Lalor, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Lalor is a suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia, 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) north of Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whittlesea
. At the 2006 Census the suburb had a population of 19,561. The eastern and western borders of Lalor are defined by Darebin Creek
and Merri Creek
respectively.
Lalor is named after Peter Lalor
, leader of the Eureka Stockade
rebellion and later member of the Victorian parliament. The suburb was originally pronounced ˈ (locally ustralian English phonology), after Peter Lalor
, and although some people still pronounce it as such, in recent times the pronunciation ˈ or -lər (locally [ˈlæɪloː, -lə]) has become predominant, whilst the Federal electorate of Lalor
is still predominantly pronounced ˈ (locally ustralian English phonology.
Lalor was a part of Thomastown
until the end of World War II
, when a group of ex-servicemen formed the Peter Lalor Home Building Cooperative Society to provide low-cost homes. They chose east of today's Lalor railway station to be the site of the new developments and a town planner was hired to design a garden for the suburb. Lalor Post Office was opened on 1 August 1949.
In 1954, Lalor Primary School was opened, reaching an enrolment of 1,000 by 1971, at which point a further three primary schools were founded. Lalor Primary School was built on land owned by the Evans family and held its 50th anniversary in 2004. Several of the surrounding streets are named after members of the Evans family (Evans Street, Ruth Street). Lalor also has three public secondary schools: Peter Lalor College, Lalor Secondary College and Lalor North Secondary College.
Golfers play at the course of the Lalor Golf Club on Gillwell Road.
The Craigieburn Bypass Trail
following the Hume Freeway runs to the west of the suburb providing facilities for recreational and commuting cyclists.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia, 18 kilometres (11.2 mi) north of Melbourne's central business district
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whittlesea
City of Whittlesea
The City of Whittlesea is a Local Government Area located in the outer northeastern suburbs of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covers an area of , and has an estimated population of 155,113 people.-History:...
. At the 2006 Census the suburb had a population of 19,561. The eastern and western borders of Lalor are defined by Darebin Creek
Darebin Creek
Darebin Creek is a creek that runs through the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the main watercourse of the Darebin Valley and a major tributary of the Yarra River...
and Merri Creek
Merri Creek
The Merri Creek is a waterway in southern parts of Victoria, Australia which flows through the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It begins in Wallan north of Melbourne and flows south for 70km until it joins the Yarra River at Dights Falls...
respectively.
Lalor is named after Peter Lalor
Peter Lalor
Peter Fintan Lalor was an activist turned politician who rose to fame for his leading role in the Eureka Rebellion, an event controversially identified with the "birth of democracy" in Australia.- Early life and migration to Australia :...
, leader of the Eureka Stockade
Eureka Stockade
The Eureka Rebellion of 1854 was an organised rebellion by gold miners which occurred at Eureka Lead in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The Battle of Eureka Stockade was fought on 3 December 1854 and named for the stockade structure erected by miners during the conflict...
rebellion and later member of the Victorian parliament. The suburb was originally pronounced ˈ (locally ustralian English phonology), after Peter Lalor
Peter Lalor
Peter Fintan Lalor was an activist turned politician who rose to fame for his leading role in the Eureka Rebellion, an event controversially identified with the "birth of democracy" in Australia.- Early life and migration to Australia :...
, and although some people still pronounce it as such, in recent times the pronunciation ˈ or -lər (locally [ˈlæɪloː, -lə]) has become predominant, whilst the Federal electorate of Lalor
Division of Lalor
The Division of Lalor is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the outer western suburbs of Melbourne. It includes the suburbs of Werribee, Point Cook, Laverton, Rockbank and Melton....
is still predominantly pronounced ˈ (locally ustralian English phonology.
Lalor was a part of Thomastown
Thomastown, Victoria
Thomastown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whittlesea...
until the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when a group of ex-servicemen formed the Peter Lalor Home Building Cooperative Society to provide low-cost homes. They chose east of today's Lalor railway station to be the site of the new developments and a town planner was hired to design a garden for the suburb. Lalor Post Office was opened on 1 August 1949.
In 1954, Lalor Primary School was opened, reaching an enrolment of 1,000 by 1971, at which point a further three primary schools were founded. Lalor Primary School was built on land owned by the Evans family and held its 50th anniversary in 2004. Several of the surrounding streets are named after members of the Evans family (Evans Street, Ruth Street). Lalor also has three public secondary schools: Peter Lalor College, Lalor Secondary College and Lalor North Secondary College.
Shopping
The Lalor Shopping Centre is located between Station Street and May Road, which parallel High Street—the main thoroughfare through Lalor—on the opposite side of the railway line. Lalor Plaza and Lalor Hub are small enclosed shopping malls located respectively in the eastern and western residential areas of the suburb.Culture
Lalor has a strong ethnic community with over 70% of its population being Italian. The Whittlesea Community Festival, celebrated since 1998, is held on the third Sunday in March in Lalor at the Whittlesea Public Gardens on Barry Rd, regularly attracting more than 15,000 people.Sport
Lalor has three local Australian Rules Football teams competing in the Northern Football League, Lalor Bloods, Lalor Stars and West Lalor Dragons.Golfers play at the course of the Lalor Golf Club on Gillwell Road.
Transport
Lalor railway station serves the suburb.The Craigieburn Bypass Trail
Craigieburn Bypass Trail
The Craigieburn Bypass Trail , is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians in the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
following the Hume Freeway runs to the west of the suburb providing facilities for recreational and commuting cyclists.