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Kew East Melbourne, Victoria
White Avenue, Kew East
Kew East
Coordinates	37°47′49″S 145°3′25″E / 37.79694°S 145.05694°E / -37.79694; 145.05694
Population	6,620 (SAL 2021)
Postcode(s)	3102
Elevation	40 m (131 ft)
Area	4 km (1.5 sq mi)
Location	8 km (5 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Boroondara
State electorate(s)	Kew
Federal division(s)	Kooyong
Suburbs around Kew East: Ivanhoe Ivanhoe East Bulleen Alphington Kew East Balwyn North Kew Kew Balwyn

Kew East, also known as East Kew, is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km (5.0 mi) east from the Melbourne central business district, located within the City of Boroondara local government area. Kew East recorded a population of 6,620 at the 2021 census.

The suburb was developed as a series of small farming estates and communities. It expanded rapidly with the development of tramways and railways, including the now-closed Outer Circle railway line which had a station in Kew East. Today it is a mostly residential suburb with some small remnants of its agricultural past.

History

Pre-European settlement

The formally recognised traditional owners for the area in which Balwyn North is located are the Wurundjeri people. They are represented by the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.

19th century

A number of farming properties were established along the Yarra River following government land auctions, between 1845 and 1847.

The Wills family established "Willsmere Estate", a grazing and dairying property, with the name now reflected in Willsmere Road and Willsmere Park.

William Wade established a farm, named "Belford", next door. A flood in December 1863 devastated the property, which later became the Kew Golf Course.

The Harp of Erin Hotel, on the corner of Harp Road and High Street, was established in 1854, by Edward Glynn. It was a centre for race meetings and gave its name to Harp Road, which was part of a route to Lilydale, used by Cobb & Co.

20th century

Kew East Post Office opened around 1924.

The East Kew Maternal and Child Health Centre, in Strathalbyn Street, Kew East, is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. Opened in December 1925, it is the earliest purpose-built and intact baby health centre in the state.

21st century

The notorious 2020 Eastern Freeway truck crash, which received national news coverage, occurred in the suburb.

Street names

Windella Road was originally named Balfour Road, after Kew resident and politician James Balfour. It was renamed to Windella Avenue, after Balfour's residence Windella, due to the similarity of the former name to that of nearby Belford Road. Longstaff, Leason, McCubbin, Newbury, Frater and Lister Streets are all named after Australian painters.

Geography

The suburb is bounded to the east by Burke Road, to the north by the Yarra River and to the west by the Yarra River, parts of Kilby and Willsmere Roads and the property boundaries between Willsmere Road and Rattan Avenue. The southern boundary follows Carnegie Avenue, Park Crescent, Earl Street, Asquith Street, property boundaries near Belford Road (south), High Street and Harp Road. The Eastern Freeway runs across the centre of the suburb from east to west.

Demographics

As of 2016, 68.2% of residents were born in Australia, 4.3% were born in China, 2.4% in England, 2.1% in Italy and 23% were born elsewhere.

Economy

The main shopping area, "Harp Village", is located on High Street, near the intersection with Harp Road. A small local centre, Belford Court Shopping Centre, is located on Belford Road.

Transport

Road

The Eastern Freeway is accessible via the Chandler Highway or Burke Road. The Main Yarra Trail, a shared bicycle and pedestrian path, runs along the north side of the freeway. Belford Road bridges the freeway, providing a link to the northern part of the suburb.

Public transport

The suburb has a tram line along High Street, which is served by route 48. There are also a number of CDC Melbourne and Kinetic Melbourne bus routes which connect the suburb to surrounding areas.

Education

Schools

There are two co-educational government schools located in Kew East — Kew High School, a secondary college located on Burke Road and Kew East Primary School on Kitchener Street. St Annes Catholic School is located on Beresford Street.

Sports

Kew Golf Club and Green Acres Golf Club on Elm Grove are located in the north of the suburb. Parks in Kew East include Willsmere-Chandler Park, home of one of the suburb's three soccer clubs, East Kew United Soccer club, and the adjacent Kew Billabong, Hays Paddock on Glass Creek, is home to the Old Xaverians Soccer Club, and Kew Deaf Soccer Club. Hyde Park, Harrison Park and Stradbroke Park are located in the south-east of the suburb.

Places of worship

Places of worship include:

• St Paul's Anglican Church, located on the corner of Windella Avenue and Hale Street.
• East Kew Uniting Church, Normanby Road.
• MWP Centre, Westbrook Street.
• St Anne's Catholic Church, Windellla Avenue.
• The Leo Baeck Centre for Progressive Judaism, Harp Road.

See also

• City of Kew – Kew East was previously within this former local government area.

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Kew East (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022. 
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Kew East (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
3. Beardsell, David; Herbert, Bruce (1979). The Outer Circle: A history of the Oakleigh to Fairfield Park Railway. Melbourne: Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). ISBN 0-85849-024-2.
4. "Map of formally recognised traditional owners". Aboriginal Victoria. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
5. "Wurundjeri". Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
6. Dawson, W.J. "Green Acres Golf Club The First Forty Years 1948 - 1988" (PDF). Retrieved 28 April 2009.
7. ^ "City of Kew 1860-1960" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
8. Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 11 April 2008.
9. "Maternal and Child Health Centre, Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H0055, Heritage Overlay HO486". Victorian Heritage Database. Heritage Victoria. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
10. Four Victoria police victims of horror Melbourne freeway crash named The Guardian 23 April 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
11. Leason
12. Frater
13. Lister
14. ^ "Kew East". street-directory.com.au. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
15. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Kew East (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
16. "Shopping Centres". City of Boroondara. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
17. Route 48 Yarra Trams
18. Golf Select. "Kew". Retrieved 11 May 2009.
19. Golf Select. "Green Acres". Retrieved 11 May 2009.

• Suburbs of Melbourne
• Suburbs of the City of Boroondara