Albert Park, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Albert Park is an inner city
suburb of Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, 3 km south from Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip
. At the 2006 Census, Albert Park had a population of 5827.
The suburb of Albert Park extends from the St Vincent Gardens
to Beaconsfield Parade and Mills Street. It was settled residentially as an extension of Emerald Hill, (South Melbourne
). It is characterised by wide streets, heritage buildings, terrace houses, open air cafes, parks and significant stands of mature exotic trees including Canary Island Date Palm
and London Plane
s.
Since 1996, Albert Park and Lake
has been home to the Australian Grand Prix
.
The main park after which the suburb was named was declared a public park and named in 1864 to honour Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert.
Albert Park was used as a garbage dump, a military camp
and for recreation before the artificial lake was built.
In 1854 a land-subdivision survey was done from Park Street, South Melbourne, to the northern edge of the parkland (Albert Road). St. Vincent Gardens
were laid out and the surrounding streets became the best address for successful citizens. Street names commemorated Trafalgar
and Crimean War
personalities.
Heritage Victoria notes that Albert Park's St Vincent Gardens, Melbourne
"is historically important as the premier 'square' development in Victoria based on similar models in London. It is significant as the largest development of its type in Victoria and for its unusual development as gardens rather than the more usual small park" and "was first laid out in 1854 or 55, probably by Andrew Clarke
, the Surveyor-General of Victoria. The current layout is the work of Clement Hodgkinson
, the noted surveyor, engineer
and topographer, who adapted the design in 1857 to allow for its intersection by the St Kilda railway. The precinct, which in its original configuration extended from Park Street in the north to Bridport Street in the south, and from Howe Crescent in the east to Nelson Road and Cardigan Street in the west, was designed to emulate similar 'square' developments in London, although on a grander scale. The main streets were named after British naval heroes. The development of the special character of St Vincent Place has been characterised, since the first land sales in the 1860s, by a variety of housing stock which has included quality row and detached houses and by the gardens which, although they have been continuously developed, remain faithful to the initial landscape concept.
St Vincent's is a garden of significant mature tree specimens registered with the National Trust
and is locally significant for the social focus the gardens provide to the neighbourhood. Activities in the park range from relaxing walks, siestas to organised sports competition. The Albert Park VRI Lawn Bowls Club was established in 1873 and the Tennis Club established 1883 on the site of an earlier croquet ground."
, (formerly South Park in the 19th century until it was also renamed after Prince Albert) is nearby. It is a significant state park managed by Parks Victoria
. It is also known as the site of the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
.
Commercial centres include Bridport Street with its cafes and shops and Victoria Avenue known for its cafes, delicatessens and boutiques.
now cafe bar built in 1887) and Victorian terrace homes; Kerferd Kiosk an iconic Edwardian bathing pavilion and Kerferd Pier which terminates Kerferd Road and is a jetty onto Port Phillip used for fishing by many and sharks have occasionally been found around it.
Albert Park is composed mainly of Victorian terrace and semi-detached housing. Many residential areas are in heritage overlay
s to protect their character.
which connects from South Melbourne's Albert Road. Pickles Street, Victoria Avenue and Mills Street are the main roads running west and east toward South Melbourne.
Several tram routes service Albert Park, including routes 1 (along Victoria Avenue); 96 (light rail along Canterbury Road) the 112 (along Mills Street).
Bus services run through the suburb.
There are segregated bicycle facilities along the beach and Canterbury Roads, with marked bicycle lanes elsewhere.
The suburb has been home to the Formula One
Australian Grand Prix
since 1996. The choice of Albert Park
as a Grand prix venue was controversial, with protests by the Save Albert Park group. In preparing the Reserve for the race existing trees were cut down and replaced during landscaping, roads were upgraded, and facilities were replaced
Bob Jane Stadium is located in Albert Park. It was the former home of the South Melbourne football club
and is home to Victorian Premier League
team South Melbourne FC
. The purpose built football (soccer)
stadium was built on the site of the old Lakeside Oval which was an historic Australian rules football venue.
Albert Park is also where NBL's basketball
team, Melbourne Tigers
's administration is based, although they play their games at State Netball and Hockey Centre
in Royal Park
.
Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
is a large swimming centre which hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games
squash, swimming and diving events. MSAC has basketball and table tennis courts too.
In December 2006 Polo
returned to Albert Park reserve after an absence of 100 years.
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
suburb of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 3 km south from Melbourne's central business district
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip
City of Port Phillip
The City of Port Phillip is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the northern shores of Port Phillip, south of Melbourne's central business district. It has an area of 20.62 km² and has an estimated population of 96,110 people....
