Kealba, Victoria

Kealba is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank. At the 2006 Census, Kealba had a population of 3186.

The name of the suburb is derived from the letters of two of its neighbouring suburbs, namely Keilor and St Albans.

History

The land was part of the Overnewton Estate owned by the late Mr. William Taylor who had Overnewton Castle built on the Calder Highway. After the Government demanded the release of land by large land owners two large farm allotments were sold to Mr. Farquhar Macrae and his bride Annie (née Ritchie). After Farquar and Annie's death the land contained in the suburb of Kealba was owned by their son Malcolm Ritchie Macrae. The farm was used to grow oats;and for the breeding of horses, cows and sheep.

During the 1960s the land was sold for subdivisional purposes, the first land auction taking place on 22nd of March 1969. During this time the area came under the St. Albans postal district. Over the following years all the land was subdivided, a High School named Kealba established as well as a few light industrial areas. Under the Survey Co-Ordination Act 1958 the City of Keilor applied to a name changed from St. Albans East to the name of Kealba. The location was named as being - that portion of the City bounded by St. Albans Road, Taylors Creek, the Maribyrnong River, McIntyre Road, Main Road East and Sunshine Avenue.

Transport

The Melbourne bus route 418 runs through the area. This route travels via Driscolls Road and Stenson Road every 40 minutes. It departs from the terminus at the St Albans railway statio and runs via Alfrieda Street, Biggs Street, Stenson Road, Driscolls Road, St Albans Road and Taylors Road to Keilor Downs Plaza, Keilor Plains Station and Caroline Springs.

See also

• City of Keilor - the former local government area of which Kealba was a part.

References