Camberwell, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Camberwell is a suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, 9 km east from Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara
. At the 2006 Census, Camberwell had a population of 19,637.
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.
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
. Half-way up the shopping strip is Camberwell railway station, Melbourne
, 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 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
. 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.
The Prospect Hill 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 500m 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 'middle-ring' 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. House prices in Boroondara are well-above the metropolitan median and those in the Prospect Hill precinct are several times the Boroondara median.
shopping strip met substantial opposition from local residents. National Mutual Life Association proposed a 24,000 sq.m. three-storey enclosed shopping centre which drew substantial objection. Developer Floyd Podgornik's Podgor Group (Podgor) purchased the site from National Mutual in 1987 and submitted revised plans to Camberwell Council. When the council approved Podgor's plans in 1988, 400 residents stormed the meeting. At elections later that year, anti-development protesters won control of the council and although the developer subsequently proposed a lesser development, in 1990 it rescinded its decision to approve the shopping centre. Subsequently Podgor sued the council to court and was awarded $25m in damages.
Similar opposition was mounted regarding plans dating from 1999 to develop Camberwell railway station to incorporate retail and office development. High profile present and past residents Geoffrey Rush
and Barry Humphries
supported the protest action but the development was finally approved in 2009.
of Balwyn
since 1976 and comprises 370 stallholders selling secondhand clothing, books, furniture, and crafts. Camberwell Football Club
participated in the Victorian Football Association
from 1926 to 1991.
Since October 1996 the Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club
has played in the Victorian Premier Cricket
competition.
Eight churches were established in this area - St John's Anglican
, St Mark's Anglican
, Our Lady of Victories Basilica, 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.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 9 km east from Melbourne's central business district
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara
City of Boroondara
The City of Boroondara is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.This area was originally occupied by the Wurundjeri, Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation....
. At the 2006 Census, Camberwell had a population of 19,637.
The western, southern and eastern boundaries of the suburb generally follow Burke Road
Burke Road, Melbourne
Burke Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in Melbourne, Australia. It runs from Ivanhoe to Caulfield, and includes the major shopping district at Camberwell...
, Toorak Road and Warrigal Road
Warrigal Road
Warrigal Road is a major inner urban road in southeastern Melbourne, Australia. On weekdays, it is usually congested as it runs through many major suburbs along its route, traversing Melbourne's inner eastern and south-eastern suburbs. This includes suburbs such as Chadstone, Oakleigh, and...
respectively. The northern boundary generally follows Riversdale Road, except for an area in the northwest where it extends upwards to Canterbury Road, incorporating Camberwell
Camberwell railway station, Melbourne
Camberwell is a railway station which serves the Belgrave, Lilydale and Alamein lines in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Camberwell, Victoria, Australia...
, East Camberwell and Riversdale railway stations.
Camberwell is designated one of 26 Principal Activity Centres
Activity centre
Activity centre is a term used in urban planning and design for a mixed-use urban area where there is a concentration of commercial and other land uses...
in the Melbourne 2030
Melbourne 2030
The Metropolitan Strategy Melbourne 2030 is a Victorian Government strategic planning policy framework for the metropolitan area of Greater Melbourne, intended to cover the period 2001-2030. During this period the population of the metropolitan area is expected to grow by a million people to over 5...
Metropolitan Strategy.
A feature of Camberwell is the Burke Road shopping strip which stretches north approximately 600 m from Camberwell Junction
Camberwell Junction
Camberwell Junction is a major intersection in Melbourne, Australia. It is at the intersection of Burke, Riversdale and Camberwell roads. Trams that pass through the junction are the 70, 72 and 75...
, where three tram routes converge - the 70
Melbourne tram route 70
Tram route 70 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is operated by Camberwell Depot and runs from the Waterfront City Docklands to Wattle Park in Box Hill South...
, 72
Melbourne tram route 72
Tram route 72 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs from the University of Melbourne in the city centre to Camberwell in the eastern suburbs. It runs through the suburbs of Melbourne, South Yarra, Toorak, Malvern, Glen Iris, and Camberwell...
, and 75
Melbourne tram route 75
Tram route 75 is a public transport service in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It runs from the corner of Spencer Street and La Trobe Street in the city centre to Vermont South in the eastern suburbs....
. Half-way up the shopping strip is Camberwell railway station, Melbourne
Camberwell railway station, Melbourne
Camberwell is a railway station which serves the Belgrave, Lilydale and Alamein lines in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Camberwell, Victoria, Australia...
, 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
Hawthorn East, Victoria
Hawthorn East is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
.
History
Camberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
. 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.
The Prospect Hill 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
Burke Road, Melbourne
Burke Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in Melbourne, Australia. It runs from Ivanhoe to Caulfield, and includes the major shopping district at Camberwell...
from its railway station to Camberwell Junction 500m 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 'middle-ring' suburbs. It is part of the City of Boroondara
City of Boroondara
The City of Boroondara is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.This area was originally occupied by the Wurundjeri, Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation....
, 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
Burke Road, Melbourne
Burke Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in Melbourne, Australia. It runs from Ivanhoe to Caulfield, and includes the major shopping district at Camberwell...
precinct, which has long been one of the busiest in suburban Melbourne. House prices in Boroondara are well-above the metropolitan median and those in the Prospect Hill precinct are several times the Boroondara median.
