The Clocktower Centre, previously known as Essendon Town Hall or Moonee Ponds Town Hall, is a civic building in Moonee Ponds in Melbourne, Australia, located at 750 Mount Alexander Road, at the junction with Pascoe Vale Road. [1] Operated by the City of Moonee Valley, it is a venue for performing arts, as well as community and corporate activities.
The building has evolved substantially over time. It was originally built as the Essendon Mechanics Institute in a Victorian architectural style, and opened in September 1880. [2]
In February 1886, it was rechristened as the Essendon Town Hall. By 1914, the building had been extended and was reopened in July of that year. In 1930, a clock was installed in the tower and, in 1941, the building was again modified, with sections being rebuilt. [2]
After the council chambers were moved to the new civic centre in 1973, the former town hall was converted into a community centre. It was renovated and officially opened as the Essendon Community Centre in 1976. A fire in 1978 caused substantial internal damage to the building but, by 1979, it had been repaired and reopened. [2]
In February 2000, following substantial renovations, the building was officially reopened as the Clocktower Centre. [1]
The City of Moonee Valley is a local government area located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It comprises the north-western suburbs between 3 and 13 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre, and in June 2018, the city had a population of 127,883.
Westmeadows is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km (9.9 mi) north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Hume local government area. Westmeadows recorded a population of 6,502 at the 2021 census.
Essendon is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km (5.0 mi) north-west of Melbourne's central business district, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Essendon recorded a population of 21,240 at the 2021 census.
Moonee Ponds is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km (4.3 mi) north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Moonee Ponds recorded a population of 16,224 at the 2021 census.
Brunswick is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km (3.1 mi) north of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Merri-bek local government area. Brunswick recorded a population of 24,896 at the 2021 census.
Moonee Ponds railway station is located on the Craigieburn line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the northern Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds, and it opened on 1 November 1860.
Essendon railway station is located on the Craigieburn line in Victoria, Australia. It serves the northern Melbourne suburb of Essendon, and it opened on 1 November 1860.
Pascoe Vale South is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km (5.0 mi) north of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Merri-bek local government area. Pascoe Vale South recorded a population of 10,534 at the 2021 census.
The Moonee Ponds Creek is a creek and major tributary of the Yarra River running through urban Melbourne, Victoria, Australia from northern to inner suburbs. In 2004 a reporter for The Age described it as "arguably the most abused tributary of the Yarra River, and part of the true underside of Melbourne".
The Moonee Ponds Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the Moonee Ponds Creek through the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Capital City Trail is a shared use path in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, which circles the city centre and some inner eastern and northern suburbs. It is 29km in length, and mostly consists of sections of other trails, such as the Merri Creek Trail, Main Yarra Trail, Moonee Ponds Creek Trail and Inner Circle Rail Trail.
Kensington is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km (2.5 mi) north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne local government area. Kensington recorded a population of 10,745 at the 2021 census.
Keilor East is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 13 km (8.1 mi) north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Brimbank and Moonee Valley local government areas. Keilor East recorded a population of 15,073 at the 2021 census.
Jacana is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 km (8.7 mi) north of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Hume local government area. Jacana recorded a population of 2,187 at the 2021 census.
Queens Park is a significant park in Moonee Ponds, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Australia.
Mount Alexander Road is a major road in Melbourne's inner northern suburbs, connecting the northern edges of the city district to just south of Essendon Airport. It was named after its original destination: the Gold Fields of Mount Alexander, now known as Castlemaine.
The City of Brunswick was a local government area in the inner-northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It comprised the suburbs of Brunswick, Brunswick East and West Brunswick. It ceased to exist on 22 June 1994, when its council was disbanded by the Kennett Government and replaced with appointed commissioners, who oversaw its amalgamation with the City of Coburg and parts of the City of Broadmeadows, to create the City of Moreland.
Essendon tram depot is located on Mount Alexander Road, Travancore, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, it is one of eight tram depots on the Melbourne tram network. Despite the name, the depot is located three kilometres from the suburb of Essendon.
The City of Essendon was a local government area about 5 kilometres (3 mi) northwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of 21.22 square kilometres (8.19 sq mi), and existed from 1861 until 1994.
Kensington Town Hall is a former municipal hall in Kensington, Victoria, Australia.