South Yarra, Victoria
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South Yarra is an inner-city suburb in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
,
Victoria, Australia Victoria, commonly abbreviated as Vic, is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state (after Tasmania), with a land area of ; the second-most-populated state (after New South Wales), with a population of over 7 million; ...
, 4 km south-east of Melbourne's
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, located within the Cities of
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
and Stonnington
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 federated state, state, province, division (politica ...
s. South Yarra recorded a population of 25,028 at the 2021 census. Punt Road divides the suburb between Stonnington (east) and Melbourne (west). The main shopping region of South Yarra runs along Toorak Road and Chapel Street. Trade along these two arteries are focused on trendy and upmarket shopping, restaurants, nightclubs and cafe culture. The area of South Yarra centred along Commercial Road was for several decades one of Melbourne's
gay village A gay village, also known as a gayborhood or gaybourhood, is a geographical area with generally recognized boundaries that is inhabited or frequented by many lesbian, gay, bisexuality, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Gay vil ...
s. South Yarra is also home to some of Melbourne's most prestigious residential addresses. Residential land price records (per square metre) have been set by properties in Domain Road, Walsh Street and Fairlie Court.


History

South Yarra was originally inhabited by the Yalukit-willam clan of the
Boonwurrung The Boonwurrung, also spelt Bunurong or Bun wurrung, are an Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation, who are the traditional owners of the land from the Werribee River to Wilsons Promontory in the Australian state of Victoria. Their territory ...
people who called the area ''Terneet'', the meaning of which has been lost. The area was settled by British colonists in the late 1830s, not long after the establishment of Melbourne. The first sale of land by the Crown in Prahran area took place on 10 June 1840 when land bounded by Kooyong Road, Gardiners Creek (Yarra River). Gardiners Creek Road (now Toorak Road) and Glenferrie Road was sold. The purchasers included Jane Hill (the widow of pastoralist David Hill), the Langhorne Bros. (the nephews of Captain William Lonsdale), Capt. John Browne, James Jackson and
George Augustus Robinson George Augustus Robinson (22 March 1791 – 18 October 1866) was an English born builder and self-trained preacher who was employed by the British colonial authorities to conciliate the Indigenous Australians of Van Diemen's Land and the Po ...
who was the Chief Protector of Aborigines in the region. During the 1840s, it became popular with wealthy citizens of Melbourne as a suburban retreat from the town. Several large houses were built and, together with neighbouring Toorak, it maintained its upper-class reputation into the post-
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
period. South Yarra Post Office was open briefly in 1854, then reopened on 21 June 1858. During the 1920s and 1930s, many of the large gardens of the older mansions were subdivided and blocks of flats became a feature of the area. From the 1930s, the area around Park Street, where large numbers of flats had been built, became a popular neighbourhood for middle-class
homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exc ...
s; at that time an illegal subculture in the state of Victoria. The building of apartment buildings, particularly around South Yarra railway station, continued into the 1960s and 1970s and today South Yarra is one of the most densely populated suburbs in Melbourne. On 12 October 1988, police officers Steven Tynan and Damian Eyre were murdered in Walsh Street, South Yarra. On 8 July 2002, the Salt nightclub in Daly Street was the site of a dispute which resulted in the murder of three men. On 19 September 2005, seven men were found guilty of murder, in the
Supreme Court of Victoria The Supreme Court of Victoria is the highest court in the Australian state of Victoria. Founded in 1852, it is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited and inherent jurisdiction within the state. The Supreme Court compri ...
. The nightclub was particularly notorious for criminal activity and was finally shut down.


Population

In the 2016 census, there were 25,147 people in South Yarra. 51.1% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were China 5.7%, England 4.5%, New Zealand 3.4%, India 2.2% and Malaysia 1.6%. 63.8% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 6.3%, Cantonese 1.6%, Greek 1.5%, Spanish 1.4% and Russian 1.4%. The most common responses for religion in South Yarra were No Religion 42.6% and Catholic 16.0%.


