Suburb Profiles
Footscray
Location and boundaries
Footscray is bounded by Mephan Street, Gordon Street, Owen Street and the Footscray Parklands in the north, the Maribyrnong River in the east, Somerville Road, Whitehall Street, Harris Street, Hyde Street, Bristow Street, Pilgrim Street, Albert Street, Buckley Street and the railway line in the south, and Warleigh Road, Barkly Street, Summerhill Road and Rosamond Road in the west.
Name origin
Footscray is named after Foots Cray, a town in London.
Important Statistics
Population: 17,536 (2016 ABS ERP)
Land area: 501 hectares (5 Km2)
Population density: 35.02 persons per hectare
Settlement history
Footscray is one of the oldest suburbs of Melbourne, dating back to a settlement known as Saltwater which grew at a crossing point on the Maribyrnong River in 1839. Industrial development grew up around the Maribyrnong River. By the late 1800s Footscray was already well developed and accounted for a large proportion of Melbourne’s industrial output. Footscray station became a major rail and tram junction and a major shopping area, with the Footscray Markets attracting people from across Melbourne. A large influx of migrants in the post-war years made Footscray one of the most ethnically diverse areas in Melbourne. Housing in Footscray is mainly Victorian-era workers cottages and terraces, along with blocks of flats and units built in the 1950s and 1960s. The population declined marginally between 1991 and 2006, and then increased between 2006 and 2011, a result of new dwellings being added to the area through urban renewal, particularly high density housing.
Land use
Footscray is an established residential, industrial and commercial area.
Major features
Major features of the area include the Footscray Central Business District (including Footscray Plaza), Footscray Market, Western Hospital, Western Private Hospital, Melbourne Museum of Printing, Victoria University (Footscray Nicholson and Footscray Park Campuses), Whitten Oval (home of the Western Bulldogs Football Club), Footscray Park, A E Shepherd Oval, Doug Mills Reserve, Henry Turner Memorial Reserve North, Henry Turner Memorial Reserve South, Jensen Reserve, Newell’s Paddock, Quarry Park, Footscray Community Arts Centre, Footscray Station and several schools.
Seddon
Location and boundaries
Seddon is bounded by Buckley Street, Albert Road, Pilgrim Street and Bristow Street in the north, Hyde Street in the east, Princess Street, Mackay Street, Gamon Street and O'Farrell Street in the south, and Williamstown Road and Geelong Road in the west.
Name origin
Seddon is named after Richard Seddon, former Prime Minster of New Zealand, who lived in the area before moving to New Zealand.
Important Statistics
Population: 5,385 (2016 ABS ERP)
Land area: 92 hectares (1 Km2)
Population density: 58.78 persons per hectare
Settlement history
Seddon developed primarily in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with further expansion in the interwar period and post-war years. The population declined slightly during the 1990s, and then increased slightly between 2001 and 2011, largely a result of new dwellings being added to the area.
Land use
Seddon is an established residential area, with commercial areas along Victoria Street.
Major features
Major features of the area include Seddon Village, Bristow Reserve, Harris Park Reserve, Mappin Reserve and Seddon Station Park.
Yarraville
Location and boundaries
Yarraville is bounded by Geelong Road, Somerville Road, Williamstown Road, O'Farrell Street, Gamon Street, Mackay Street, Princess Street, Hyde Street, Harris Street, Whitehall Street and Somerville Road in the north, the Maribyrnong River in the east, Francis Street, Hyde Street, Stony Creek and the West Gate Freeway in the south, and the Cemetery Road alignment from the Freeway to Cemetery Road in the west.
Important Statistics
Population: 15,772 (2016 ABS ERP)
Land area: 565 hectares (6 Km2)
Population density: 27.89 persons per hectare
Settlement history
Yarraville originally grew as a housing area for workers in the nearby factories of Footscray and Williamstown. The railway station was opened in 1871. Housing stock is mostly pre-WWII, with a large area of Victorian-era architecture in the Yarraville Village area around the station. Yarraville has tracts of 1950s and 1960s housing in the west of the suburb. In recent years, significant urban renewal and gentrification have occurred, with areas of older housing being restored and refurbished. The population declined slightly during the 1990s, and then gradually increased between 2001 and 2011, largely a result of new dwellings being added to the area.
Land use
Yarraville is an established residential area, with industrial areas in the east, and some commercial land use.
Major features
Major features of the area include Sun Theatre Yarraville, Angliss Reserve, Beaton Reserve, Cruickshank Park, Hanmer Reserve, McIvor Reserve, Yarraville Gardens, Yarraville Oval, Yarraville Village (shopping centre), Footscray Cemetery, Yarraville Community Centre and numerous schools.
Deer Park
Location and boundaries
Deer Park is bounded by Neale Road, the Brimbank Central Shopping Centre and Station Road in the north, Mumil Court, Trinacria Court, Dunbarrim Avenue, the Kororoit Creek, the Western Highway and the Western Ring Road in the east, Foleys Road in the south and Robinsons Road and Kororoit Creek in the west.
Name origin
Deer Park is named after the stock of game deer which the Melbourne Hunt Club used to keep in the area. It was originally known as Kororoit Creek.
Important Statistics
Population: 19,198 (2016 ABS ERP)
Land area: 861 hectares (9 Km2)
Population density: 22.31 persons per hectare
Settlement history
Settlement of the area dates from the 1850s, with growth around the present day railway line and Ballarat Road. An explosives factory (now Orica) was established in 1874. Industrial growth continued in the early 1900s. Significant residential development did not occur until the 1960s. The population declined slightly between 1991 and 2006, a result of little change in dwelling stock and a decline in the average number of persons living in each dwelling. The population increased substantially between 2006 and 2011 as new dwellings were added to the area, largely from development between the railway line and Foleys Road.
Land use
Deer Park is a residential and industrial area.
Major features
Major features of the area include Brimbank Central Shopping Centre, Isabella Williams Memorial Reserve, Deer Park Urban Forest, Robert Bruce Reserve, Bon Thomas Reserve, Davitt Drive Reserve, John McLeod Reserve, Millbank Drive Reserve, Sassella Park, St Andrews Park, Tamar Drive Reserve, Hunt Club Community Arts Centre, the Orica plant, the Deer Park railway station and numerous schools.