Braybrook, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Braybrook is a suburb 9 km west of Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong
. At the 2006 Census, Braybrook had a population of 6940.
It is bounded in the west by Duke Street, in the north by the Maribyrnong River
, in the east by Ashley Street, and in the south by the Sydenham railway line and Sunshine Road.
Braybrook has been an industrial suburb for most of its existence.
and Sunshine
in the heart of the western suburbs before the more recent urban sprawl
and due west from the Melbourne
CBD along Ballarat Road, Braybrook is starting to resemble a bedroom community due to a recent expansion of the western suburbs of Melbourne which are far less populated than the east. Historically this is due to stigma
, but the western suburbs are expanding now due to prime location and rising fuel prices. Some gentrification has occurred in the past decade with many former factory sites developed for modern housing projects (townhouses etc.) More and more first home buyers and developers are focusing on Braybrook and neighbouring Maidstone and West Footscray but traces of its industrial past may be still evident.
and Vietnam
have settled in and around Braybrook. About a third of the residents were born overseas.
The suburb has produced a number of famous sporting and show business personalities. The late 1960's pop singer Yvonne Barrett
resided with her family in Dodds St. Yvonne Barrett was murdered in 1985 with her funeral service held at Braybrook's Christ The King Catholic church in Churchill Avenue. 1970's Pop sensation Jamie Redfern
also lived in the area. Ray "Screamy" Eames the drummer from popular Melbourne pub-rock act The Blue Echoes lived in Braybrook.
High profile Australian rules footballers Doug Hawkins, Ted Whitten and Brian Wilson played for the Braybrook Football Club.
Schools:
Braybrook contains the main campus of WELS (Western English Language School) which is located on South Road.
The Catholic parish of Christ the King, Braybrook was established in 1952, from sections of Sunshine and West Footscray parishes. In 1958, the parish transferred from its temporary centre in Rupert St to its present location on 65–67 Churchill Avenue, with the opening of the Catholic Centre.
Footscray Toy Library (648 Barkly Street, Footscray West)
.
The Braybrook club has produced a number of high profile Australian rules football stars including 1982 Brownlow medalist Brian Wilson
(Footscray, North Melbourne, Melbourne, St Kilda Football Clubs) , Ted Whitten
(Footscray Football Club) and Doug Hawkins
(Footscray and Fitzroy Football Clubs)
There are also:
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...
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong
City of Maribyrnong
The City of Maribyrnong is a Local Government Area located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It comprises the inner western suburbs between 5 and 10 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre...
. At the 2006 Census, Braybrook had a population of 6940.
It is bounded in the west by Duke Street, in the north by the Maribyrnong River
Maribyrnong river
The Maribyrnong River rises about 50 km north of Melbourne, Victoria , near Mount Macedon. It flows generally southward and combines with the Yarra River to flow into Port Phillip....
, in the east by Ashley Street, and in the south by the Sydenham railway line and Sunshine Road.
History
Braybrook Post Office opened on 1 December 1860.Braybrook has been an industrial suburb for most of its existence.
Today
Approximately mid-way between the former councils of FootscrayCity of Footscray
The City of Footscray was a Local Government Area located about west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1859 until 1994.-History:...
and Sunshine
City of Sunshine
The City of Sunshine was a Local Government Area located about west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1860 until 1994.-History:...
in the heart of the western suburbs before the more recent urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
and due west from the 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...
CBD along Ballarat Road, Braybrook is starting to resemble a bedroom community due to a recent expansion of the western suburbs of Melbourne which are far less populated than the east. Historically this is due to stigma
Social stigma
Social stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
, but the western suburbs are expanding now due to prime location and rising fuel prices. Some gentrification has occurred in the past decade with many former factory sites developed for modern housing projects (townhouses etc.) More and more first home buyers and developers are focusing on Braybrook and neighbouring Maidstone and West Footscray but traces of its industrial past may be still evident.
People
As the main campus of WELS (Western English Language Centre), is located on South Road in Braybrook, many refugees and immigrants mainly from East AfricaEast Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
have settled in and around Braybrook. About a third of the residents were born overseas.
The suburb has produced a number of famous sporting and show business personalities. The late 1960's pop singer Yvonne Barrett
Yvonne Barrett
Yvonne Frances Barrett was an Australian pop singer who made the Top 40 charts in Melbourne & Sydney and was nationally known for her TV appearances.-Career:...
resided with her family in Dodds St. Yvonne Barrett was murdered in 1985 with her funeral service held at Braybrook's Christ The King Catholic church in Churchill Avenue. 1970's Pop sensation Jamie Redfern
Jamie Redfern
Jamie Redfern born 9 April 1957, is an Australian television presenter and pop singer. Redfern was a founding member of the Australian show Young Talent Time and currently presents Jamie Redfern's Rascals, which can be viewed on Aurora TV. He is also the director of the Australian Showbusiness...
also lived in the area. Ray "Screamy" Eames the drummer from popular Melbourne pub-rock act The Blue Echoes lived in Braybrook.
High profile Australian rules footballers Doug Hawkins, Ted Whitten and Brian Wilson played for the Braybrook Football Club.
