Melton Suburb Overview
Melton is a city in Victoria, Australia located 35 km west from Melbourne’s central business district. It is the administrative centre of the Shire of Melton Local Government Area and its most populous centre. At the 2006 Census the urban area, with the locality of Melton at its heart, had a population of 35,490. Melton is considered part of the Greater Melbourne metropolitan area and is included in the capital’s population statistical division.
Melton began as a small town before being declared a satellite city in 1974, separated from Melbourne’s urban area by a green wedge. Since the 1990s it experienced rapid suburban growth into surrounding greenfield land and become a commuter town in the Melbourne- Ballarat growth corridor. Changes to Melbourne’s urban growth boundary passed by the state government in 2010 effectively relinquish its satellite city status as it is planned to become part of Melbourne’s future conurbation.
Melton was first settled by squatters establishing sheep runs in the area in the 1830s and a small settlement benefited from traffic passing through it on the way to the Ballarat gold fields during the Victorian Gold Rush. The Post Office opened on 1 March 1856.
The area was declared a satellite city in 1974 and a green belt existed between it and the urban area of Melbourne until the late 1990s.
Melton is located on flat, largely featureless, former volcanic plains.
Melton consists of 6 suburban areas forming a single urban area with the locality of Melton at its centre. In the south of Melton are the suburbs of Melton South and Brookfield. In the north are Kurunjang and Toolern Vale while in the west is the suburb of Melton West.
High Street is the main activity centre, however the urban area lacks a true central business district, with retail, business and civic facilities largely decentralised across the urban area.
Many live performances are held at the Melton Civic Centre, on High Street, and also at the Tabcorp Park racing complex, on Ferris Road, Melton South.
And every year, the Djerriwarrh Festival is held in the city each November. The festival includes a street parade down High Street, two-day market stalls, and the Lions Club Carnival, held in the Police Paddock on High Street.
Melton is the home of the harness racing complex Tabcorp Park, and is the base for Harness Racing Victoria. The 2009 Australasian Breeders Crown was the first major race meeting held at the venue in August 2009.
Nearby Suburbs
