Burwood, Victoria

Burwood Melbourne,  Victoria
Deakin University in Burwood
Burwood Location in metropolitan Melbourne
Coordinates	37°51′00″S145°06′50″E / 37.850°S 145.114°E / -37.850; 145.114
Population	15,147 (SAL 2021) [1]
Postcode(s)	3125
Elevation	65 m (213 ft)
Area	8.7 km2 (3.4 sq mi)
Location	14 km (9 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Monash City of Whitehorse
State electorate(s)	Ashwood Box Hill
Federal division(s)	Chisholm
Suburbs around Burwood: Canterbury Surrey Hills Box Hill South Camberwell Burwood Burwood East Glen Iris Ashwood Mount Waverley

Burwood is an inner eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 kilometres east of Melbourne's Central Business District, ^[2] located within the Cities of Monash and Whitehorse local government areas. Burwood recorded a population of 15,147 at the 2021 census. ^[3]

History

The first settlement in the area, known as Ballyshanassy, was surveyed in 1858. The settlement changed name to Norwood and subsequently Burwood in 1879. The Post Office opened on 1 May 1853 as Ballyshanassy and was renamed Burwood around June 1879. ^[4]

The name "Burwood" (later "Invergowrie") was the name of a house built by Sir James Palmer, in Hawthorn West, in 1852. The original settlement was centred near Burwood Cemetery and the Police Station, but the focus shifted to the intersection of Warrigal Road and Toorak Road, with later commercial development. The suburb later spread westwards to the Hartwell railway station, which was renamed as Burwood railway station. ^[5]

By 1904, Burwood had a population of 600 and had a post office, two hotels, a savings bank and a number of churches. The township at that time was surrounded by farms and market gardens. ^[5] Albers' Daffodil Farm is typical of the local market gardens and was established in 1934. ^[6] It operated on the site where Deakin University's Burwood Campus is now located, until the site was sold to the government in 1951.

The extension of the Toorak Road tramline in 1912 was a catalyst for residential development in the area. Following World War II, development headed east along Burwood Highway ^[5] to and beyond the neighbourhood of Bennettswood, where a post office has been open since 2 February 1954. ^[4]

Allambie

The Allambie Reception Centre for juvenile wards of the state was located at Burwood.

Burwood Boys Home

Burwood Boys' Home, originally located at 155 Warrigal Road, was founded in 1895 by Robert Campbell Edwards, who was concerned about the number of children living on the streets of Melbourne. The facility changed its name to Burwood Children's Home when girls began to be admitted after 1972. It was closed in 1986. The location is now used for Cameron Close retirement village. ^[7]

Orana Methodist Children's Home

In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s the Methodist Church developed residential units (cottages) on the site of 87 Elgar Road, Burwood, for the care of abandoned and neglected children, children that were deemed wards of the state of Victoria. This site was sold and relocated to Meadow Heights in 1989. ^[8]

Princess Elizabeth Kindergarten for the Deaf

The Princess Elizabeth Kindergarten for the Deaf, the first facility of its kind in Australia, was opened on a site at 90 Elgar Road in 1950. It was later known as the Princess Elizabeth Junior School for Deaf Children. ^[9]

Vision Australia

The Royal Victorian Institute of the Blind (now Vision Australia) purchased 41 acres (170,000 m²) of land on Burwood Highway in 1951 for a school, which was opened in 1959. This school was closed down in December 2009. The site was also used by St. Andrews Christian College from 1998 to 2010. It has now been replaced Greenwood business park and a large housing development. ^[10]

Drive-in theatre

The Burwood Skyline, opened in February 1954, was Australia's first drive-in theatre. Operated by Hoyts, it had a 652 car capacity, later increasing to 743. The drive-in was located near the intersection of Burwood Highway and McComas Grove, in a natural amphitheatre setting, provided by the Gardiners Creek Valley. The screen was located on a high point on the other side of the creek from the viewing area. The first film publicly screened was On the Riviera , starring Danny Kaye and Gene Tierney. The drive in was very popular in its early years, often causing traffic jams in the local area. A playground was provided for children, which included a motorised carousel. ^[11]

Following a decline in audience numbers over a number of years, the drive-in closed on 22 June 1983, with a screening of We of the Never Never and Local Hero. ^{[5] [11] [12]}

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
2006	11,886	—
2011	13,162	+10.7%
2016	15,019	+14.1%

In the 2016 Census, there were 15,019 people in Burwood. 46.9% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were China 17.5%, India 4.1%, Malaysia 3.1%, Sri Lanka 2.9% and England 1.9%. 49.3% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 18.1%, Cantonese 4.5%, Greek 3.3%, Sinhalese 2.2% and Vietnamese 1.7%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 37.9% and Catholic 17.9%. ^[13]

Geography

Aerial panorama of Wattle Park facing Melbourne's skyline. August 2023.

Aerial panorama of sunrise over Wattle Park facing the Dandenong Ranges. August 2023.

Aerial panorama of Deakin University facing north. July 2023.