Local landmarks

South Yarra has several local attractions. Perhaps the best known is Chapel Street. The South Yarra section of the famous street is the most fashionable and upmarket end. A major landmark is The Jam Factory, old factories converted into an upmarket shopping centre and cinemas. ''The Como Centre'' is a large shopping centre on the corner of Toorak and Chapel Streets, which combines with an office building, South Yarra's tallest, which houses the headquarters for ATV-10 and Global Television's TV production facilities. The Prahran Market, located in South Yarra, is one of Melbourne's most popular and historic fresh produce markets. Toorak Road runs off Chapel Street and although not known as well as Toorak Village, is a popular strip that contains a wide range of shops. There are also several heritage registered buildings in South Yarra, including the
Melbourne High School Melbourne High School is a Education in Australia#Government schools, government-funded Single-sex education, single-sex Selective school, academically selective secondary school, secondary day school for boys, located in the Melbourne suburb ...
(1928), the former railway station building (1874) and post office (1893).


Residential architecture

Many historic mansions can be found in South Yarra. Heritage registered houses include Como House (1847), one of Melbourne's earliest mansions on its large estate on Williams Road, now owned by the National Trust and known for its long association with the Armytage family, ''Richmond House'' (1859), in Avoca Street, formerly home to Sir Rupert Clarke Bt, ''Barwon'' (1881) and ''Airlie House'' on Domain Road, once the townhouse of the Chirnside family of Werribee Park fame, which now serves as a leadership college for
Victoria Police Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of the Australian States and territories of Australia, state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. It was formed in 1853 and currently operates under the ''Victoria Police Act 2013''. , Victor ...
. Other grand South Yarra houses include Wavendon, formerly home to film director
Fred Schepisi Frederic Alan Schepisi ( ;Pauline Kael, Kael, Pauline (1984). ''Taking It All In''. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. p. 55. born 26 December 1939) is an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. His credits include ''The Cha ...
, in Walsh Street, and Raveloe, in Domain Road, former home of Dame Mabel Brookes. Domain Road, with its proximity to the
Kings Domain Kings Domain is an area of parklands in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It surrounds Government House Reserve, the home of the governors of Victoria, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and the Shrine Reserve incorporating the Shrine of Remembrance ...
, the Royal Botanic Gardens and Government House, is at the centre of the exclusive Domain precinct. Fairbairn, built for the pastoralist Fairbairn family and the next-door property, Poolman House, on the corner of Domain Road and Punt Road, are among the largest mansions in South Yarra. Poolman House, originally known as Ernest Poolman House, was built by stock and station agent Richard Goldsbrough in 1865 and extended in 1880. Poolman House was owned by the Poolman family from 1921, who entertained grandly in the ballroom that they added in 1928. In 1956 Mrs Audrey Poolman donated the house to Christ Church South Yarra, who used it as a nursing home for genteel old Anglican ladies for thirty years, until in 1986, the house was bought from the Church of England by international interior designer the late John Coote, who restored Poolman House at vast expense. Snainton at 80 Clowes Street, South Yarra, is a notable example of grand Federation architecture, as is its sister property at 72 Clowes Street, South Yarra, which sold for a notable $8.8 million in 2008. Caroline House, a Victorian mansion with a tower at 72 Caroline Street, changed hands in 2014 by way of off market transaction for $12.5 million. Caroline House was formerly home to Australia's foremost art dealer Joseph Brown who between 1966 and 1999 gifted 154 works of art valued at $30 million to the National Gallery of Victoria. South Yarra also has some notable clusters of terrace house. Park Street features rows of Melbourne's best preserved, richly decorated and highly sought-after Victorian terrace houses, some as high as three and four storeys. Adjacent Leopold Street has a highly original Victorian streetscape being lined on both sides by Victorian terraces built during the 1880s land boom. Domain Road, Toorak Road West (overlooking Fawkner Park), Surrey Road as well as Darling and Caroline Streets are also known for their double-storey late 19th century terraces. An important area for Art Deco enthusiasts can be found along Alexandra Avenue, Lawson Grove and Darling Street. This area was subject to renewal in the 1920s and 1930s by entrepreneurial builder Mr Lawson, as a kind of medium-density village enclave development. As a result, a large number of Art Deco apartment buildings were built in a
Hollywood Hills The Hollywood Hills is a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. It borders Studio City, Universal City and Burbank on the north, Griffith Park on the north and east, Los Feliz on the southeast, Hollyw ...
style overlooking the
Yarra River The Yarra River or historically, the Yarra Yarra River, (Kulin languages: ''Berrern'', ''Birr-arrung'', ''Bay-ray-rung'', ''Birarang'', ''Birrarung'', and ''Wongete'') is a perennial river in south-central Victoria, Australia. The lower st ...
. One of the most famous of these apartment buildings, "Beverly Hills", on Darling Street, retains the original 1930s grotto-style swimming pool for the use of all residents. Nearby in Lawson Grove the Lawson Grove Café can be found on the ground floor of a 1930s Art Deco building. It was originally intended to run as a convenience store for local residents, but is now a chic café for those in the know. The Beverley Hills Apartment Block is a 1930s development in the Spanish Mission style.


