Montrose, Victoria

Montrose is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 33 km east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the Shire of Yarra Ranges local government area. Montrose recorded a population of 6,900 at the .

Montrose varies in altitude from about 91 m to 324 m above sea level. Montrose covers an area of .

Montrose is situated at the foothills of Mount Dandenong.

History

European settlers initially referred to the area of Montrose as South Mooroolbark, and used the land for farming during the late 1800s. The town was also informally called ''Double Pitts'' after the double-handed saw pit method used in the local timber industry. The settlement was renamed to Montrose in 1892 by local landowner James Walker, whose son had a store on Colchester Road, Kilsyth named Rose Mont. A post office was opened in December 1898, and closed in July 1994. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Montrose was used extensively for orchards, partly due to its high rainfall. In 1911 the population of Montrose was only 133. However, residential development increased in the 1920s, providing accommodation for tourists and permanent residents.

The Montrose Public Hall was funded by the local community and opened in July 1914, on the eve of World War I. A monument for World War I was constructed in 1921, which also became a memorial for World War II in 1947. The population of Montrose boomed after World War II, resulting in many more young families. An infant health centre was opened in 1949. A bushfire in 1961 destroyed 23 houses. By the 1970s Montrose had become part of the sprawl of suburbs extending into the Dandenongs.

In 2024, the (peak-hour) congested roundabout to the town was removed.

Education

Montrose incorporates two government primary schools:

Montrose Primary School
located on Leith Road and established in 1880 (previously called Mooroolbark South Primary School and Double Pitts School)

Billanook Primary School
located on Sheffield Road and established in 1980

Recreation

Montrose Recreation Reserve

The Montrose Recreation Reserve is home to several sporting clubs and a scout group, and provides a range of facilities including a playground and barbecues. The reserve is a popular destination for families and features a playground largely made from a recycled plastic as well as some artwork by local artists.

Sporting clubs

Montrose also has a range of sporting clubs:

Montrose Tennis Club
adjacent to Montrose Recreation Reserve

Montrose Netball Club
located next to the Montrose Football Club

Montrose Social Soccer Club
based at Keith Hume Fraser Reserve

Montrose Football Club
home to the Montrose Demons which compete in the Eastern Football League

Montrose Cricket Club
based at Montrose Recreation Reserve and home to the Montrose Wolves
*Montrose Calisthenics Club

Community groups

Montrose Coterie Group
* Montrose & District Lions Club
* Montrose Senior Citizens

Montrose CFA

Montrose Environmental Group

Transport

The closest railway station is Mooroolbark railway station on the Lilydale line, approximately 5.7 km from Montrose. Telebus services operate in the area, and passengers can request to be picked up or dropped off from home.

Churches

Church of Christ Montrose

Montrose Spiritualist Church

Montrose Uniting Church

Notable people

Kevin Heinze was a pioneering presenter of gardening on television in Australia. He hosted a gardening program for ABC Television titled ''Sow What'', which was mostly shot on location at his one-hectare home garden in Montrose, from 1967 to 1988. Heinze died on 1 September 2008, aged 80. In 2005 the garden was donated to the local shire council for public use.

Montrose was home to the museum of the Australian author May Gibbs who created the Gumnut Babies series.

References

{{Shire of Yarra Ranges suburbs

Suburbs of Melbourne
Suburbs of Yarra Ranges