Location

Hume City is located on Melbourne's north-west fringe, between 15 and 45 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD. Hume City is bounded by Macedon Ranges Shire and Mitchell Shire in the north, the City of Whittlesea in the east, the City of Moreland and the City of Brimbank in the south, and the City of Melton in the west. Hume City's boundaries are Jacksons Creek and Deep Creek in the north, Merri Creek in the east, the Western Ring Road, Sharps Road, Keilor Park Drive and the Maribyrnong River in the south, and the Calder Freeway in the west.

Included Areas

Hume City includes the suburbs and localities of Attwood, Broadmeadows, Bulla, Campbellfield, Clarkefield (part), Coolaroo, Craigieburn, Dallas, Diggers Rest (part), Fawkner (part), Gladstone Park, Greenvale, Jacana, Kalkallo, Keilor (part), Meadow Heights, Melbourne Airport, Mickleham, Oaklands Junction, Roxburgh Park, Somerton, Sunbury, Tullamarine (part), Westmeadows, Wildwood and Yuroke.

Land Use

Hume City is a rapidly developing area, with both rural and urban (residential, industrial and commercial) areas. The southern parts of the City are well-established urban areas, while the northern and central areas are rural in character. Recent growth has been largely in suburbs to the north and north-west of Broadmeadows, and also in the far west of the City, in Sunbury. The City encompasses a total land area of about 500 square kilometres. Rural land is used mainly for agriculture.

Name Origin

Hume City is named after the Hume Highway, which was named for explorer Hamilton Hume, who traversed the area in 1824-1825 with William Hovell.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of Hume City were the Gunung-Willam-Balluk Wurundjeri Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from the mid 1830s, with land used mainly for sheep grazing and farming. Several townships, including Bulla and Sunbury, were established in the 1850s, spurred by the opening of the railway to Sunbury. Gradual settlement continued during the late 1800s, aided by the opening of the railway line to Broadmeadows in 1872. Significant development did not occur until the late 1950s, with growth initially in Broadmeadows, then spreading to the neighbouring suburbs of Campbellfield, Coolaroo, Dallas, Gladstone Park, Jacana, Tullamarine and Westmeadows in the 1960s and 1970s. Rapid growth took place from the 1980s, particularly in the Sunbury and Craigieburn townships, and in the 'new' suburbs of Attwood, Greenvale, Meadow Heights and Roxburgh Park. The population continued to rapidly increase from the 1990s, with much of the recent growth in the suburbs of Craigieburn, Greenvale, Roxburgh Park and Sunbury. Population growth is expected to continue, particularly in Craigieburn, Greenvale and Sunbury, and in the new growth area of Mickleham.

Major Features

Major features of Hume City include Melbourne Airport, Kangan Institute (Broadmeadows Campus), part of the Organ Pipes National Park, Mount Ridley Nature Conservation Reserve, Woodlands Historic Park, Woodlands Historic Homestead, Greenvale Reservoir, Greenvale Reservoir Park, Broadmeadows Valley Park, Aitken Hill Conference and Events Venue, Bulla Hill Railway, Emu Bottom Homestead, Rupertswood Mansion, The Meadows Greyhound Racing Complex, Maygar Barracks, Victoria Police Attwood complex, Broadmeadows Hospital, Sunbury Day Hospital, Craigieburn Willmott Golf Club, Goonawarra Golf Club, Melbourne Airport Golf Club, Broadmeadows Central Shopping Centre, Craigieburn Central Shopping Centre, Sunbury Square Shopping Centre and various wineries.

Transport

Hume City is served by Melbourne Airport, the Hume Highway, the Western Ring Road, the Calder Freeway, the Hume Freeway, the Tullamarine Freeway and the Craigieburn and Melbourne-Bendigo railway lines.