. At the 2006 Census, Albert Park had a population of 5827.
The suburb of Albert Park extends from the St Vincent Gardens
St Vincent Gardens, Melbourne
St Vincent Gardens in the Melbourne suburb of Albert Park, is an Australian park of national significance.It is an example of nineteenth century residential development around a large landscaped square. Development occurred as a result of a boom following the Victorian gold rush...
to Beaconsfield Parade and Mills Street. It was settled residentially as an extension of Emerald Hill, (South Melbourne
South Melbourne
South Melbourne may refer to*South Melbourne, Victoria, suburb of Melbourne*South Melbourne FC, a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
). It is characterised by wide streets, heritage buildings, terrace houses, open air cafes, parks and significant stands of mature exotic trees including Canary Island Date Palm
Canary Island Date Palm
Phoenix canariensis is a species in the palm family Arecaceae, native to the Canary Islands. It is a relative of Phoenix dactylifera, the true date palm....
and London Plane
London Plane
Platanus × acerifolia, the London plane, London planetree, or hybrid plane, is a tree in the genus Platanus. It is usually thought to be a hybrid of Platanus orientalis and the Platanus occidentalis . Some authorities think that it may be a cultivar of P...
s.
Since 1996, Albert Park and Lake
Albert Park and Lake
Albert Park and Albert Park Lake are situated in the City of Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of the Melbourne CBD....
has been home to the Australian Grand Prix
Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has...
.
History
Indigenous Australians first inhabited the area that is now Albert Park around 40,000 years ago. The area was a series of swamps and lagoons.The main park after which the suburb was named was declared a public park and named in 1864 to honour Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert.
Albert Park was used as a garbage dump, a military camp
Military camp
A military camp or bivouac is a semi-permanent facility for the lodging of an army. Camps are erected when a military force travels away from a major installation or fort during training or operations, and often have the form of large campsites. In the Roman era the military camp had highly...
and for recreation before the artificial lake was built.
In 1854 a land-subdivision survey was done from Park Street, South Melbourne, to the northern edge of the parkland (Albert Road). St. Vincent Gardens
St Vincent Gardens, Melbourne
St Vincent Gardens in the Melbourne suburb of Albert Park, is an Australian park of national significance.It is an example of nineteenth century residential development around a large landscaped square. Development occurred as a result of a boom following the Victorian gold rush...
were laid out and the surrounding streets became the best address for successful citizens. Street names commemorated Trafalgar
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
and Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
personalities.
St Vincent Gardens, Melbourne
St Vincent Gardens in the Melbourne suburb of Albert Park, is an Australian park of national significance.It is an example of nineteenth century residential development around a large landscaped square. Development occurred as a result of a boom following the Victorian gold rush...
"is historically important as the premier 'square' development in Victoria based on similar models in London. It is significant as the largest development of its type in Victoria and for its unusual development as gardens rather than the more usual small park" and "was first laid out in 1854 or 55, probably by Andrew Clarke
Andrew Clarke (administrator)
Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Clarke, GCMG, CB, CIE was a British soldier and governor as well as a politician in Australia.-Background and education:...
, the Surveyor-General of Victoria. The current layout is the work of Clement Hodgkinson
Clement Hodgkinson
Clement Hodgkinson was a notable English naturalist, explorer and surveyor of Australia. He was Victorian Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey from 1861 to 1874.- Exploration in New South Wales :...
, the noted surveyor, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and topographer, who adapted the design in 1857 to allow for its intersection by the St Kilda railway. The precinct, which in its original configuration extended from Park Street in the north to Bridport Street in the south, and from Howe Crescent in the east to Nelson Road and Cardigan Street in the west, was designed to emulate similar 'square' developments in London, although on a grander scale. The main streets were named after British naval heroes. The development of the special character of St Vincent Place has been characterised, since the first land sales in the 1860s, by a variety of housing stock which has included quality row and detached houses and by the gardens which, although they have been continuously developed, remain faithful to the initial landscape concept.
St Vincent's is a garden of significant mature tree specimens registered with the National Trust
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
and is locally significant for the social focus the gardens provide to the neighbourhood. Activities in the park range from relaxing walks, siestas to organised sports competition. The Albert Park VRI Lawn Bowls Club was established in 1873 and the Tennis Club established 1883 on the site of an earlier croquet ground."
Geography
Albert Park features part of the massive Albert Park ReserveAlbert Park and Lake
Albert Park and Albert Park Lake are situated in the City of Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of the Melbourne CBD....