Aerial panorama of Burwood East reserve facing the city skyline

Aerial panorama of Deakin University Burwood Campus in September 2018. (Altitude: 110m)

Burwood is bounded to the north by Riversdale Road, the northern boundary of Deakin University, Gardiners Creek and Eley Road, the east by Middleborough Road and to the west by Warrigal Road. The southern boundary runs near to Carlyle and Zodiac Streets, then along Gardiners Creek and subsequently, in approximate alignment with Ashwood Drive, Montpellier Road, Arthur Street, Huntingdale Road and Highbury Road. ^[14]

The most prominent features of the Burwood landscape are the large buildings constructed along Burwood Highway at Deakin University, include Building C (The Alfred Deakin Building). A new multistoried modern building has also been constructed just adjacent to the Burwood Highway. This is building BC.

Shopping centres

The main Burwood shopping centre is located at the intersection of Warrigal Road and Burwood Highway. Another shopping strip is located at Bennettswood, to the east, on the corner of Burwood Highway and Station Street. ^[14]

Education

University

• Deakin University – Burwood Campus

Secondary schools

• Emmaus College – Year 9 Campus ^[15]
• Mount Scopus Memorial College – Gandel Campus
• Presbyterian Ladies' College

Primary schools

• Wattle Park Primary School
• Burwood East Primary School
• St Scholastica's Primary School

Sports and recreation

Parks in the suburb include Wattle Park and Gardiners Creek Reserve, the latter which has a shared bicycle and pedestrian path. Sports facilities include Bennettswood Sports Ground and Bennettswood Bowling Club. Burwood Reserve and Burwood Bowling Club are located in nearby Glen Iris. ^[14]

Golfers play at the course of the Wattle Park Public Golf Club, on Riversdale Road. ^[16]

The suburb is home to an Australian rules football team, the Emmaus Animals, who compete in the Saturday Football League. Their home ground is at Bennettswood Reserve, adjacent to Deakin University. ^[17]

The Eastern Lions Soccer Club compete in the National Premier Leagues of Victoria first division and are located at Gardiners Reserve.

Transport

The principal north–south roads are Warrigal Road, Elgar Road, Station Street and Middleborough Road, while the principal east–west roads are Riversdale Road, Burwood Highway and Highbury Road. ^[14]

Two tram routes serve the suburb;

• Route 70 – Waterfront City Docklands to Wattle Park; travels along Riversdale Road, the northern boundary of the suburb, before terminating at the intersection with Elgar Road
• Route 75 – Etihad Stadium Docklands to Vermont South; travels along Burwood Highway through the whole suburb

There is no train service in the suburb, with Burwood railway station located in the adjoining suburb of Glen Iris.

There are a number of bus routes, which connect the suburb to surrounding areas.

Retirement villages

Burwood has two retirement villages; Fountain Court, on Station Street and Cameron Close, on Warrigal Road. ^[14] There are also aged care facilities, including Elizabeth Gardens, in Elizabeth Street, Highwood House, in Warrigal Road and Burwood Hill, in Edwards Street. ^[18]

Notable people

• Nazeem Hussain, Comedian, Actor, Television and Radio Presenter ^[19]
• Flea, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, was born and lived in the suburb, until he was 5 years old.

See also

• City of Box Hill – Parts of Burwood were previously within this former local government area.
• City of Camberwell – Parts of Burwood were previously within this former local government area.
• City of Waverley – Parts of Burwood were previously within this former local government area.

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Burwood (Vic.) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
2. Postcode 3125, Burwood, Victoria Postcodes Australia
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Burwood (Vic.)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
4. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List" . Retrieved 28 January 2021.
5. "Burwood and Burwood East, Victoria". Australian Places (archived). Archived from the original on 11 May 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
6. Presland G, (2007)The Whitehorse Calendar: Celebrating 150 Years of Local Government in Whitehorse, City of Whitehouse
7. "Best Chance History". Archived from the original on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
8. "History". Orana Family Services. Archived from the original on 18 July 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
9. "The History of the Victorian School for Deaf Children" (PDF). Deaf Children Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
10. Buckrich, Judith Raphael. "A History of the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind 1866-2004". Australian Scholarly Publishing. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
11. "Burwood Skyline (Hoyts)". Drive-ins Downunder – Australian Drive-ins. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2008.
12. "Map 60". Melway. Archived from the original on 6 December 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
13. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Burwood". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
14. "Australia Map Guide". street-directory.com.au. Retrieved 17 May 2008.
15. "Burwood Year 9 Campus". Emmaus College. Archived from the original on 27 June 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
16. Golf Select. "Wattle Park" . Retrieved 11 May 2009.
17. "Emmaus Animals – Club Information" . Retrieved 3 June 2020.
18. DPS guide to aged care. http://www.agedcareguide.com.au/. Retrieved 2012-02-25
19. "Nazeem Hussain on dabbling with napalm, Legally Brown and overt racism in Australia". www.smh.com.au. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2019.

External links

• Map of Burwood (street-directory.com.au)