Places of worship

The synagogue of the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, which was built in 1929 to the design of Nahum Barnet, features a giant order portico and a great copper dome. It is the largest synagogue structure in Australasia. Christ Church is an historic Anglican church located on the corner of Toorak and Punt Roads. Its tall spire is a landmark. There are several smaller churches secluded in the back streets of South Yarra.


Public space

South Yarra's parks and gardens include part of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Fawkner Park (large park bordered by offices on St Kilda Road, private residences off Punt Road, Commercial Road and Toorak Road, featuring recreational facilities and grand avenues of trees) and smaller gardens such as the former Greville Botanic Gardens, Como Gardens and the public housing open space.


Transport

South Yarra has two railway stations. South Yarra station is on the Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston and Sandringham lines. It is the junction for the Sandringham line. Hawksburn station is on the Pakenham, Cranbourne and Frankston lines and serves the eastern part of the suburb. Tram routes 58, 72 and 78 also run through South Yarra. Major bus routes run along Commercial Road and Punt Road.


Education

Melbourne High School Melbourne High School is a Education in Australia#Government schools, government-funded Single-sex education, single-sex Selective school, academically selective secondary school, secondary day school for boys, located in the Melbourne suburb ...
is located in South Yarra, and the 1930s Gothic main building is a local landmark. Melbourne Girls Grammar School Merton Hall campus is located in Anderson Street South Yarra, opposite the Royal Botanical Gardens, while its junior school, Morris Hall, is in Caroline Street South Yarra.
Melbourne Grammar School Melbourne Grammar School is an Australian private school, private Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Day school, day and boarding school. It comprises a co-educational preparatory school from Prep to Year 6 and a middle school and senior s ...
(boys only at senior level) occupies an entire block bounded by Domain Road,
St Kilda Road St Kilda Road is a street in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is part of the Melbourne central business district, locality of Melbourne which has the postcode of 3004, and along with Swanston Street forms a major spine of the city. St Kilda ...
, Domain Street and Bromby Street. It has historic and grand bluestone buildings. In addition, Melbourne Grammar owns many of the terrace houses in Domain Street to provide accommodation for its masters, as well as the grand Victorian terrace house in Domain Road, Creswick House, home to its middle school boarders. Christ Church Grammar School and South Yarra Primary School, two of Victoria's oldest primary schools, are also located in South Yarra.


Liveability

A 2005 report called ''Liveable Melbourne'' that was commissioned by ''
The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
'' and conducted by Tract Consultants and ACIL Tasman, ranked Melbourne suburbs and assigned them scores on fourteen characteristics such as crime, CBD proximity, and traffic congestion. The report found that of all Melbourne suburbs, South Yarra was the most liveable due to good proximity to the CBD, schools, cafes, and restaurants; access to trains, trams, and buses; and abundance of open spaces and trees.Suburban Dreaming
The Age, 20 August 2005.


