Balwyn North

Aerial panorama taken from Musca St Reserve, Balwyn North. September 2023.

Aerial panorama of the Eastern Freeway section in Balwyn North facing the city skyline. September 2023.

The north-western part of the suburb is known as Bellevue and the eastern part is known as Greythorn.

The formally recognised traditional owners for the area in which Balwyn North is located are the Wurundjeri People.[3] The Wurundjeri People are represented by the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.[4]

Balwyn North was one of the first Melbourne suburbs to be developed according to the pattern of postwar suburbia, with expansive, quiet residential areas designed as family homes and relatively few business districts. The original route of Bulleen Road began at the present-day corner of Kilby Road and Burke Road, but by the 1900s, its route had changed to its present-day alignment. This was a result of Elgar's Special Survey, which dragged the alignment of Burke Road further west, resulting in the surrounding road network being forced to adjust.[5]

A Balwyn North Post Office opened on 1 April 1937. This was renamed Burke Road in 1941, when a new Balwyn North office opened at its current location. The Greythorn Post Office opened in 1951.[6] The suburb was lampooned in the 1974 song by Australian band The Skyhooks, Balwyn Calling.[7]

Consistently among Melbourne's top 20 most exclusive postcodes, Balwyn North's status as an affluent suburb has seen middle to upper-middle-class families from surrounding localities transfer to the area to take advantage of the suburb's relatively large block sizes and proximity to some of Victoria's best private schools including those in the neighbouring suburbs.[11]

In the 12-month period to January 2020 Balwyn North reported a median house price of A$1.46 million for a three bedroom house.[12]

Located in Balwyn North are several primary schools, such as Greythorn, Balwyn North, St Bedes, Boroondara Park and Bellevue. Balwyn High School is located on Buchanan Avenue, and is so highly sought after, particularly by Asian families, that property prices within its student catchment area sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars more than nearby properties not located in the area.[13][14]

The main shopping strip is located at the intersection of Doncaster and Bulleen Roads, known as 'The Village'. There are a number of other local shopping strips, such as Greythorn Village, located further east along Doncaster Road, the East Balwyn Shopping Centre and Belmore Heights Shopping Centre.

Bicycle tracks connect with the Main Yarra Trail, along the Yarra River and the Eastern Freeway. Tram route 48 passes through Balwyn North, running along Doncaster Road and terminating at the intersection with Balwyn Road. A number of bus routes connect Balwyn North with suburbs such as Box Hill, Camberwell, Doncaster and Templestowe.[15] A number of freeway bus services have stops at the entrance of the Eastern Freeway, on the northern edge of the suburb.

In recent times, there have been numerous calls from both residents and local councils for the extension of the route 48 tram from its present terminus to either the 'Doncaster Park + Ride' facility or further along Doncaster Road to Westfield Doncaster.[16][17]

Balwyn North is host to a large number of parks and reserves, which are used for both passive and active recreation. A line of parks through which Glass Creek formerly ran at surface level lies at the heart of the suburb, stretching from Jacka Street Reserve in the east, through Gordon Barnard Reserve and Hislop Park in the centre, ending with Macleay Park in the west. Other parks in the suburb include Greythorn Park, Leigh Park and Koonung Creek Reserve.

• Warwick Capper
• Melanie Charles
• Tania Lacy
• John Safran
• Jo Silvagni
• Stephen Silvagni

• City of Camberwell – Balwyn North was previously within this former local government area.
• Balwyn