City of Darebin

About the area

Key Statistics

Location

The City of Darebin is located in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, between 5 and 15 kilometres north of the Melbourne CBD. The City of Darebin is bounded by the City of Whittlesea in the north, the City of Banyule and Darebin Creek in the east, the City of Yarra in the south, and the City of Moreland and Merri Creek in the west.

Included Areas

The City of Darebin includes the suburbs of Alphington (part), Bundoora (part), Fairfield (part), Kingsbury, Macleod (part), Northcote, Preston, Reservoir and Thornbury.

Land Use

The City of Darebin is an established residential, industrial, commercial, cultural and educational area, with substantial parklands. The City encompasses a total land area of about 53 square kilometres.

Name Origin

The City of Darebin is named after Darebin Creek, which is thought to be named from an Aboriginal word for swallows (birds).

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the City of Darebin were the Wurundjeri Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from the late 1830s, with land used mainly for farming and market gardening. Population was minimal until the 1850s. Residential growth took place from the 1880s into the 1920s, spurred by the opening of railway lines and industrial expansion. Significant development occurred during the post-war years, with rapid growth during the 1950s and 1960s. The population gradually declined between the 1970s and the 1990s, and then increased again from the early 2000s.

Major Features

Major features of the City of Darebin include La Trobe University (Melbourne Campus), Melbourne Polytechnic (Preston Campus), Victorian School of Languages, Northern College of the Arts and Technology, Northern Health (Bundoora Campus), Reservoir Private Hospital, Northland Shopping Centre, Northcote Plaza Shopping Centre, Northcote Central Shopping Centre, Northcote Shopping Centre (High Street), Northland Homemaker Centre, Preston Central (shopping centre), Reservoir Village Shopping Centre, Preston Market, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Bundoora Park Farm, Darebin Arts Centre, Northcote Town Hall, Preston Town Hall, Northcote Greek Orthodox Monastery, Linh Son Buddhist Temple, All Nations Park, Bundoora Park, Darebin Parklands, Edwardes Lake Park, Northcote Aquatic & Recreation Centre, Reservoir Leisure Centre, Darebin Community Sports Stadium, Darebin International Sports Centre, Darebin Women’s Sports Club, Gresswell Forest Nature Conservation Reserve, Gresswell Hill Nature Conservation Reserve, La Trobe University Playing Fields, La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary, Coburg Cemetery, Preston General Cemetery, Darebin Creek, Merri Creek, Bundoora Park Golf Course, Northcote Public Golf Course and Strathallan Golf Club.

Transport

The City of Darebin is served by Bell Street, High Street, Plenty Road, St Georges Road and the Epping and Hurstbridge railway lines.

City of Darebin

economic profile