The City of Essendon was a

local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...

about northwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1861 until 1994.

History

Essendon was first incorporated as a borough on 27 December 1861. It became a town on 10 January 1890, and was proclaimed a city on 16 April 1909. Essendon initially incorporated the suburbs of Flemington and

Kensington Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West End of London, West of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up b ...

, but these suburbs split away to form the

Borough of Flemington and Kensington The Borough of Flemington and Kensington was a local government area in Victoria, Australia, centred on the Melbourne suburbs of Flemington and Kensington. It was proclaimed on 17 March 1882, separating Flemington and Kensington from the Municip ...

on 17 March 1882, which merged in 1905 with the

City of Melbourne The City of Melbourne is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. In 2018, the city has an area of and had a population of 169,961. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. The ci ...

. On 1 October 1979, Essendon gained Strathmore and Strathmore Heights from the

City of Broadmeadows The City of Broadmeadows was a local government area about north of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1857 until 1994. History Broadmeadows was first incorporated as a road d ...

- a gain of . Accessed at

State Library of Victoria State Library Victoria (SLV) is the state library of Victoria, Australia. Located in Melbourne, it was established in 1854 as the Melbourne Public Library, making it Australia's oldest public library and one of the first free libraries in the ...

, La Trobe Reading Room. In 1993, Essendon once again gained parts of Flemington and Kensington, as well as parts of North Melbourne, from the City of Melbourne. The Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, however, was annexed to Melbourne. On 15 December 1994, the City of Essendon was abolished, and along with suburbs of the

City of Keilor The City of Keilor was a local government area about northwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1863 until 1994. History Keilor was first incorporated as a road district ...

east of the Albion-Jacana freight railway line, was merged into the newly created

City of Moonee Valley The City of Moonee Valley is a local government area located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It comprises the north-western suburbs between 3 and 13 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre, and in June 2018, th ...

. From 1886 until 1973, council meetings were held at what is now the Clocktower Centre, on

Mount Alexander Road Mount Alexander Road (and its northern section as Bulla Road) is a major road in Melbourne's inner northern suburbs, connecting the northern edges of the city district to just south of Essendon Airport. It was named after its original destina ...

, Moonee Ponds, and from 1973 until 1994, they were held at the Essendon Civic Centre, on Pascoe Vale Road, approximately to the north. The former is now a performing arts centre while the latter is the headquarters for the City of Moonee Valley. The telephone exchange codes for this area began 37x. Until the 1960s, it was covered by the alphabetical exchange code FU (translating to 37 on the keypad).

Wards

On 1 October 1979, the City of Essendon was subdivided into four wards: * Aberfeldie Ward * Ascot Vale Ward * Essendon Ward * Moonee Ponds Ward At dissolution, each ward elected three councillors.

Suburbs

* Aberfeldie *

Ascot Vale Ascot Vale is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Ascot Vale recorded a population of 15,197 at the 2021 c ...

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United King ...

Essendon North Essendon North is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Essendon North recorded a population of 3,071 at the 2021 ce ...

* Flemington (a small triangle between the Flemington Racecourse railway line, Epsom Road and Ascot Vale Road) *

(shared with the City of Melbourne) * Moonee Ponds* * North Melbourne (shared with the City of Melbourne) * Strathmore * Strathmore Heights * Council seat.

Population

* Estimate in the 1958 Victorian Year Book.
+ The area annexed in 1979 contained a further 8,892 people, so the combined figure is 60,025.

References

External links

Victorian Places - Essendon and Essendon City
{{Coord, -37.752, 144.909, format=dms, region:AU-VIC_type:adm2nd, display=title

1861 establishments in Australia 1994 disestablishments in Australia Essendon, Victoria City of Moonee Valley