Ashburton, Victoria

Ashburton Melbourne, Victoria
High Street Road, Ashburton
Ashburton
Coordinates	37°52′1″S 145°4′59″E / 37.86694°S 145.08306°E / -37.86694; 145.08306Coordinates: 37°52′1″S 145°4′59″E / 37.86694°S 145.08306°E / -37.86694; 145.08306
Population	7,751 (2016 census)[1]
• Density	2,670/km2 (6,920/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3147
Area	2.9 km2 (1.1 sq mi)
Location	12 km (7 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Boroondara
State electorate(s)	Burwood
Federal Division(s)	Higgins
Suburbs around Ashburton: Glen Iris Glen Iris Burwood Malvern Ashburton Ashwood Malvern East Malvern East Chadstone

Ashburton is an affluent suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of Melbourne's Central Business District.^[2] Its local government area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2016 census, Ashburton had a population of 7,751.^[1]

Ashburton is known for the Ashburton Village shopping strip, the Ashburton Community Centre and the Ashburton Library on High Street Road. Nearby Warner Avenue hosts the Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre and the Ashburton Seniors Centre. It is in close proximity to the Holmesglen Institute of TAFE, Monash University (Caulfield and Clayton campuses), Deakin University (Burwood campus) and Swinburne University (Hawthorn campus).

In 1987 the median house price in Ashburton was 30% above the median for metropolitan Melbourne. By 2021, the median house price is $1.8 million.

In 2021, Ashburton residents were found to have the longest lifespan of any residents in Victoria.^[3]

History[]

Ashburton is located on Wurundjeri land.

The Outer Circle Railway, originally from Oakleigh to Melbourne via Fairfield, was abbreviated to spur lines from Camberwell within a few years, northwards to Deepdene and southwards to Norwood Station by 1891. Norwood was changed to Ashburton, at the suggestion of a former local councillor, E. Dillon who had lived in Ashburton Terrace, Cork, Ireland. The area took its name from the station.

An unrealised objective of the railway line was to stimulate residential development, but at the time the locality was best known for the Ashburton Forest, overlooking Gardiners Creek, as a site for picnics. The 'Ashy Dasher', a dedicated steam train, brought day-trippers to the Forest.

In the 1920s Ashburton had a few shops, orchards and market gardens, supporting sufficient population for a primary school to be opened in 1928 (549 pupils, 2014). There was a public hall in High Street Road near Johnston Street where Catholic and Presbyterian church services were held in the late 1920s. By the end of the decade, sub-divisions on the north side of High Street Road began to urbanise the area. Ashburton Primary School on Fakenham Road opened in 1928.

In 1948 the railway line was extended by one station to Alamein Station to accommodation the residents of the housing built by the Victorian Government's Housing Commission. In honour of returned servicemen and women who occupied much of the new estate, the streets of the new area were named after World War II sites in the Pacific and Western Desert campaigns, and war-time aircraft and flying boats. Street names include Victory Boulevard, Benghazi Avenue, Tobruk Road, Ambon Street, Huon Court, Lancaster Street, and Liberator Street. The Solway school opened in 1950 with the name Darling East. It was renamed Solway in 1956 after the Postmaster-General's Department opened in Solway post office near Solway Street.

Solway postmark (SE11 postal district sorting code is missing)

The rail line was electrified in 1924, and the Ashburton Post Office opened on 15 December 1927. Another office was opened at Solway (in the south-west of the suburb) and operated from 1954 until 1978.^[4]

Transport[]

Ashburton is located on the Alamein train line. The 734 bus service runs down High Street Road.

Education[]

Ashburton is served by five early learning centres: Craig Centre Kindergarten, Highgate Early Childhood Centre, Clever Kids Child Care & Kindergarten, Niño Early Learning Adventures - Ashburton and Papilio Early Learning Ashburton.

There are three primary schools: St Michael's Parish School, a Catholic co-ed primary school located on High Street; Solway Primary School; and Ashburton Primary School. Solway and Ashburton are government primary schools located on Winton Road and Fakenham Road respectively.

Ashwood Secondary College, a government high school, accepts Ashburton residents.

Religious services[]

The suburb contains several religious institutions:

• The Ashburton Baptist Church runs student housing. It also runs the House of Hope for people seeking asylum.
• Ashburton Uniting Church provides housing for people with mild intellectual disabilities.
• Ashburton Presbyterian Church provides English conversation classes for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced students.
• St Michaels Parish Church (Catholic)
• St. Matthews Anglican Church and the Melbourne Church of South India Church

Recreation[]

Ashburton hosts the following recreational interests:

• Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre (YMCA)
• Solway Basketball Club and Ashy Basketball Club field teams for boys and girls from under 8s to under 23s. Competitions are held at the Waverley Basketball Stadium and they act as feeder clubs for representative basketball club Waverley Falcons.^[5][6]
• Auskick at Watson Park and Ferndale Park
• Ashburton United Soccer Club, including Ashburton Women's Soccer Club
• Ashburton United Junior Football Club (The Ashy Redbacks)^[7] Including girls teams.
• Ashburton Young Cricketers (AYC) Cricket Club^[8]
• Ashburton Willows Cricket Club^[9]
• Ashburton Bowls Club^[10]
• Ashburton Netball Club
• Ashburton Uniting Church Tennis Club

The Gardiners Creek Trail passes through the southern end of Ashburton.

Ashburton has several community playgrounds:

• Alamein Avenue Playground
• Ashburton Park Playground (including an off-leash area for dogs)
• Ashburton Community Centre Playground
• Markham Avenue Reserve Playground
• Saxby Road Playground
• Warner Reserve Playground
• Watson Park Playground
• Winton Road Playground

The hall at Ashburton Park hosts the 1st Ashburton Scout Group.

Retirement villages[]

Aged care and assisted living services in Ashburton include Grand Cedar, Iris Manor, Rosewood Gardens and Samarinda. Samarinda operate the Ashy Op Shop near Ashburton Station.

Drinking establishments[]

Ashburton is part of the Boroondara dry area. There is no dedicated establishment serving alcohol.

Electoral representation[]

Ashburton is part of the Federal electorate of Higgins. The state electorate is Burwood.

Notable residents[]

• Several former Ashy Redbacks players were recruited to the Australian Football League, including: Luke Ball, Jack Viney, Toby Greene, Tom Mitchell, Eliza McNamara
• Edward M Dollery, army officer and administrator, died in Ashburton on 17 July 1973
• Damien Fleming, cricket commentator and former cricketer
• Vance Joy, singer-songwriter^[11]
• Peter Nevill, Australian cricketer, grew up in Ashburton
• Emeritus Prof. Alan Trounson, Australian embryologist with expertise in stem cell research

See also[]

• City of Camberwell - Ashburton was a part of the former local government area.

References[]

External links[]

• Australian Places - Ashburton
• Ashburton through the Ages (2017) by Neville Lee OAM.
• The Alameiners: From Mud to Palaces : Stories from the Early Residents of the Alamein Estate, Ashburton (2004) by Karyn Stamp and Gray Tham.