels in Australia, for others it is just another temporary accommodation until they figure the next step. That being said, not everyone can deal with the questionable condition of the house or the lifestyle that comes with it. But if you can get past the initial week, I bet you would stay longer. It's really too bad that the place is in such poor shape because it has so much potential.

Alas, all good things must come to an end...It has been decided that the share house will officially close its doors to renters sometime in the next month or so. This is not a surprise having witnessed the shower caving in, the ceiling leaking, and the overall condition of the house. I have already found another place to live in the quiet suburb of Kew, just outside the city, but I can almost guarantee that the current tenants haven't even started their apartment search. The Irish will most likely stay until the last possible moment before the place is condemned. When the water is shut off, they will just not shower or clean dishes. When there is no more electricity, they will use flashlights and candles. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but most of them will not leave until they absolutely have to. My new house is actually cheaper with my own room and much quieter, but it just isn't the same. I miss the atmosphere and the people, so I've been visiting on weekends or whenever I'm in the area. I can honestly say that its the best and worst place I've ever stayed in but also the most memorable.

R.I.P The Rock