Eltham, Victoria

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
Federal Division(s) Jagajaga
Suburbs around Eltham:
Briar Hill Eltham North Research
Montmorency Eltham Research
Lower Plenty Templestowe Warrandyte

Eltham ( pronunciation ) 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's tourist attractions include the artists colony Montsalvat and the Diamond Valley Railway, the largest ridable miniature railway in Australia.

History

Eltham developed around what is now Main Road from the 1840s. 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.[4]

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

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.

Aside from the Montsalvat artist community, Eltham has also been home to artists such as Walter Withers[5] and Neil Douglas,[5] as well as to writers such as Alan Marshall[6] and Mervyn Skipper.[7]

Education

Eltham encompasses the state secondary school, Eltham High School, as well as a private girls secondary school, the Catholic Ladies' College (CLC) Catholic Ladies College, Eltham. 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 International 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.

Eltham also has local buses, that go up to Warrandyte and Diamond Creek, one also goes around the back streets of Eltham.

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 Old Collegians Football Club competing in the VAFA

Eltham Football Club, known as the Panthers[8] is an Australian Rules Club competing in the Northern Football League.[9] 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.

Eltham is home to the Eltham Bowling Club. The club has both grass and synthetic greens.

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 [10]

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. ↑ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008
  5. 1 2
  6. ↑
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ http://www.elthamfc.com.au/
  9. ↑ Full Points Footy, Eltham, archived from the original on 20 April 2009, retrieved 15 April 2009
  10. ↑ http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/search/nattrust_result_detail/66300

External links


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