Springvale, Victoria

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Springvale
city = Melbourne
state = vic


caption = Springvale McDonalds
lga = City of Greater Dandenong
postcode = 3171
pop = 18,430 (2006)Census 2006 AUS | id = SSC21631 | name = Springvale (State Suburb) | accessdate = 2007-09-26 | quick = on]
area = 11.2
est = 1880s
propval = $355,000 [ [http://www.domain.com.au/public/suburbprofile.aspx?suburb=Springvale&postcode=3171 Springvale] , accessed 9 October 2008]
stategov = Clayton, Lyndhurst, Mulgrave
fedgov = Bruce, Hotham
dist1 = 25
location1= Melbourne
dist2 = 8
location2= Dandenong
near-nw = Clayton
near-n = Mulgrave
near-ne =
near-w = Clayton South
near-e = Noble Park North
near-sw = Dingley Village
near-s = Springvale South
near-se = Noble Park

Springvale is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia about 20 kilometres south-east of the central business district. The local government area is the City of Greater Dandenong. Springvale hosts a multitude of different nationalities, has a prominent Vietnamese presence and is the former site of a migrant hostel. Springvale was once a city in its own right, but a local government boundary reshuffle in December 1994, saw part of the municipality amalgamated into the City of Frankston and the rest merged into the new City of Kingston. [ [http://www.travelmate.com.au/Places/Places.asp?TownName=Springvale_%5C_VIC Springvale, - Travelmate ] ]

Springvale remains home to the Sandown Racecourse, and is also known throughout Australian revhead circles as the home of the Sandown International Motor Raceway which hosts a number of major car races every year including the Sandown 500 and the V8 Ultimate, a key event in the V8 Supercar series.

History

The municipal area of Springvale was originally part of the Dandenong shire and is at the doorstep of the Dandenong Ranges National Park, one of the scenic and recreational gems of Greater Melbourne. The area contained natural springs which were a permanent water source for stock and travellers moving between Melbourne and Dandenong, giving rise to the suburb's name. In the 1850s, a Spring Vale Hotel was built near a newly-surveyed route between Oakleigh and Dandenong at what is now the intersection of Princes Highway and Springvale Road. However, it did not develop into a settlement.

In 1886, land was subdivided near the railway station and the area began to grow. By the 1920s the Spring Vale community had a lodge, brass band, a recreation reserve, a mechanics' institute, a few shops and some houses in the township. A picture theatre opened in 1924. At the outbreak of the second world war Springvale was a pastoral, residential and industrial township with market gardens in the surrounding areas. Sand extraction industries were active, lasting until the 1990s.

The clearest indication of postwar residential growth occurred in the early 1960s when Rockman's Shopwell department store was built, and later when shops on the east side of Springvale Road were removed for road widening. Housing growth was rapid and estates with made roads and services replaced unserviced subdivisions. The new Sandown racecourse site was opened in 1961 for both horse and motor-car racing.

On the north of the Princes Highway is the Springvale Crematorium and Necropolis. Next to the Crematorium is an area of housing and the original Springvale primary school near where Centre and Springvale Roads cross Princes Highway.

Demographics

At the ABS 2006 census, Springvale had a generally lower-income population of 18,430, not including visitors, with production, trades, transport, manufacturing and labouring being the dominant occupations. The largest representation of people with a place of birth outside Australia is Vietnam. Vietnamese making up 21.3% of the population. Additionally significant Chinese, Greek, Cambodian and Eastern European minorities exist. The most common religions were Buddhism (29%) and Catholicism (24.1%), with sizable minorities identifying as Eastern Orthodox or Anglican.Census 2001 AUS|id=SSC22461|name=Springvale (State Suburb)|accessdate=2007-06-30|quick=on]

Geography

Springvale is a large suburb occupying 11.2 km² about 20 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district, bounded by Westall Road via the Jacksons Road exit to the suburb's northeast.

The suburb is mostly residential, although some small industrial areas are scattered through the suburb's northwest and northeast. Eastern Springvale contains Springvale Crematorium and Necropolis, one of Melbourne's three main cemeteries, and the Sandown motor raceway.Map 79, Melway (33rd edition, 2006), ISSN 0311-3957.]

Facilities

Springvale Neighbourhood House was established in 1983 with the aim of providing a resource centre for self-help, social, cultural and action groups. Over 40 self help groups meet at the house, including ESL, Computer and Horticulture classes and celebrations such as Refugee Week, Sumnation and Adult Learners Week.

Politics

Springvale is very safe for the Australian Labor Party at both federal and state elections. At federal level the suburb is divided between the federal divisions of HothamDivisions of [http://results.aec.gov.au/12246/results/HouseDivisionPollingPlaces-12246-217.htm Hotham] and [http://results.aec.gov.au/12246/results/HouseDivisionPollingPlaces-12246-217.htm Bruce] (Polling Places), Australian Electoral Commission, last updated 9 November 2005. Accessed 2006-12-13] , currently held by Simon Crean, and Bruce. Of the five booths in the suburb (Whiteside, Sandown Park, Heatherhill, Springvale and Springvale West) the lowest two-party-preferred result for Labor at the 2004 federal election was 69.82% (Whiteside), while the highest was 76.52% (Springvale West).

At state level, Springvale is split between the electorates of Clayton, Lyndhurst and Mulgrave. At local level, Springvale is divided between the Springvale Central and Springvale North wards of the City of Greater Dandenong, represented respectively by Youhorn Chea (a councillor since 1997) and Alan Gordon [ [http://www.greaterdandenong.com/Documents.asp?ID=26&Title=Councillors Councillors] , City of Greater Dandenong, accessed 2006-12-13] .

Transport

Springvale has two railway stations: Springvale and Sandown Park. Both are located on the Pakenham and Cranbourne railway lines. Several bus routes also run through the suburb.
*"Refer to route(s): 811, 813, 814, 888 and 889 on List of Melbourne bus routes"

Education

Primary schools:
* Springvale Heights Primary School
* Springvale Primary School
* Springvale West Primary School
* Heatherhill Primary School
* St. Joseph's School
* Springvalley Primary School

Secondary schools:
* Minaret College, Springvale campus
* Springvale Secondary College
* Killester Girls Secondary College
* Wellington Secondary College

Landmarks and notable places

Crematorium and Necropolis

The Necropolis, Springvale is the largest facility of its kind in Melbourne.

Racecourses

Sandown International Motor Raceway incorporates a motor racing track with permanent pit and grandstand facilities. It is accessible from the Princes Highway and via Sandown Park railway station. The Sandown Racecourse is collocated with the motor raceway, and is one of the four horse racing venues in Melbourne. On the other (southwestern) side of the railway is Sandown Park Greyhound Racing Track.

See also

* City of Springvale - the former local government area of the same name.

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20050816083600/http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/ncas/multimedia/gazetteer/list/springvale.html Australian Places - Springvale]
* [http://www.commlearn.edu.au/ct_spring2.htm Springvale Community Centre] - Springvale Community Centre
* [http://www.commlearn.edu.au/ct_spring.htm Springvale Neighbourhood House]