Montmorency, Victoria

Montmorency Melbourne, Victoria
Montmorency
Population:	8176 (2006) [1]
Established:	1917
Postcode:	3094
Area:	3.8 km² (1.5 sq mi)
Location:	18 km (11 mi) from Melbourne
LGA:	City of Banyule
State District:	Eltham
Federal Division:	Jagajaga
Suburbs around Montmorency: Greensborough Briar Hill Eltham North Watsonia Montmorency Eltham Yallambie Lower Plenty Eltham

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).

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 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.^[2]

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.

Facilities

The main commercial street is Were Street. A three storey high ornamental aeration windmill 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.^[3]

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 Eltham, 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.

Notable people

• Wally de Backer

References

1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Montmorency (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=SSC21461&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2007-09-25. 
2. ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&country=, retrieved 2008-04-11 
3. ^ Full Points Footy, Northern Football League, http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/diamond_valley_football_league.htm, retrieved 2009-04-15 

Coordinates: 37°43′08″S 145°07′34″E / 37.719°S 145.126°E / -37.719; 145.126