Camberwell, Victoria

Camberwell is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Boroondara local government area. Camberwell recorded a population of 21,965 at the 2021 census.[2]

For the former local government area, see City of Camberwell.

Camberwell
Melbourne, Victoria
Burke Road, Camberwell in November 2014
Camberwell is located in Melbourne
Camberwell
Camberwell
Coordinates37.835°S 145.071°E / -37.835; 145.071
Population21,965 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)3124
Elevation57 m (187 ft)
Area5.8 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
Location10 km (6 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)City of Boroondara
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Kooyong
Suburbs around Camberwell:
Hawthorn East Canterbury Surrey Hills
Hawthorn East Camberwell Burwood
Glen Iris Glen Iris Burwood

The western, southern and eastern boundaries of the suburb generally follow Burke Road, Toorak Road and Warrigal Road respectively. The northern boundary generally follows Riversdale Road, except for an area in the northwest where it extends upwards to Canterbury Road, incorporating Camberwell, East Camberwell and Riversdale railway stations. Known for grand, historic residences and tranquil, leafy streets, Camberwell is commonly regarded as one of Melbourne's most prestigious and exclusive suburbs.

Camberwell is designated one of 26 Principal Activity Centres in the Melbourne 2030 Metropolitan Strategy.

A feature of Camberwell is the Burke Road shopping strip, which stretches north, approximately 600 m from Camberwell Junction, where three tram routes converge—the 70, 72, and 75. Halfway up the shopping strip is Camberwell railway station, which services the Belgrave, Lilydale, and Alamein train lines. East Camberwell, Riversdale, Willison, and Hartwell stations also lie within the suburb's boundaries. Several bus routes also cover the area.

The historic Rivoli Cinemas sit just west of Camberwell Junction, in the adjacent suburb of Hawthorn East.

Camberwell has several parks, reserves and playgrounds, most notably, Frog Hollow Reserve, Fordham Gardens, Cooper Reserve, Bowen Gardens, Lynden Park, Highfield Park, Riversdale Park and Willison Park.[3]

Camberwell is home to a number of notable head offices, including Pacific Brands and Bakers Delight.

History
Former Camberwell Town Hall
Busy Burke Road, Camberwell (looking north from Camberwell Junction) in May 2006

Camberwell received its name as a result of an early settler being reminded of the way three roads intersected in the south London district of Camberwell. This intersection is now known as Camberwell Junction. The development that followed was a product of the expansion of Melbourne's suburban rail network in the 1880s.

Camberwell Post Office opened on 12 October 1864.[4]

The Prospect Hill Road Precinct area is adjacent to the railway station and is the oldest part of the suburb. The original subdivision was relatively generous blocks, which were quickly filled with fine Victorian and Edwardian houses. Due to its hilly topography, many east–west streets in the Prospect Hill area have an excellent view of Melbourne's Central Business District. Its main commercial centre developed along Burke Road from its railway station to Camberwell Junction, 500 m to the south. Several tram routes converge on this point.

Though the area was originally agricultural, Camberwell is now one of the most well-established of Melbourne's affluent suburbs. It is part of the City of Boroondara, the local government area with the lowest socio-economic disadvantage index in Australia. There is almost no industrial land in Camberwell, and commercial uses are concentrated near the Burke Road precinct, which has long been one of the busiest in suburban Melbourne.

Development controversies

In the 1980s, a planned major development to the east of the Burke Road shopping strip met substantial opposition from local residents. National Mutual Life Association proposed a 24,000 sq.m. three-storey enclosed shopping centre,[5] which drew substantial objection.[6][7] Developer Floyd Podgornik's Podgor Group (Podgor) purchased the site from National Mutual in 1987[8] and submitted revised plans to Camberwell Council. When the Council approved Podgor's plans in 1988, 400 residents stormed the meeting.[9] At elections later that year, anti-development protesters won control of the Council[10] and although the developer subsequently proposed a lesser development,[11] in 1990 it rescinded its decision to approve the shopping centre. Subsequently, Podgor sued the council to court and was awarded $25m in damages.[12]

Similar opposition was mounted regarding plans dating from 1999 to develop Camberwell railway station to incorporate retail and office development.[12] High-profile present and past residents Geoffrey Rush and Barry Humphries supported the protest action,[12] but the development was finally approved in 2009.[13] However, the development never eventuated after VicTrack, the owner of the land, announced that it would not proceed with construction.[14]

Neighbourhoods

East Camberwell, Hartwell, Riversdale and Willison are four officially named[15] neighbourhoods, within the general area of the railway stations of the same name.

The southern areas of the Prospect Hill Precinct (from the south side of Prospect Hill Road to Riversdale Road) were developed for the Riversdale Estate, Kasouka Estate and Gladstone Park Estates from the late nineteenth century. The Kasouka Estate[16] was created in 1891 and included Kasouka Road, Trafalgar, Prospect Hill and Riversdale Roads. Kasouka Road has a high level of visual cohesion and is dominated by Victorian and Edwardian period villas.[17]

Population

According to the 2021 census of Population, there were 21,965 people in Camberwell.

