Montmorency, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Montmorency is a suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, 18 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule. At the 2006 Census, Montmorency had a population of 8176.
Montmorency was named after a local farm, Montmorency Estate, which in turn was named for the town of Montmorency, Val-d'Oise
, where the French Enlightenment
philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau
lived briefly. Residents of Montmorency often refer to the suburb as 'Monty', and the nickname is incorporated into some local business names. The population is predominately Australian born, Middle Aged, Married and Christian (Catholic/Protestant).
The first evidence of a township was the building of a Presbyterian
church in 1917 in the midst of small rural landholdings. A primary school was opened in 1922, the year before Montmorency station was opened on the Hurstbridge railway line. Electricity was connected to the area in 1926. Montmorency Post Office opened around September 1923.
Whilst there was a residential nucleus from the 1920s, most of Montmorency consisted of orchards, dairying, and poultry farms until after the Second World War
. The estimated population in 1922 was 200, including weekenders.
In 1950 the estimated population was 600, and facilities extended to two churches, a public hall, a sports ground, and a tennis court. By the end of the decade the population had increased fivefold, although still with unoccupied building sites which had fine views. A modern shopping centre and factories had been built. The high school was opened in 1969.
St. Francis Xavier Primary School located on Mayona Road is undergoing construction of a new building which will feature a library, computer lab and 4 class rooms. This building is due to be finished and handed over by 10 June 2011.
Montmorency South Primary School has also got a new building under construction which will feature a big basketball stadium.
Most of the schools in the have had a new building or renovations done to them.
stands at the corner of Were Street and Rattray Road. The footpaths of Were Street are inlaid with mosaic pictures representing scenes from oral histories of the suburb. This shopping strip is notable for the relatively low proportion of national chain stores and franchises among its businesses. Shops and firms in Were Street include a women-only gym, an optometrist, greengrocers, a Commonwealth Bank, several bakeries, cafes, and beauty salons, a Thai restaurant, a toyshop, a pet shop and an organic food store.
There is a second business precinct located 1.1 km to the south east of Were Street on Grand Boulevard, mainly catering to small offices. In Mountain View Road there is an RSL
which serves counter meals, and also a lawn bowls club, both overlooking Petrie Park sporting grounds.
Montmorency Football Club
, an Australian Rules football
team, competes in the Northern Football League. Its playing field and clubhouse are located at Montmorency Park in the green belt between Para Road and the Plenty River. Lower Plenty Football Club
in the same league are also based at Montmorency Park.
The suburb has one high school, Montmorency Secondary College, and three primary schools, Saint Francis Xavier, Montmorency South and Montmorency. Montmorency has hilly parklands adjoining the Plenty River on its western side and several neighbourhood parks, particularly in its south-east sector.
, Greensborough
, Templestowe
and Doncaster
, for it lies within the main feeder roads to these suburbs.
The Melbourne 293 and 513 bus routes also service the area.
It lies on the Hurstbridge Line, and it takes around 45 minutes to reach Montmorency station from the CBD
of Melbourne
.
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
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 18 km north-east from 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 Banyule. At the 2006 Census, Montmorency had a population of 8176.
Montmorency was named after a local farm, Montmorency Estate, which in turn was named for the town of Montmorency, Val-d'Oise
Montmorency, Val-d'Oise
Montmorency is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Montmorency was the fief of the Montmorency family, one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the French nobility...
, where the French Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
lived briefly. Residents of Montmorency often refer to the suburb as 'Monty', and the nickname is incorporated into some local business names. The population is predominately Australian born, Middle Aged, Married and Christian (Catholic/Protestant).