Localities in South Yarra

Hawksburn is a locality in the eastern part of South Yarra, bordering Toorak. It is probably best known for its railway station and nearby "Hawksburn Village", a small strip shopping centre on Malvern Road. Many of South Yarra's older homes and terraces are located close to Cromwell Crescent and the Hawksburn railway station. Hawksburn Post Office opened in 1890. The Domain Precinct is the most prestigious part of South Yarra, traditionally home to many of Melbourne's old money families. Bordered by Punt Road, Toorak Road West, Anderson Street, St Kilda Road and Alexandra Avenue, the Domain Precinct has recorded some of Victoria's highest land values on a square metre basis. Driven by proximity to Government House, the Central Business District and the Botanical Gardens, Fawkner Park, and Melbourne's elite private schools and boutique shopping, this area is graced with both large mansions, terrace houses and high-end apartments. The most valuable streets include Walsh Street, Fairlie Court, Park Street, Clowes Street, Anderson Street, Domain Road and Marne Street.


Sport

The South Yarra Football Club, an
Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
team, competes in the
Southern Football League The Southern League is a football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from East Anglia, the South and Midlands of England, and South Wales. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven a ...
. The Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club have three teams that compete in the Victorian Amateur Football Association. Their home ground is based at
Melbourne High School Melbourne High School is a Education in Australia#Government schools, government-funded Single-sex education, single-sex Selective school, academically selective secondary school, secondary day school for boys, located in the Melbourne suburb ...
, where weekly matches are played on the Woodfull-Miller oval, the school's sole football oval. There are two tennis clubs, both of which are over 100 years old. Royal South Yarra which is a large club having both grass and en-tout-cas courts and Hawksburn Tennis Club in the heart of South Yarra with 3 en-tout-cas courts. Courts are also available for public hire at Fawkner Park, Prahran Community Centre and Orrong Park.


Notable citizens

* Claire Adams
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silent film actress, who had a townhouse in Domain Road during the 40s, 50s & 60s. * Joseph Anderson (Commandant) – Soldier, penal administrator and politician who was a resident of South Yarra in the 1850s. *
Graham Berry Sir Graham Berry, (28 August 1822 – 25 January 1904), was an Australian colonial politician and the 11th Premier of Victoria. He was one of the most radical and colourful figures in the politics of colonial Victoria, and made the most de ...
– Colonial politician, and 11th Premier of Victoria; general storekeeper in South Yarra in the 1850s. * Sir Robert Blackwood – The first Chancellor of
Monash University Monash University () is a public university, public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Named after World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the ...
, born in South Yarra in 1906. * Thomas Brentnall
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and
musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...
, lived at Newnham, Caroline Street, from 1880. * Mabel Brookes – Community worker and activist, who was president of the Queen Victoria Hospital from 1923 to 1970, lived in South Yarra with her tennis playing husband Norman Brookes. * Norman Brookes – Australian tennis champion who died in South Yarra in 1968. * Rupert Bunny – Australian painter who lived much of his life in
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, but returned and settled in South Yarra in the 1930s. * Len Darling – Australian cricketer who was born in South Yarra in 1909. *
Alfred Deakin Alfred Deakin (3 August 1856 – 7 October 1919) was an Australian politician who served as the second Prime Minister of Australia, prime minister of Australia from 1903 to 1904, 1905 to 1908, and 1909 to 1910. He held office as the leader of th ...
– Second
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; lived at "Llanarth" in Walsh Street from 1887. * Dorothy Jean Hailes (1926–1988) – menopause doctor, forebear of the Australasian Menopausal society * Ellinor Gertrude Walker, Australian teacher. * Lorna Hodgkinson – Educator, born in South Yarra in 1887. * James Alan George Housden
Vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...
of Christ Church, South Yarra, from 1946 to 1947. * Edmund Lind – Medical professional and soldier. * Major General Herbert LloydAustralian soldier, born in South Yarra in 1883. * Sir Keith Murdoch – Resided in Walsh Street for many years. * Vernon Ransford – Australian
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er born in South Yarra in 1885. *
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Sir
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soldier who played a key role in the establishment of
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, lived in South Yarra from 1907. * Ethel Spowers (1890–1947), Australian artist, born at South Yarra. * Gerard Kennedy Tucker – Founder of the Brotherhood of St Laurence, born in South Yarra in 1885.


See also

* City of Prahran – South Yarra was previously within this former local government area.


References


External links

{{Authority control Suburbs of Melbourne Suburbs of the City of Melbourne (LGA) Suburbs of the City of Stonnington