Eltham, Victoria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eltham
Melbourne, Victoria

Aerial photo of Eltham from the south-east
Eltham
Location in metropolitan Melbourne
Coordinates 37°42′54″S 145°09′29″E / 37.715°S 145.158°E / -37.715; 145.158Coordinates: 37°42′54″S 145°09′29″E / 37.715°S 145.158°E / -37.715; 145.158
Population 18,162 (2011)[1]
 • Density 1,376/km2 (3,564/sq mi)
Postcode(s) 3095
Area 13.2 km2 (5.1 sq mi)
Location 20 km (12 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s) Shire of Nillumbik
State electorate(s) Eltham, Yan Yean
Federal Division(s) Jagajaga
Suburbs around Eltham:
Briar Hill Eltham North Research
Montmorency Eltham Research
Lower Plenty Templestowe Warrandyte

Eltham ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District.[2] Its local government area is the Shire of Nillumbik. At the 2011 Census, Eltham had a population of 18,162.

Eltham is one of the 'green wedge' areas that provide relatively undeveloped, accessible environments within the Melbourne suburban region. These green wedge areas are under constant pressure from developments such as road and freeway expansions, but Eltham has managed to retain many tree-lined streets and leafy reserves. However, the character of the suburb is changing rapidly, with increased road traffic and higher-density housing becoming more common.[3]

Eltham is known for its tourist attractions, including the artists colony Montsalvat[4] and the Diamond Valley Railway, the largest ridable miniature railway in Australia.[5]

History

Eltham developed around what is now Main Road from the 1840s. [citation needed] 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, along with a private subdivision developed by T. M. Holloway, known as Little Eltham. At this time, the town's centre was located around the intersection of Pitt Street and Main Road.

Eltham Post Office opened on 1 February 1854.[6]

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

The Eltham to Templestowe bridge

In October 1863 there was a great flood causing the Yarra to rise 12 metres. It even flooded Elizabeth Street in Melbourne's Central Business District. Several bridges were washed away. [citation needed]

In March 1865 a deputation of Templestowe residents to the Acting Commissioner of Roads and Bridges, offered ₤600 English Pounds, raised by them towards a new bridge to replace the Templestowe Bridge, and requested a government grant towards the cost. The Acting Commissioner "promised to give the matter further consideration" though "he did not see from what fund a sum of money could be granted to them". A repair job was carried out between 1873 and 1874. [citation needed]

The last ‘bits’ of the Templestowe Bridge, joining what was Eltham to Finns Reserve at Thompson’s Road, Templestowe, finally washed away according to local folklore in the 1960s. [citation needed]

Around 1855 another bridge was built nearby in what was Eltham but is now Lower Plenty, over the Plenty River. This bridge, of bluestone blocks and steel, still stands today and is part of the Plenty River Trail, close to the Heidelberg Golf Club and the Lower Plenty Hotel. It is possible that the Templestowe Bridge was similar in appearance to this.[7]

Appeal to artists

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. [citation needed]

Aside from the Montsalvat artist community, Eltham has also been home to artists such as Walter Withers[8] and Neil Douglas,[8] as well as to writers such as Alan Marshall[9] and Mervyn Skipper.[10]

Education

Eltham encompasses the state secondary school, Eltham High School, as well as a private girls secondary school, the Catholic Ladies' College (CLC). Another private secondary school, Eltham College of Education, takes its name from Eltham, but is located in nearby Research. Primary schools include Eltham Primary, Our Lady Help Of Christians Primary, Eltham East Primary and Eltham North Primary School. 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 Montessori School, Holy Trinity Primary School, Glen Katherine Primary School and near ELTHAM College there is Research Primary.

Transport

Eltham has a local train station, Eltham Station, located on the Hurstbridge Line.

Sport

The suburb is home to the Eltham Wildcats Basketball Club.

Eltham Eagles Soccer Club and Eltham Cricket Club are also popular gathering points.

Eltham Football Club, known as the Panthers[11] is an Australian Rules Club competing in the Northern Football League.[12] Eltham Rugby Union Football Club is centrally located in Bridge St with teams for all groups including Masters.

The suburb is home to the Eltham Tennis Club, one of the largest tennis clubs in the Nillumbik Shire.

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.

Local wildlife

The Eltham Copper Butterfly (Paralucia pyrodiscus lucida) was discovered in 1938 in Eltham. [citation needed] After 1956 it was thought to be extinct until a population was found again at Eltham in 1986. [citation needed] A reserve for the butterflies has been created on land connecting to Eltham's Linear Park.

Historic Trestle Bridge

Eltham is home to a historic wooden railway trestle bridge. The bridge was built in 1902 and is the only wooden trestle bridge still in use in Melbourne's electric railway network. It is also one of few wooden trestle bridges in use in Victoria [13]

Notable residents

See also

References

  1. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Eltham (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 July 2012. 
  2. ↑ http://www.postcodes-australia.com/areas/vic/north+west+melbourne/eltham
  3. ↑ Traffic choking Eltham because of infrastructure neglect Graeme Hammond From: Sunday Herald Sun 9 July 2010
  4. ↑ http://www.montsalvat.com.au
  5. ↑ http://www.dvr.com.au/info.htm
  6. ↑ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008 
  7. ↑ [betanla 1855-1945]
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1
  9. ↑
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ http://www.elthamfc.com.au/
  12. ↑ Full Points Footy, Eltham, retrieved 15 April 2009 
  13. ↑ http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nattrust_result_detail/66300

External links

Suburbs and Towns of the Shire of Nillumbik, Melbourne, Victoria


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.