History
Merchant Stuart Alexander Donaldson (1812–1867) – first Premier of NSW - owned the farming property known as 'The Montmorency Estate' until the 1840s when he sold it to retired East India Company Judge James Donnithorne (1773–1852) who operated it via managers from Sydney, upon his death it passed to his daughter Eliza Emily Donnithorne (1826–1886) who achieved dubious fame for being jilted at the altar and inspiring Charles Dickens creation of Miss Havisham in his novel Great Expectation. She held onto the property as an investment the remainder of her reclusive life, famously threatening to sue local authorities when they tried to compulsory purchase part of it for a railroad for less than its market value. Then stubbornly refused to sell an inch more thereafter when approached by local farmers or investors. She had a high regard for the property and in her Will noted that it should continue to be leased out as a farming property and not sold until its value rose to a higher point then it was in 1886.The first evidence of a township was the building of a Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
church in 1917 in the midst of small rural landholdings. A primary school was opened in 1922, the year before Montmorency station was opened on the Hurstbridge railway line. Electricity was connected to the area in 1926. Montmorency Post Office opened around September 1923.
Whilst there was a residential nucleus from the 1920s, most of Montmorency consisted of orchards, dairying, and poultry farms until after the Second World War
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...
. The estimated population in 1922 was 200, including weekenders.
In 1950 the estimated population was 600, and facilities extended to two churches, a public hall, a sports ground, and a tennis court. By the end of the decade the population had increased fivefold, although still with unoccupied building sites which had fine views. A modern shopping centre and factories had been built. The high school was opened in 1969.
St. Francis Xavier Primary School located on Mayona Road is undergoing construction of a new building which will feature a library, computer lab and 4 class rooms. This building is due to be finished and handed over by 10 June 2011.
Montmorency South Primary School has also got a new building under construction which will feature a big basketball stadium.
Most of the schools in the have had a new building or renovations done to them.
Facilities
The main commercial street is Were Street. A three storey high ornamental aeration windmillWindmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
stands at the corner of Were Street and Rattray Road. The footpaths of Were Street are inlaid with mosaic pictures representing scenes from oral histories of the suburb. This shopping strip is notable for the relatively low proportion of national chain stores and franchises among its businesses. Shops and firms in Were Street include a women-only gym, an optometrist, greengrocers, a Commonwealth Bank, several bakeries, cafes, and beauty salons, a Thai restaurant, a toyshop, a pet shop and an organic food store.
There is a second business precinct located 1.1 km to the south east of Were Street on Grand Boulevard, mainly catering to small offices. In Mountain View Road there is an RSL
Returned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
which serves counter meals, and also a lawn bowls club, both overlooking Petrie Park sporting grounds.
Montmorency Football Club
Montmorency Football Club
Montmorency Football Club is an Australian rules football club in Montmorency, Victoria, currently competing in Division 1 in the Northern Football League.-History:...
, an Australian Rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
team, competes in the Northern Football League. Its playing field and clubhouse are located at Montmorency Park in the green belt between Para Road and the Plenty River. Lower Plenty Football Club
Lower Plenty Football Club
Lower Plenty is an Australian rules football club in Montmorency, Victoria, currently competing in the Northern Football League.-History:The Lower Plenty Football Club located 18 km north-east of Melbourne in the suburb of Montmorency...
in the same league are also based at Montmorency Park.
The suburb has one high school, Montmorency Secondary College, and three primary schools, Saint Francis Xavier, Montmorency South and Montmorency. Montmorency has hilly parklands adjoining the Plenty River on its western side and several neighbourhood parks, particularly in its south-east sector.
Transport
Montmorency is close to outlying towns and suburbs such as ElthamEltham, Victoria
Eltham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik. At the 2006 Census, Eltham had a population of 17,581....
, Greensborough
Greensborough, Victoria
Greensborough is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule. At the 2006 Census, Greensborough had a population of 20,214....
, Templestowe
Templestowe, Victoria
"Templestowe" redirects here. For the Victorian Legislative Council Province, please see Templestowe Province.Templestowe is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham...
and Doncaster
Doncaster, Victoria
Doncaster is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 15 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham. At the 2006 Census, Doncaster had a population of 17,879....
, for it lies within the main feeder roads to these suburbs.
The Melbourne 293 and 513 bus routes also service the area.
It lies on the Hurstbridge Line, and it takes around 45 minutes to reach Montmorency station from the CBD
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...
of Melbourne
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...
.