  • 65.8% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were China 7.0%, England 3.3%, India 2.0%, New Zealand 2.0% and Malaysia 1.7%.
  • 71.1% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 9.3%, Greek 2.4%, Cantonese 2.1%, Italian 1.5% and French 1.3%.
  • The most common responses for religion were No Religion 43.8%, Catholic 20.5% and Anglican 8.9%.[2]

Notable residents

Transport
Camberwell railway station

Camberwell is well-serviced by public transport, with three rail lines, three tram routes and three bus services operating throughout the suburb.

Bus

Tram

Train

Camberwell is serviced by Camberwell, East Camberwell, Riversdale, Willison and Hartwell railway stations, located on the following lines:

Schools
Camberwell Primary School
  • Camberwell Primary School
  • Siena College
  • St Dominic's Catholic Primary School
  • Hartwell Primary School

Some schools such as Camberwell Girls Grammar School, Camberwell Grammar School and Camberwell High School bear the "Camberwell" name but are actually located in neighbouring Canterbury. Camberwell and Canterbury were once suburbs which made up the local government area City of Camberwell, which was dissolved in 1994 and amalgamated with two other LGAs to form a new LGA, the City of Boroondara.

Culture
  • Our Lady of Victories Basilica
    Our Lady of Victories Basilica

The Camberwell Sunday Market has been operated by the Rotary Club of Balwyn since 1976 and comprises 370 stallholders, selling secondhand clothing, books, furniture, and crafts.[31]

Ten churches were established in the area; Camberwell South Anglican Church,[32] St Dunstan's Anglican, St John's Anglican, St Mark's Anglican, Our Lady of Victories Basilica, St Dominic's Catholic Church Salvation Army, Methodist (now Uniting), Presbyterian, Greek Orthodox, Church of Christ and Baptist. Camberwell Baptist Church was constituted in 1891 and has met on the same site in Riversdale Road, Hawthorn East, near Camberwell Junction, since its inception.[33]

Sport

Camberwell Football Club participated in the Victorian Football Association from 1926 to 1991.[34] The suburb has a junior Australian rules football team called the Camberwell Sharks, who compete in the Yarra Junior Football League.

Since October 1996 the Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club has played in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition.

See also
  • City of Camberwell – Camberwell was previously within this former local government area.

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Camberwell (Vic.) (Suburb and Locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
  2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Camberwell (Vic) (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  3. "Parks&Reserves". Whereis.
  4. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  5. "Planning amendment may soon be tested". The Age. 27 November 1985. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  6. "Burke Road project deadline set". The Age. 29 October 1986. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  7. "Camberwell fighting push for new shopping centre". The Age. 18 May 1987. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  8. "Camberwell residents await Podgor moves". The Age. 7 October 1987. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  9. "Camberwell residents storm council". The Age. 17 May 1988. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  10. "Podgor plan in doubt". The Age. 8 August 1988. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  11. "New junction plans go to Camberwell council". The Age. 17 May 1989. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  12. "Battle Stations". The Age. Melbourne. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  13. Lahey, Kate (9 July 2009). "State policy wins: Camberwell project approved". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  14. Carey, Adam (3 October 2012). "Camberwell station development shelved". The Age. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  15. "Community and neighbourhood centres | City of Boroondara". www.boroondara.vic.gov.au. Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  16. Harston, Partridge & Co., Printers (1891). "Kasouka Estate". State Library Victoria. Retrieved 20 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. "Camberwell Conservation Study 1991" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2016.
  18. "Anti-war vigil outside treasurer's Melbourne home". AAP General News. 16 March 2003. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  19. "The evolution of Edna". The Age, Melbourne. 21 January 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  20. "Born today...Kylie Minogue". Brisbane Times. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  21. "Kylietown". The Age, Melbourne. 8 October 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  22. "Fashion victim". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 April 2003. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  23. "Tom Mitchell: Hawthorn star's Camberwell childhood home for sale - realestate.com.au". www.realestate.com.au. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  24. "Adam Plack". Maestro. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  25. "Rush hour". The Age, Melbourne. 8 March 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  26. "285 Doncaster Park & Ride - Camberwell via North Balwyn". Public Transport Victoria.
  27. "612 Box Hill - Chadstone via Surrey Hills & Camberwell & Glen Iris". Public Transport Victoria.
  28. "70 Waterfront City Docklands - Wattle Park". Public Transport Victoria.
  29. "72 Melbourne University - Camberwell". Public Transport Victoria.
  30. "75 Etihad Stadium Docklands - Vermont South". Public Transport Victoria.
  31. "Camberwell Sunday Market". Rotary Club of Balwyn. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
  32. "I'm New | Camberwell South Anglican Church".
  33. A.H. Praeger, ed. (1991). 100 Years of Christian Ministry in the Camberwell/Hawthorn Area.
  34. "Camberwell". fullpointsfooty.net. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
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