The Italian and Greek communities began to challenge the Labor party's Anglo-Celtic membership. A further sign of change was when the New Northcote Brick Co. sold its quarry to the council for a tip. The Northcote Plaza was opened on the unquarried land in 1981 and expanded when the tip was filled. By the 1980s the spread of gentrification crossed the Merri Creek from Fitzroy North. The local brickworks had bestowed a solid terra cotta building stock.
Many houses are double-fronted, or weatherboard California bungalow.
In 1996 the census population for nearly the same area as the former municipality was 43,956.