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Moonee Ponds, Victoria

Coordinates: 37°45′54″S 144°55′12″E / 37.765°S 144.92°E / -37.765; 144.92
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Moonee Ponds
Melbourne, Victoria
Moonee Ponds in 2019
Moonee Ponds is located in Melbourne
Moonee Ponds
Moonee Ponds
Map
Coordinates37°45′54″S 144°55′12″E / 37.765°S 144.92°E / -37.765; 144.92
Population16,224 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density3,690/km2 (9,550/sq mi)
Postcode(s)3039
Elevation46 m (151 ft)
Area4.4 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
Location7 km (4 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)City of Moonee Valley
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Maribyrnong
Suburbs around Moonee Ponds:
Aberfeldie Essendon Brunswick West
Aberfeldie Moonee Ponds Brunswick West
Maribyrnong Ascot Vale Parkville

Moonee Ponds is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km (4.3 mi) north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Moonee Ponds recorded a population of 16,224 at the 2021 census.[1]

Moonee Ponds is home to Queens Park and the Moonee Valley Racecourse.

History

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Moonee Ponds probably derives from a local aboriginal world meaning 'small flats', and was in reference to Mone Mone Creek. The area was part of the Essendon district - later City of Essendon - and was largely developed from the late 1800s. Mount Alexander Road led to the goldfields near Mt Alexander, and became a major commercial thoroughfare. The Moonee Ponds Junction includes the Clocktower Centre, formerly used as the Essendon Town Hall and council chambers. Puckle Street was developed in the 1890s, with the first Ferguson Plarre Bakery located on the street. Queen's Park was the site of where Burke and Wills camped in 1860 on their expedition from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Planting of most of the trees and landscaping of the gardens and lake began in the 1880s.

Demographics

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In Moonee Ponds 69.9% of people were born in Australia. The other most common countries of birth were Italy 5.4%, India 2.6%, England 2.3%, Greece 1.5%, and New Zealand 1.5%.

70.9% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Italian 8.8%, Greek 3.6%, Cantonese 1.0%, Spanish 0.9% and Mandarin 0.9%.

Sport

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Aerial view of the Moonee Valley Racecourse

Essendon Royals Soccer Club is located in Moonee Ponds and plays in the Victorian State League.

The suburb has an Australian rules football team, Maribyrnong Park playing in the Essendon District Football League,[2] and another, Moonee Valley Football Club, based at Ormond Park competing in the same league. Moonee Valley Cricket Club[3] also located at Ormond Park competes in the VTCA.[4]

Transport

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Moonee Ponds station is located at the western end of Puckle Street, on the Craigieburn railway line. Bus route 467 runs from the station to Aberfeldie.[5] For details of other tram/bus routes see Moonee Ponds Junction which is located at the eastern end of Puckle Street.

The Maribyrnong River Trail and Moonee Ponds Creek Trail are cycling tracks in and around Moonee Ponds.

Attractions

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The Clocktower Centre was originally constructed as the Essendon Mechanics' Institute, which the State of Victoria later purchased to become the Essendon Town Hall. Today it is primarily used as a large theatre. As well as serving for some international, interstate and local functions, the centre has a number of conference rooms. It is named after its prominent clock tower. The clocktower is often used every 2 years by St Monica's Primary School. - (20 Robinson Street)

Moonee Ponds Junction is the centre of the suburb, with buses, trams and trains all converging in the area. The Clocktower Centre is nearby.

Puckle Street is the main shopping street with many shops and cafes along its length. At its eastern end is Moonee Ponds Junction and at its western end is Moonee Ponds train station. Moonee Ponds Central Shopping Centre also has many stores.

The Moonee Valley Racecourse is one of Melbourne's four horse racing tracks.

Notable residents

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Moonee Ponds is the location of the office and private home of politician and former Australian Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.[6] Australian singer Tina Arena and photographer Ruth Hollick grew up in the area.

An incomplete list of its other residents includes:

  • Shaun Atley, North Melbourne Footballer and part-time DJ.
The Clocktower Centre

The fictitious character of Dame Edna Everage also claimed to be from Moonee Ponds. There is a street in the suburb named Everage Street in her honour.

See also

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  • City of Essendon – Moonee Ponds was previously within this former local government area.

References

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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Moonee Ponds.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Moonee Ponds, Victoria.
  1. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Moonee Ponds (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 19 July 2022. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ Full Points Footy, Maribyrnong Park, archived from the original on 7 July 2007, retrieved 15 April 2009{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Moonee Valley Cricket Club".
  4. ^ Full Points Footy, Moonee Valley, archived from the original on 2 May 2007, retrieved 15 April 2009{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "467 Aberfeldie - Moonee Ponds via Holmes Road". Public Transport Victoria.
  6. ^ "The Hon Bill Shorten MP". Commonwealth of Australia.
  7. ^ Franklin, James (2003). "Ch. 6: Idealism and Empire" (PDF). Corrupting the Youth: A History of Philosophy in Australia. Macleay Press. p. 120. ISBN 1876492082.
  8. ^ Teale, Ruth, "Wells, Henry Thomas (1912–1986)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 18 October 2022
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