Montrose, Victoria

Montrose Melbourne,  Victoria
War memorial in the centre of Montrose, with the Dandenong Ranges in the background
Montrose
Coordinates	37°48′36″S145°20′35″E / 37.81°S 145.343°E / -37.81; 145.343 Coordinates: 37°48′36″S145°20′35″E / 37.81°S 145.343°E / -37.81; 145.343
Population	6,900 (2021 census) [1]
• Density	630/km2 (1,620/sq mi)
Established	1892 (previously South Mooroolbark)
Postcode(s)	3765
Area	11 km2 (4.2 sq mi)
Location	33 km (21 mi) from Melbourne 8 km (5 mi) from Lilydale 12 km (7 mi) from Ringwood
LGA(s)	Shire of Yarra Ranges
State electorate(s)	Monbulk
Federal division(s)	Casey
Suburbs around Montrose: Mooroolbark Lilydale Mount Evelyn Kilsyth Montrose Silvan Bayswater North Mount Dandenong Kalorama

Montrose is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 33 km east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the Shire of Yarra Ranges local government area. Montrose recorded a population of 6,900 at the 2021 census. ^[1]

Montrose varies in altitude from about 91 m to 324 m above sea level. Montrose covers an area of 11 square kilometres (2,700 acres). ^[2]

Montrose is situated at the picturesque foothills of Mount Dandenong. ^[3] Close to the Yarra Ranges, the Dandenong Ranges and the wineries of the Yarra Valley, it is a gateway to many tourist destinations, offering a variety of bed and breakfast accommodation for visitors. Montrose also offers a range of fine dining options and a selection of tea houses including a large fine chocolate shop.

Local sporting clubs, churches and schools surround the town centre, which hosts a craft market. ^[4] The Montrose Market is held monthly. ^[5]

History

European settlers initially referred to the area of Montrose as South Mooroolbark, and used the land for farming during the late 1800s. ^[6] The town was also informally called Double Pitts after the double-handed saw pit method used in the local timber industry. ^[7] The settlement was renamed to Montrose in 1892 by local landowner James Walker, whose son had a store on Colchester Road, Kilsyth named Rose Mont. A post office was opened in December 1898, and closed in July 1994. ^[8] During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Montrose was used extensively for orchards, partly due to its high rainfall. In 1911 the population of Montrose was only 133, however residential development increased in the 1920s providing accommodation for tourists and permanent residents. ^[3]

The Montrose Public Hall was funded by the local community and opened in July 1914, on the eve of World War I. ^{[7] [3]} A monument for World War I was constructed in 1921, which also became a memorial for World War II in 1947. ^[9] The population of Montrose boomed after World War II, resulting in many more young families. An infant health centre was opened in 1949. ^[3] A bushfire in 1961 destroyed 23 houses. By the 1970s Montrose had become part of the sprawl of suburbs extending into the Dandenongs. ^[10]

Education

See also: List of schools in Victoria, Australia

Montrose incorporates two government primary schools:

• Montrose Primary School, located on Leith Road and established in 1880 (previously called Mooroolbark South Primary School and Double Pitts School) ^{[3] [7]}
• Billanook Primary School, located on Sheffield Road and established in 1980

Recreation

Montrose Recreation Reserve

The Montrose Recreation Reserve is home to several sporting clubs and a scout group, and provides a range of facilities including a playground and barbecues. ^[11] The reserve is a popular destination for families and features a playground largely made from a recycled plastic as well as some artwork by local artists. ^[12]

Sporting clubs

Montrose also has a range of sporting clubs:

• Montrose Tennis Club, adjacent to Montrose Recreation Reserve ^[13]
• Montrose Netball Club, located next to the Montrose Football Club ^[14]
• Montrose Social Soccer Club, based at Keith Hume Fraser Reserve ^[15]
• Montrose Football Club, home to the Montrose Demons which compete in the Eastern Football League ^{[16] [17]}
• Montrose Cricket Club, based at Montrose Recreation Reserve and home to the Montrose Wolves ^[18]
• Montrose Calisthenics Club ^[19]

Community groups

• Montrose Coterie Group ^[20]
• Montrose & District Lions Club ^[21]
• Montrose Senior Citizens ^[22]
• Montrose CFA ^[23]
• Montrose Environmental Group ^[24]

Transport

The closest railway station is Mooroolbark railway station on the Lilydale line, approximately 5.7 km from Montrose. ^[25] Telebus services operate in the area, where passengers can request to be picked up or dropped off from home.^{[ citation needed ]}

Churches

• Church of Christ Montrose
• Montrose Spiritualist Church
• Montrose Uniting Church

Notable people

Kevin Heinze was a pioneering presenter of gardening on television in Australia. He hosted a gardening program for ABC Television titled Sow What, which was mostly shot on location at his one-hectare home garden in Montrose, from 1967 to 1988. Heinze died on 1 September 2008, aged 80. In 2005 the garden was donated to the local shire council for public use. ^[7]

Montrose was home to the museum of the Australian author May Gibbs who created the Gumnut Babies series.

Montrose was also home to documentary filmmaker Rohan Spong who directed the films Winter at Westbeth (2015) and All The Way Through Evening (2012).^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. "2021 Census QuickStats Montrose Victoria". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
2. "Yarra Ranges Community Profile: Montrose". .id Community.
3. "Montrose". Victorian Places. Monash University and University of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
4. "Montrose Community Craft Market". Only Melbourne. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
5. "Montrose Market". 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
6. Baddeley, Peter (July 2008). "Montrose". eMelbourne. University of Melbourne. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
7. Wormald, Kim (2008). Walkabout Montrose: Seven Local Walks. Montrose Environmental Group. p. 18. ISBN   978-0-646-49017-5.
8. "Post Office List". Premier Postal History. 2005. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
9. "Montrose War Memorial". Monument Australia. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
10. McLennan, Jennifer A. (1987). Montrose: Settlement in the foothills: A history. Melbourne: Shire of Lilydale. ISBN   0-9599754-2-X.
11. "Montrose Recreation Reserve". Yarra Ranges Council. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
12. "Montrose Community Adventure Playground". Montrose Recreation Reserve Inc. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
13. "Montrose Tennis Club". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
14. "Montrose Netball Club". Montrose Netball Club. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
15. "Contact". Montrose Social Soccer Club. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
16. "Montrose Football Club" . Retrieved 5 August 2019.
17. "Eastern Football League". Full Point Footy. Archived from the original on 1 January 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2008.
18. "About". Montrose Cricket Club. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
19. "Montrose Calisthenics". Archived from the original on 10 April 2012.
20. "The History of the Montrose D-Men Coterie". Montrose Football Club. 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
21. "Montrose & District Lions Club". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
22. "Montrose Senior Citizens". Yarra Ranges Council. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
23. "Brigade". Montrose CFA. 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
24. "Montrose Environmental Group – The Early Years" (PDF). Montrose Environmental Group. 2001. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
25. Shire of Yarra Ranges (PDF) (Map). Public Transport Victoria.