Mooroolbark Real Estate
Mooroolbark is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 31 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges. At the 2006 Census, Mooroolbark had a population of 19,335.
History
“Mooroolbeek” is thought to be the name given by the local Wurundjeri Aboriginal people ("moorool" meaning red and "beek" the earth). The name "Mooroolbark" was to be popularised with eventual European settlement in the late 1800s. A rural hub developed around the train station that offered rail access to Melbourne, which opened in 1887. The Post Office opened shortly after on 15 March 1888.
Wonga Park used to be a part of Mooroolbark until the early 1900s when it became a separate suburb. Another locality called Mooroolbark Park was later renamed as Chirnside Park).
Transport
Mooroolbark has a train station located within the local community shopping precinct, which is part of the Lilydale railway line. The train station is set off the main thoroughfare and is easily accessible with a significant number of free car parking spaces for commuters.
"Five Ways"
Located in Mooroolbark is one of Melbourne's most unusual intersections between Hull Road, Lincoln Road, Manchester Road and Cambridge Road: three consecutive roundabouts. Initially, the three latter streets simply connected to Hull Road at close, but slightly different, locations. In order to eliminate the troubles caused by vehicles failing to give way to those coming from other adjoining streets, it was decided to build individual roundabouts at each intersection, and employ the standard 'give way' road rules. This has cleared up most of the troubles on Hull Road (southwest to northeast), but the prospect of passing through the intersection for those who don't know it may be a little daunting. This intersection is usually referred to as "Five Ways" or "The Mooroolbark roundabouts" and can be a waiting game in peak hour traffic.
Shopping district
The main shopping district is located along Brice Avenue and Manchester Road, featuring two supermarkets, which are: Coles and IGA, a Gymnasium (Fenix Fitness Centre), fast food franchises, cafés, hair salons and thrift shops. Mooroolbark also has a tavern and wine bar.
Brice Avenue, the main shopping strip has a strict alcohol-free policy in place. The Alcohol Free Zone, if breached, may result in a fine of up to $2000. Under this law, anyone carrying an uncorked or unsealed alcoholic beverage, within the Mooroolbark township, can be fined at the discretion of the police. However, this doesn't apply to restaurants with an appropriate licence. Alcohol must be consumed within the licensed premises only, if the beverage is taken outside the premises in the public domain, police can issue a fine.
Police station
Mooroolbark has a 24-hour police station. It is located at the corner of Hull and Cambridge Roads ("Five Ways"), 700 metres from the Mooroolbark train station and town centre.
Community centre
Another point of interest within Mooroolbark is the Mooroolbark Community Centre, which has undergone radical changes since 2004 as part of a civil beautification and anti-graffiti project. The community centre is now surrounded by colourful mosaics and street art, including a stencil art representation of Mooroolbark's most famous citizen, the early 20th Century landscape designer Edna Walling.
The first Blue Light Disco in Australia was held in the Mooroolbark Community Centre in 1976. The 'Blue Light Disco', specifically a local Victoria Police initiative[4], is now a well-known attraction for teenagers Australia-wide.
Community festivals
From about 1979 until 2001, Mooroolbark had the 'Red Earth Festival', usually on the third or fourth weekend of March every year beginning on Friday evening and running all day Saturday and Sunday. The 'Red Earth Festival' had many stores and carnival rides. The highlights of that festival included a parade on the Saturday, which began in the grounds of the former Mooroolbark Primary School (which closed at the end of 2004) and went down Brice Avenue towards the fairground. On the Sunday, the festival hosted an open air market followed by a fireworks display on the night. Due to falling attendances and a significant increase in insurance premiums, the Red Earth Festival ran for the last time in March 2001. Since 2002, there has been a smaller-scale version of the festival, now known as 'Celebrate Mooroolbark', running on the Saturday at around the same time of the year. The 2010 Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival will be held on Saturday 20th March, with the Festival's Talent Quest on the preceding evening.
Notable people
The early 20th Century landscape designer Edna Walling purchased 3 acres (12,000 m2) of land at Mooroolbark and built her first home from local and second hand materials. This home was named Sonning, after Gertrude Jekyll's Deanery Garden, Sonning, an English garden she had visited. Her property is now the Bickleigh Vale Estate in the eastern part of Mooroolbark, which is a private residential area but in the past has been open for public display as part of Australia's Open Garden Scheme. A stencil art representation of her is located at the Mooroolbark Community Centre.