Development controversies
In the 1980s a planned major development to the east of the Burke RoadBurke Road, Melbourne
Burke Road is a major north-south thoroughfare in Melbourne, Australia. It runs from Ivanhoe to Caulfield, and includes the major shopping district at Camberwell...
shopping strip met substantial opposition from local residents. National Mutual Life Association proposed a 24,000 sq.m. three-storey enclosed shopping centre which drew substantial objection. Developer Floyd Podgornik's Podgor Group (Podgor) purchased the site from National Mutual in 1987 and submitted revised plans to Camberwell Council. When the council approved Podgor's plans in 1988, 400 residents stormed the meeting. At elections later that year, anti-development protesters won control of the council and although the developer subsequently proposed a lesser development, in 1990 it rescinded its decision to approve the shopping centre. Subsequently Podgor sued the council to court and was awarded $25m in damages.
Similar opposition was mounted regarding plans dating from 1999 to develop Camberwell railway station to incorporate retail and office development. High profile present and past residents Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Rush
Geoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
and Barry Humphries
Barry Humphries
John Barry Humphries, AO, CBE is an Australian comedian, satirist, dadaist, artist, author and character actor, best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife and "gigastar", and Sir Les Patterson, Australia's foul-mouthed cultural attaché to the...
supported the protest action but the development was finally approved in 2009.
Neighbourhoods
East Camberwell, Hartwell, Riversdale and Willison are four officially-named neighbourhoods within the general area of the railway stations of the same name.Notable residents
- Adam PlackAdam PlackAdam Plack is an Australian-born didgeridoo player and recording artist. He is originally from Camberwell in Melbourne, but moved to New York City in 1994....
, didgeridoo player. - Geoffrey RushGeoffrey RushGeoffrey Roy Rush is an Australian actor and film producer. He is one of the few people who has won the "Triple Crown of Acting": an Academy Award, a Tony Award and an Emmy Award. He has won one Academy Award for acting , three British Academy Film Awards , two Golden Globe Awards and four Screen...
, Australian actor. - Sir Rupert Hamer (deceased), Victorian Premier 1971 - 1981.
- Barry HumphriesBarry HumphriesJohn Barry Humphries, AO, CBE is an Australian comedian, satirist, dadaist, artist, author and character actor, best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage, a Melbourne housewife and "gigastar", and Sir Les Patterson, Australia's foul-mouthed cultural attaché to the...
, Australian comedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, best known for his alter ego Dame Edna EverageDame Edna EverageDame Edna is a character created and played by Australian dadaist performer and comedian, Barry Humphries, famous for her lilac-coloured or "wisteria hue" hair and cat eye glasses or "face furniture," her favorite flower, the gladiola and her boisterous greeting: "Hello Possums!" As Dame Edna,...
. Humphries grew up in Christowel Street in the Golf Links Estate. - Peter CostelloPeter CostelloPeter Howard Costello AC is an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the Treasurer in the Australian government from 1996 to 2007. He is the longest-serving Treasurer in Australian history. Costello was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1990 to 2009, representing...
, former Federal Treasurer and former MP for Higgins. - Norman LacyNorman LacyNorman Henry Lacy, Australian politician, is a former Victorian Government Minister from May 1979 to April 1982 who grew up in Richmond, Victoria and three times represented his state at national under age basketball championships...
, Victorian Arts and Educational Services Minister 1979 - 1982. - Kylie MinogueKylie MinogueKylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
and Dannii MinogueDannii MinogueDanielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...
, Australian singers were raised in nearby Surrey HillsSurrey Hills, VictoriaSurrey Hills is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area lies within the cities of Boroondara and Whitehorse...
and attended Camberwell High SchoolCamberwell High SchoolCamberwell High School is a government-funded, co-educational high for years 7 to 12 located on Prospect Hill Road in Canterbury, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
. - Haddon Storey, Victorian Attorney General, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for the Arts.
Culture
The Camberwell Sunday Market has been operated by the Rotary ClubRotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
of Balwyn
Balwyn, Victoria
Balwyn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
since 1976 and comprises 370 stallholders selling secondhand clothing, books, furniture, and crafts. Camberwell Football Club
Camberwell Football Club
Camberwell Football Club was an Australian rules football club who were formed in 1896 and competed in the Victorian Football Association between 1926 and 1990. Nicknamed the Cobras, Camberwell wore dark blue, white and red club colours...
participated in the Victorian Football Association
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
from 1926 to 1991.
Since October 1996 the Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club
Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club
Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club is an Australian cricket team competing in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition. The club formed in 1996 from an amalgamation of Collingwood Cricket Club, a foundation member of Victorian Premier Cricket in 1905, and Camberwell Cricket Club, a Victorian...
has played in the Victorian Premier Cricket
Victorian Premier Cricket
Victorian Premier Cricket is the elite club cricket competition in the state of Victoria, administered by Cricket Victoria. Each club fields four teams of adult players and usually play on weekends and public holidays. Matches are played on turf wickets under limited-time rules, with most results...
competition.
Eight churches were established in this area - St John's Anglican
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
, St Mark's Anglican
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
, Our Lady of Victories Basilica, Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, Methodist
Methodist Church of Australasia
The Methodist Church of Australasia was a Methodist denomination based in Australia.It ceased to exist in 1977 when most of its congregations joined with the many congregations of the Congregational Union of Australia and the Presbyterian Church of Australia to form the Uniting Church in...
(now Uniting
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
), Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
, Greek Orthodox
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia is the Australian archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Church, part of the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia is a jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.- Archbishop of Australia...
, Church of Christ
Churches of Christ in Australia
The Churches of Christ in Australia is a Christian movement in Australia. It is part of the Restoration Movement with historical influences from the United States of America and the United Kingdom....
and Baptist
Baptist Union of Australia
The Baptist Union of Australia is the oldest and largest national cooperative body of Baptists in Australia. Its current National President is Reverend Dr John Beasy. The BUA is now known as Australian Baptist Ministries - ABM...
. 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.