Bundoora is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 15 km north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Banyule, Darebin and Whittlesea local government areas. Bundoora recorded a population of 28,068 at the 2021 census. Bundoora is the headquarters of La Trobe University, Bundoora Campus. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) also has a campus situated in Bundoora.

History

The Bundoora area was originally inhabited by the Kurnaj-berring tribe of the Wurundjeri clan. The name "Bundoora" is derived from "Kelbundoora", the name of a 19th-century Wurundjeri man. Prior to European settlement, there were several large wetlands that were utilised by members of the Kurnaj-berring tribe. Europeans first arrived in the Bundoora area, known at the time as the Parish of Keelbundora, in 1835. The land for surveyed in 1837 by William Wedge-Drake, to allow for the sale of land. The land has previously been owned by members of the Port Phillip Association, such as John Batman, who grazed their sheep there without regard for the Wurundjeri clan. The land was subsequently auctioned in Melbourne in 1838, with Bundoora being sectioned off into two areas of approximately 400 hectares. The land was purchased by well-off individuals and land speculators, who resold the land within a few months, this time in blocks of 100 to 300 acre. It was primarily used for sheep grazing and grain production. Bundoora Post Office opened on 1 October 1863. In 1899, John Matthew Vincent Smith, a well known horse breeder, purchased a 242 ha property known as "Bundoora Park". The property was used to raise racing horses. A competition was held in the same year to design a homestead for the property. Sydney Herbert Wilson, who designed the Malvern Town Hall, claimed the prize of 50 pounds. The Bundoora Homestead remains a significant example of Queen Anne style Federation architecture. The Floridia Cheese Company was formed in 1955 by the Montalto family, after purchasing a small factory in Bundoora.

Geography

Bundoora is a very large suburb, spanning from Preston in its south-west, up to Plenty in the north-east, and covering three local government areas. Bundoora is home to Mount Cooper, located within Bundoora Park, a large (180ha) public park, and is often claimed to be Metropolitan Melbourne's highest point.

Demographics

In the, there were 28,653 people in Bundoora.

Local sites

Education

Healthcare

Transport

Bus

Fifteen bus routes service Bundoora:

Cycling

The Western Ring Road Trail and Darebin Creek Trail provides facilities for recreational and commuting cyclists.

Train

The nearest railway stations to Bundoora are Macleod and Watsonia, on the Hurstbridge line, and South Morang, Thomastown, Keon Park and Reservoir, on the Mernda line.

Tram

Bundoora is the terminus of tram route, which operates from McKimmies Road near RMIT University, to Waterfront City in Docklands. The line was extended from Tyler Street in Preston to the intersection of Plenty Road, Dunne Street and Kingsbury Drive in 1983, extended to Settlement Road in 1987 and extended to McKimmies Road in 1995. The last W2 class tram ran along this route in mid-1987.

Sport

Facilities

Nearby libraries include Watsonia Library, Diamond Valley Library and Mill Park Library, which are operated by Yarra Plenty Regional Library.

Notable residents

Books on Bundoora

Kenna, Len In the Beginning there was only the land Bundoora, Vic. Lions Club of Bundoora, 1988 ISBN 0731623177