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Eltham, Victoria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Alistair Knox Park)

Eltham
Suburb
Aerial photo of Eltham from the south-east
Aerial photo of Eltham from the south-east
Eltham is located in Melbourne
Eltham
Eltham
Map
Interactive map of Eltham
Coordinates: 37°42′54″S 145°09′29″E / 37.715°S 145.158°E / -37.715; 145.158
CountryAustralia
StateVictoria
CityMelbourne
LGA
Location
Government
 • State electorate
 • Federal division
Area
 • Total
13.2 km2 (5.1 sq mi)
Population
 • Total18,847 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density1,428/km2 (3,698/sq mi)
Postcode
3095
Suburbs around Eltham
Briar Hill Eltham North Research
Montmorency Eltham Research
Lower Plenty Templestowe Warrandyte

Eltham (/ˈɛlθəm/ ⓘ) is a suburb of Melbourne, 20 km (12 mi) north-east of the Central Business District,[2] located within the Shire of Nillumbik local government area. Eltham recorded a population of 18,847 at the 2021 census.

History

[edit]

A reserve for a village at the junction of the Diamond Creek and Yarra River is shown on maps around 1848. By 1851 the first Crown allotments were being subdivided and sold,[3] along with a private subdivision developed by J. M. Holloway, known as Little Eltham. At this time, the town's centre was located around the intersection of Pitt Street and Main Road. An early settler was Henry Dendy who operated a flour mill.[4]

Eltham Post Office opened on 1 February 1854.[5]

The first Eltham Cemetery Trust was appointed in February 1860.[6] The Eltham Court House was built in 1860 and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database.[7] The Eltham Magistrates' Court closed on 1 February 1985.[8]

St Margaret's Church commenced construction in 1861 at 10 John St Eltham.[9]

The Evelyn Observer was a weekly newspaper published from 1873 to 1942. It had various titles over the years. Digitsed copies can be accessed for various dates via Trove.[10] Other local newspapers have included Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate (1917-1922)[11] and Eltham and Whittlesea Shire Advertiser (1940-1942)[12] These papers can also be accessed via Trove.

The Eltham Hotel was established in 1867 and continues to be in business.[13]

The arrival of the railway line in 1902 drew business further north along Main Road to the current town centre.

A war memorial in the form of an obelisk of granite was unveiled 3 August 1919 in what was then the centre of the township.[14] In the 1960s it was relocated to the front of the Eltham RSL sub branch. It was moved again in 2010 in front of the Eltham War Memorial Building Complex.[15] The Eltham War Memorial Building Complex recognises those who served and died in World War 2. The community complex originally featured an infant welfare centre, war memorial gates and a wrought iron arch, memorial garden, pre-school and children's library.[16]

Eltham Presbyterian Church opened in 1958.[17]

The Eltham Refugee Housing and Support Project was delivered in partnership with St Vincent's Health Australia and CatholicCare to provide accommodation and settlement support to newly arrived refugees from Syria and Iraq. From November 2016 to October 2018, refugees were provided with affordable accommodation in refurbished units on the site of St Vincent's Care Services Eltham Aged Care facility. During this time, CatholicCare provided tenancy and settlement support.[18]

Leader Community Newspapers published the Diamond Valley Leader which included Eltham in its reporting area for some years before it ceased publication in June 2020.[19]

The historic courthouse, the oldest building in the Shire of Nillumbik was restored by Ducon Building Solutions and RBA Architects and Conservation Consultants and completed by March 2022.[20]

Heritage listings

[edit]

St Margaret's Church, designed by Nathaniel Billing and built in Gothic Revival style in 1861, was listed on the Victorian Heritage Register on 29 November 1979. The first vicar was Robert Mackie.[21][9]

Geography

[edit]

Climate

[edit]

Eltham High School has operated a publicly accessible weather station since 2003, providing live and historical weather data.