, (formerly South Park in the 19th century until it was also renamed after Prince Albert) is nearby. It is a significant state park managed by Parks Victoria
Parks Victoria
-Department:Parks Victoria was established in December 1996 as a statutory authority, reporting to the Minister for Environment and Climate Change. The Parks Victoria Act 1998 makes Parks Victoria responsible for managing national parks, reserves and other land under the control of the state,...
. It is also known as the site of the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
The Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit is a street circuit around Albert Park Lake, only a few kilometres south of central Melbourne. It is used annually as a racetrack for the Australian Grand Prix and associated support races.-Design:...
.
Commercial centres
Beach areas
Albert Park has a long beach frontage with several distinctive features including many grand buildings (including the Victoria Hotel a grand hotel and former coffee PalaceCoffee Palace
The term Coffee Palace was primarily used in Australia to describe the temperance hotels which were built during the period of the 1880s although there are references to the term also being used, to a lesser extent, in the United Kingdom...
now cafe bar built in 1887) and Victorian terrace homes; Kerferd Kiosk an iconic Edwardian bathing pavilion and Kerferd Pier which terminates Kerferd Road and is a jetty onto Port Phillip used for fishing by many and sharks have occasionally been found around it.
Albert Park and Lake
The lake is popular with strollers, runners and cyclists. Dozens of small yachts sail around the lake on sunny days. Only the north eastern part of the park and lake is actually in the suburb, the rest is in the neighbouring suburbs of South Melbourne, Melbourne, Middle Park and St Kilda.Housing
Heritage Overlay
A Heritage Overlay or HO is one of a number of planning scheme overlays contained in the Victorian Planning Provisions, for use in planning schemes in Victoria, Australia...
s to protect their character.
Transport
Beaconsfield Parade is the main main beachside thoroughfare between St Kilda and Port Melbourne which runs along the Port Phillip foreshore. Richardson Street and Canterbury Road follows a similar inland route south to St Kilda. The main road arterial is Kerferd Road, a wide boulevarde lined with elm trees and a central reservationCentral reservation
On divided roads, such as divided highways or freeways/motorways, the central reservation , median, parkway , median strip or central nature strip is the area which separates opposing lanes of traffic...
which connects from South Melbourne's Albert Road. Pickles Street, Victoria Avenue and Mills Street are the main roads running west and east toward South Melbourne.
Several tram routes service Albert Park, including routes 1 (along Victoria Avenue); 96 (light rail along Canterbury Road) the 112 (along Mills Street).
Bus services run through the suburb.
There are segregated bicycle facilities along the beach and Canterbury Roads, with marked bicycle lanes elsewhere.
Sport
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Australian Grand Prix
Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has...
since 1996. The choice of Albert Park
Albert Park and Lake
Albert Park and Albert Park Lake are situated in the City of Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of the Melbourne CBD....
as a Grand prix venue was controversial, with protests by the Save Albert Park group. In preparing the Reserve for the race existing trees were cut down and replaced during landscaping, roads were upgraded, and facilities were replaced
Bob Jane Stadium is located in Albert Park. It was the former home of the South Melbourne football club
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
and is home to Victorian Premier League
Victorian Premier League
The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League...
team South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
. The purpose built football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
stadium was built on the site of the old Lakeside Oval which was an historic Australian rules football venue.
Albert Park is also where NBL's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team, Melbourne Tigers
Melbourne Tigers
The Melbourne Tigers are Australia's oldest and most respected basketball team, established circa 1931 in a local church hall League. Entering the National Basketball League in 1984, they are now the only Melbourne team, after the South Dragons withdrew from the league.The Melbourne Tigers are the...
's administration is based, although they play their games at State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball and Hockey Centre
State Netball Hockey Centre is a multipurpose sporting facility located in Melbourne, Australia. It is the home arena of the Melbourne Vixens netball team in the ANZ Championship, and the Melbourne Tigers National Basketball League team. The facility is located in Royal Park, Parkville next to...
in Royal Park
Royal Park, Melbourne
Royal Park is the largest of Melbourne's inner city parks . It is located north of the Melbourne Central Business District, Victoria, Australia, in the suburb of Parkville....
.
Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre
The Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre is an international sporting venue located in Albert Park, Victoria, Australia. The centre was opened on the 24th of July 1997 at a construction cost of A$65 million. The cost was funded by the State Government of Victoria and the City of Port Phillip...
is a large swimming centre which hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
squash, swimming and diving events. MSAC has basketball and table tennis courts too.
In December 2006 Polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
returned to Albert Park reserve after an absence of 100 years.
See also
- City of South MelbourneCity of South MelbourneThe City of South Melbourne was a Local Government Area located about south of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia, on the south bank of the Yarra River...
- the former local government area of which Albert Park was a part.