Fairfield is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km (3.7 mi) north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Darebin and Yarra local government areas. Fairfield recorded a population of 6,535 at the 2021 census.[2]

Fairfield
MelbourneVictoria
Grandview Hotel built in 1888
Fairfield is located in Melbourne
Fairfield
Fairfield
Location in metropolitan Melbourne
Map
Coordinates37°47′31″S 145°00′40″E / 37.792°S 145.011°E / -37.792; 145.011
Population6,535 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)3078
Elevation37 m (121 ft)
Area3.4 km2 (1.3 sq mi)
Location6 km (4 mi) NE of Melbourne
LGA(s)
State electorate(s)Northcote
Federal division(s)Cooper
Suburbs around Fairfield:
Thornbury Thornbury Ivanhoe
Northcote Fairfield Alphington
Clifton Hill Kew Kew

Fairfield is bounded by Grange Road to the east, the Yarra River to the south, Darebin Road to the north and Northcote to the west.

History

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Fairfield gets its name from "Fairfield Park", an estate that was subdivided from large tracts of land that was brought by Charles Henry James, a land speculator.[3] The name was alleged to have come from Derbyshire, England.[3]

Fairfield Post Office opened on 21 February 1887.[4] It has since relocated.

In 1962, Fairfield was part of the former City of Heidelberg. In that year, the suburb, along with Alphington, became part of the City of Northcote, which in 1994, became part of the City of Darebin.

Commerce and culture

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Fairfield is predominantly residential, with a small north-eastern pocket remaining a light industrial area.

A three-storey hotel, the Grandview Hotel, was completed in 1888, with its licence was granted by the Licensing Court on 15 August in that year.[citation needed] It has been known for hosting live music, and in the 1970s the Aboriginal country music band, the Country Outcasts, featuring Harry & Wilga Williams, had a residency there.[5][6][7]

The Station Street shopping district currently[when?] has 89 businesses operating within it, with 23 cafes/bars/restaurants and 17 food and wine specialists.[8]

Adjacent to the railway station, facing north-east, is the Fairfield Industrial Dog Object, a 6 m (20 ft) tall animatronic wooden dog.[citation needed]

Demographics

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In the 2021 census, the most common ancestries were English 33.3%, Australian 28.0%, Irish 16.0%, Scottish 11.7 and Italian 10.2%. 73.8% of people were born in Australia with other common countries of birth being England 3.2%, Greece 2.6%, Italy 1.8%, and New Zealand 1.4%. Most common languages, other than English spoken at home are Greek 5.5%, Italian 2.8%, Mandarin 1.1%, Spanish 1.1% and Vietnamese 1.0%.[9]

Fairfield has significant Greek and Italian communities, with 10.3% and 8.8% of residents of the City of Darebin (which Fairfield is contained within) being of those ancestries respectively. There are also strong numbers of Chinese, Dutch, German and Indian residents in the suburb.[10]

Education

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Sporting clubs

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Transport

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Six bus routes service Fairfield:

Train

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Fairfield is serviced by Fairfield station, which is on the Hurstbridge line.

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See also

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  • City of Northcote – Fairfield was previously within this former local government area.

References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Fairfield (Vic.) (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
  2. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Fairfield (Vic.) (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 July 2022.  
  3. ^ a b "Fairfield", Victorian Places, Victorian Places, retrieved 7 August 2022
  4. ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008
  5. ^ Walker, Clinton. "Art gallery". Buried Country. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  6. ^ Wray, Tyson (29 January 2016). "The Grandview Hotel". Beat Magazine. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Gallery". The Grandview Hotel. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  8. ^ "Station Street".
  9. ^ "Data by region | Australian Bureau of Statistics". abs.gov.au. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  10. ^ "Ancestry | City of Darebin | Community profile".
  11. ^ Fairfield Primary School
  12. ^ St Anthony's Primary School
  13. ^ Fairfield Bowling Club
  14. ^ Fairfield Cricket Club
  15. ^ Golf Select, Yarra Bend, retrieved 11 May 2009
  16. ^ "250 City (Queen St) - La Trobe University". Public Transport Victoria.
  17. ^ "508 Alphington - Moonee Ponds via Northcote & Brunswick". Public Transport Victoria.
  18. ^ "510 Essendon - Ivanhoe via Brunswick & Northcote & Thornbury". Public Transport Victoria.
  19. ^ "546 Heidelberg Station - Melb Uni - Queen Victoria Market via Clifton Hill and Carlton". Public Transport Victoria.
  20. ^ "567 Northcote - Regent via Northland". Public Transport Victoria.
  21. ^ "609 Hawthorn to Fairfield via Kew". Public Transport Victoria.
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