Demographics

[edit]

At the 2021 Australian census, Eltham recorded a population of 18,847 people living in 7,027 dwellings. The median age was 43, 5 years higher than the state and national median of 38. 37.5% of residents aged 15 and older had a bachelor's degree or above, higher than the state average of 29.2%. The top ancestries in Eltham were English (40.5%), Australian (34.6%), Irish (14.2%), Scottish (12.1%), and Italian (8.2%). Most (51.2%) had no religious affiliation, with Catholicism (20.5%), Anglicanism (8.0%), and Eastern Orthodox (2.5%) being the most popular religious affiliations.[22]

Culture

[edit]

Appeal to artists

[edit]
Buildings at the Montsalvat artists' colony, Eltham, Victoria

Eltham is famous for the Montsalvat artist community, which built a rustic set of medieval-style buildings in the 1930s.[23]

Aside from the Montsalvat artist community, Eltham has also been home to artists such as Walter Withers[24] and Neil Douglas,[24] as well as to writers such as Alan Marshall[25] and Mervyn Skipper.[26]

Attractions and Amenities

[edit]
Eltham Library

Located in the main areas of Eltham itself are the Eltham Cemetery,[27] Eltham Library (operated by Yarra Plenty Regional Library)[citation needed], and Senior Citizen's Centre (1967).[citation needed]

The Eltham Farmers' Market is also located in Eltham's main shopping area, and opens on Sundays.[28]

Across Diamond Creek, the Eltham Leisure Centre[29] and Victoria State Emergency Service Nillumbik Unit are found around Eltham's industrial area.[30]

Diamond Valley Railway

[edit]
Aerial perspective of the Diamond Valley Railway. March 2023.

The Diamond Valley Railway, the largest ridable miniature railway in Australia, is located in Eltham Lower Park at the southern edge of the suburb, and has operated since 1960.[31]

Parks

[edit]
Eltham High School is next to Barak Bushland reserve

Large areas surrounding Eltham are part of Green Wedge areas in the Shire of Nillumbik, leaving extensive areas undeveloped within and to three sides of the suburb.[32]

Aerial panorama of Eltham facing the Melbourne CBD. March 2023.
Aerial perspective of Eltham facing the Great Dividing Range. March 2023.

Alistair Knox Park(37°43′07″S 145°08′40″E / 37.7187°S 145.1445°E / -37.7187; 145.1445) is named after Alistair Knox, a famous local landscape architect who specialised in mud brick. The park is located on Main Road near the central Eltham shopping strip.[33] The Eltham Library is located nearby.[34] The kids playground is found within the open and lightly wooded forest.[35] Facilities include an old wooden playground, toilets, barbecues, a duck pond, and a sculpture.[34]

Barak Bushland reserve from above. January 2023.

Alan Marshall Reserve is located on the corner of Main Road and Leane Drive.[36] It was named for the author who lived part of his life locally. The park has been there since at least 2007.[37]

Barak Bushlands are at the location previously known as Falkiner Street Reserve, located to the west of Wingrove Park along the Diamond Creek. They were named for Indigenous leader William Barak by Nillumbik Shire in 2004.[38]

Laughing Waters park is a bushland named after the sound of the kookaburras, and the water running over the rocks in the nearby waterhole, which is a busy spot for tourists. It was a popular spot for the artists of Montsalvat to live and paint. Closer to the Yarra River, it is riparian forest, inland it is damp dry open forest.[citation needed]

Trails

[edit]

The Diamond Creek trail passes through Eltham.

The Maroondah Aqueduct Trail is also found at the suburb's northern boundary.[39]

Sports

[edit]

World champions Emma Carney (triathlete) and Cadel Evans (racing cyclist) are both Eltham residents.[citation needed]

The suburb is home to the Eltham Wildcats,[40] Eltham Redbacks Football Club and Eltham Cricket Club.

