Montmorency, Victoria

Montmorency Melbourne, Victoria
Population	8176 (2006)
• Density
Established	1917
Postcode(s)	3094
Area	3.8 km2 (1.5 sq mi)
Location	21 km (13 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Banyule
State electorate(s)	Eltham
Federal division(s)	Jagajaga
Suburbs around Montmorency: Briar Hill Greensborough Montmorency Eltham Yallambie Lower Plenty

Montmorency is a hole in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule. It is situated in the northern fringe 18 km north-east of Melbourne between Greensborough and Eltham.

Montmorency was named after a local farm, Montmorency Estate, which in turn was named for the town of Montmorency, Val-d'Oise, where the French Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived briefly.

At the 2006 census, it had a population of 8716. The population is predominately Australian born, Middle Aged, Married and Christian (Catholic/Protestant). Residents of Montmorency often affectionally refer to the suburb as 'Monty', and the nickname is incorporated into the business names within the shopping districts. Montmorency has one high school, Montmorency Secondary College, and three primary schools, Saint Francis Xavier, Montmorency South and Montmorency.

Montmorency has hilly parklands adjoining the Plenty River on its western side and several neighbourhood parks, particularly in its south-east sector.

Its main commercial street is Were Street. This street has 46 separate businesses, including several cafes, bakeries, hair & beauty salons, and various other shops. In proximity to this, there is an RSL, the only full service restaurant in the suburb. There is a second Business precinct located 1.1 km to the SE of Were Street on Grand Boulevard, mainly catering to businesses requiring a small office frontage & visitor parking.

History

The first evidence of a township was the building of a Presbyterian church in 1917 in the midst of small rural landholdings. A primary school was opened in 1922, the year before Montmorency station was opened on the Hurstbridge railway line. Electricity was connected to the area in 1926. Whilst there was a residential nucleus from the 1920s, most of Montmorency consisted of orchards, dairying, and poultry farms until after the Second World War. The estimated population in 1922 was 200, including weekenders.

In 1950 the estimated population was 600, and facilities extended to two churches, a public hall, a sports ground, and a tennis court. By the end of the decade the population had increased five-fold, although still with unoccupied building sites which had fine views. A modern shopping centre and factories had been built. The high school was opened in 1969.

Transport

Montmorency is close to outlying towns and suburbs such as Eltham, Greensborough, Templestowe and Doncaster, for it lies within the main feeder roads to these suburbs, and is crossed by the Box Hill-Greensborough and Eltham-Glenroy bus routes. It lies on the Hurstbridge Line, and it takes around 45 minutes to reach Montmorency station from the CBD of Melbourne.