Eltham Old Collegians Football Club compete in the VAFA.[citation needed]

Eltham Football Club, known as the Panthers[41] is an Australian Rules Club competing in the Northern Football League.[42] Eltham Rugby Union Football Club is centrally located in Bridge St with teams for all groups including Masters.[citation needed]

The suburb is home to the Eltham Tennis Club, Eltham Netball Club and Eltham Bowling Club (which has two synthetic greens), and Eltham Lacrosse Club.[citation needed]

Eltham Little Athletics Club is one of the largest of the eight clubs competing weekly at the Diamond Valley Little Athletics Centre at Willinda Park, Greensborough.[citation needed]

Transport

[edit]

Eltham railway station is located on the Hurstbridge Line, with services operating south-west towards the City Loop via Heidelberg and north-east towards Hurstbridge.[43]

The station is also a major bus interchange for north-eastern Melbourne. The SmartBus Route 902 orbital is the most notable, connecting south towards Doncaster and Chelsea station and west towards Airport West.[44] Other notable routes include 513/514 to Glenroy,[45][46] 578/579 towards Warrandyte,[47][48] and route 582 around the eastern residential areas of Eltham itself.[49]

Railway trestle bridge

[edit]

Located approximately 200m from Eltham station towards the City, Eltham is notable for its historic wooden railway trestle bridge, constructed in 1902 as part of the extension of the Hurstbridge line from Heidelberg to Eltham. It is the last wooden trestle bridge used by suburban trains in Melbourne, and one of few in all of Victoria.[50]

Education

[edit]

Primary schools include Eltham Primary School which was established in Little Eltham in July 1855,[51] Our Lady Help of Christians Primary, Eltham East Primary and Eltham North Primary School.

Eltham encompasses the state secondary school, Eltham High School, as well as a private girls secondary school, Catholic Ladies College, Eltham. Another private secondary school, Eltham College, takes its name from Eltham, but is located in nearby Research. There are various childcare and early learning centres available. Several schools are also located in the exclusive connecting area of Eltham North, including St. Helena Secondary College, Plenty Valley International Montessori School, Holy Trinity Primary School, Glen Katherine Primary School and near Eltham College there is Research Primary.

Community groups

[edit]
  • 1st Eltham Scouts[52]
  • 2nd Eltham Sea Scouts[53]
  • Eltham Child Care Cooperative[54]
  • Eltham Community Action Group are active in the community and work to maintain Eltham's character.[55]
  • Eltham District Historical Society collects, preserves and share stories about the local history of the Eltham district.
  • Eltham Toy Library provides an environment for children to learn, grow and play.[56]
  • Rotary Club of Eltham[57]
  • Welcome to Eltham supports refugees and people seeking asylum settling in Eltham.[58]

Notable residents

[edit]

See also

[edit]
  • Shire of Diamond Valley – Parts of Eltham were previously within this former local government area.
  • Shire of Eltham – Parts of Eltham were previously within this former local government area.
  • Eltham copper, a subspecies of butterfly particular to, and named after Eltham

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Eltham (Vic.) (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2 July 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ↑ "Postcode for Eltham, Victoria (Near Melbourne) - Postcodes Australia".
  3. ↑ "Advertising". The Argus. 15 March 1851. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  4. ↑ Bate, Weston, "Dendy, Henry (1800–1881)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 24 May 2020
  5. ↑ Phoenix Auctions History, Post Office List, retrieved 8 April 2021
  6. ↑ "Victoria Government Gazette – Online Archive – 1860, p275". gazette.slv.vic.gov.au. 10 February 1860. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  7. ↑ "Eltham Court House". vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Special Report No. 4 - Court Closures in Victoria" (PDF). Auditor-General of Victoria. 1986. p. 79. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  9. 1 2 "St Margaret's Church". Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "Evelyn Observer, and South and East Bourke Record (Vic. : 1882 - 1902)". Trove. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  11. ↑ "Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate (Vic. : 1917 - 1922)". Trove. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser (Vic.: 1940–1942)". Trove. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  13. ↑ "Eltham Hotel, Eltham, VIC". Eltham Hotel, Eltham, VIC. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "ELTHAM MEMORIAL TO FALLEN SOLDIERS". Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser and Diamond Creek Valley Advocate (Vic. : 1917 - 1922). 8 August 1919. p. 3. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "Virtual War Memorial Australia. Eltham War Memorial". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  16. ↑ "Eltham War Memorial Building Complex, Eltham". wwiiathome.com.au. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  17. ↑ "Our History". Eltham Presbyterian Church. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  18. ↑ "A Place to called home". CatholicCare. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  19. ↑ "News Corp cuts: Is your local newspaper affected?". www.abc.net.au. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  20. ↑ "Historic Eltham Courthouse reopens following major restoration". www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  21. ↑ "St Margarets Church and original vicarage". Victorian Heritage Database Report. Victorian Heritage Register. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  22. ↑ "2021 Eltham (Vic.), Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". abs.gov.au. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  23. ↑ "Montsalvat at Eltham, Victoria, a haven for artists, craftspeople and performers". Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  24. 1 2 "Nillumbik Shire Council - an Essay by Jenni Mitchell". Archived from the original on 19 September 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2006.
  25. ↑ "Eltham then and Now". Archived from the original on 11 April 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
  26. ↑ "Eltham then and Now". Archived from the original on 11 April 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2009.
  27. ↑ Price, Matthew. "Eltham Cemetery Trust: Established 1858: Burial Grounds: Mount Pleasant Road, Eltham, Victoria, Australia". www.elthamcemetery.com. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  28. ↑ "Eltham Farmers' Market | Local Food Connect". localfoodconnect.org.au. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  29. ↑ "Aligned Leisure-managed Eltham Leisure Centre recognised for safety excellence - Australasian Leisure Management". www.ausleisure.com.au. 17 August 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  30. ↑ "VICSES Nillumbik Unit". SES Nillumbik. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  31. ↑ "Getting Here". Diamond Valley Railway. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  32. ↑ "Our Green Wedge". Nillumbik Shire Council. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  33. ↑ "Alistair Knox Park, Main Road, Eltham." Melbourne Playgrounds. N.p., n.d. Web. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  34. 1 2 "Alistair Knox Park." Archived 21 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine Playground Finder. N.p., 30 April 2011. Web. 6 August 2013.
  35. ↑ "Alistair Knox Park." Archived 15 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine Playful Possum. web. 2014
  36. ↑ "Alan Marshall Reserve". www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  37. ↑ "21 Sep 2007 - Eltham (Alan Marshall Reserve / Main Road) Profile | Metlink... - Archived Website". Trove. Archived from the original on 21 September 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  38. ↑ "Notice of Registration of Geographic Names" (PDF). Victorian Government Gazette. 15 April 2004. p. 878. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  39. ↑ "Maroondah Aqueduct Trail". Nillumbik Shire Council. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  40. ↑ "Eltham Wildcats key metrics" (PDF).
  41. ↑ "Home". elthamfc.com.au.
  42. ↑ Full Points Footy, Eltham, archived from the original on 20 April 2009, retrieved 15 April 2009
  43. ↑
  44. ↑ "902 Chelsea - Airport West (SMARTBUS Service)". Public Transport Victoria.
  45. ↑ "513 Eltham - Glenroy via Lower Plenty". Public Transport Victoria.
  46. ↑ "514 Eltham - Glenroy via Greensborough". Public Transport Victoria.
  47. ↑ "578 Eltham Station - Warrandyte via Research & Kangaroo Ground-Warrandyte Road". Public Transport Victoria.
  48. ↑ "579 Eltham Station - Warrandyte via Research & Research-Warrandyte Road". Public Transport Victoria.
  49. ↑ "582 Eltham Town Service via Woodridge Estate". Public Transport Victoria.
  50. ↑ "Eltham Rail Trestle Bridge". National Trust Database. Heritage Victoria. 11 November 1998. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
  51. ↑ Marshall, Alan (1971). Pioneers & painters; one hundred years of Eltham and its Shire. [Melbourne]: Thomas Nelson (Australia). p. 65. ISBN 0-17-001948-9. OCLC 216337.
  52. ↑ "Home Scouts Victoria | Australia". Scouts Victoria | Australia. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  53. ↑ "Home Scouts Victoria | Australia". Scouts Victoria | Australia. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  54. ↑ "Home | Eltham Child Care Cooperative". ECCC website. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  55. ↑ "About Us". Eltham Community Action Group. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  56. ↑ "Eltham Toy Library". Eltham Toy Library. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  57. ↑ "Rotary Club of Eltham". Rotary Club of Eltham. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  58. ↑ Welcome to Eltham, retrieved 4 June 2021
[edit]
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