Education
Kindergarten/ day care services:- ABC Goodstart Early Learning ( 1 Vine Street, Braybrook) http://www.goodstart.org.au/centres/braybrook/overview
- Cherry Crescent Pre-school Cherry Crescent, Braybrook VIC 3019
- Kids Heaven Family Day Care Services (5/ 6 South Rd Braybrook) http://www.echildcare.com.au/ascotvale-family/
- Little Champs Day Care (97A - 101 Hargreaves Cescent, Braybrook)
- Shifa Family Day Care (Office D4 67 Ashley St, Braybrook VIC 3019
Schools:
- Dinjerra Primary School located on South Road,
- Braybrook Primary School, which is 120 years old and burnt down on the 28th of August 2010 located on Ballarat Road, slated for closure and amalgamation with 2 other area schools (Sunshine East Primary, Sunvale Primary) at the end of 2007. The buildings will be demolished and the nearby Rosamond SchoolSpecial educationSpecial education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
will be relocated onto the site, along with new buildings and facilities. - Braybrook College, a public secondary school, located on Ballarat Road
- Caroline Chisholm Catholic College located on Churchill Avenue.
- Christ the King Primary School, located on Riley Court
Braybrook contains the main campus of WELS (Western English Language School) which is located on South Road.
Transport
- Six bus routes operates around Braybrook (Lines 216, 219 and 220 are all passing through Melbourne CBD).
- The area is served by rail by Tottenham railway station and Sunshine railway stationSunshine railway station, MelbourneSunshine is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Sunshine, on the Sydenham railway line. It is the junction for the line west to Ballarat...
although neither is located in Braybrook.
- Barybrook is also a home to Britz Melbourne ( campervan hire) located Central West Business Park Building 2/9 Ashley Street. ( http://www.britz.com.au/melbourne-campervan-hire )
Community Centre
The Braybrook Community Centre is located at 107–139 Churchill Avenue, Braybrook. The centre offers children's facilities, crafts, English as a Second Language (ESL), occasional care, computer and Internet facilities, playgroups, health and well-being classes and financial counselling. It also offers rooms and halls for hire. There is also a large community garden featuring sculptures and strawbale/mudbrick buildings. The Western Region Community Health Centre is housed within the centre and offers general medical practitioners, optometry, physiotherapy, podiatry, social work, occupational therapists, speech pathology for children, pharmaceutical program and a women's and children's health nurse. The Braybrook Tool Lending Library, a not-for-profit community service managed by volunteers, is also located within the centre. Woodwork facilities can be hired for classes and activities. The community centre also hosts the Jesus Is Lord Church of Melbourne.Other community facilities
The Community Hub at 19 Hargreaves Crescent, Braybrook is a base for the Neighbourhood Renewal team and the Braybrook and Maidstone Neighbourhood Association to collaborate with local residents to bring about change. Local residents are welcome to visit and learn more about Neighbourhood Renewal and the Association. The Hub will be home to the Braidstone Bulletin — a local community newsletter and will have small meeting rooms available for local groups.The Catholic parish of Christ the King, Braybrook was established in 1952, from sections of Sunshine and West Footscray parishes. In 1958, the parish transferred from its temporary centre in Rupert St to its present location on 65–67 Churchill Avenue, with the opening of the Catholic Centre.
Footscray Toy Library (648 Barkly Street, Footscray West)
Attractions
- Ashley Gardens BIG4 Holiday Village ( http://www.aspenparks.com.au/holiday-destinations/victoria/melbourne/ashley-gardens-big4-holiday-village/welcome.aspx )
- Maribyrnong River
- Maribyrnong River Trail
- Medway Golf Club www.medwaygolf.com.au
- Highpoint Shopping Centre http://www.highpoint.com.au/
- MAC Aquatic Centre http://www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/
Commerce/ Shopping
- There is a local shopping centre called Central West Plaza located on the corners of Ashley Street and South Road on the border of West FootscrayWest Footscray, VictoriaWest Footscray is a suburb 7 km west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Maribyrnong. At the 2006 Census, West Footscray had a population of 9776.-Medicine:...
. It was built on the grounds of a former RAAF base and the shopping centre has a general aviation theme, including a WW2 fighter on display at the Ashley Street entrance. This was moved from the office complex development adjacent in 2003.
- There is another major shopping centre on the corner of Ashley Street and Ballarat Road, "Braybrook Plaza."
- Most retail businesses in the area are still located in strip malls and small individual shops on Ballarat Road. The strip malls are on South Road, Churchill Avenue and Ballarat Road. A large number of fast food restaurants are on the Braybrook section of Ballarat Road.
- Barybrook is also located within close proximity to Barkly Village, a section of Barkly Street in West Footscray that hosts many local and ethnic grocers, stores and Sims Supermarket.
- Australian first Masters Home ImprovementMasters Home ImprovementMasters Home Improvement is the trading name of an Australian Home Improvement chain, operated by a joint venture between Australian Retailer Woolworths Limited and Mooresville, North Carolina based hardware chain, Lowe's...
store is located on Ballarat Road in Barybrook.
Sport
The suburb has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Western Region Football LeagueWestern Region Football League
The Western Region Football League is an Australian rules football semi-professional league, based in the western suburbs of Melbourne, for both seniors and juniors.-History:The league was formed in 1931, as the Footscray District Football League...
.
The Braybrook club has produced a number of high profile Australian rules football stars including 1982 Brownlow medalist Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson (Australian rules footballer)
Brian Wilson was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Early in his career, he played in the centre and later became a forward pocket...
(Footscray, North Melbourne, Melbourne, St Kilda Football Clubs) , Ted Whitten
Ted Whitten
Edward James "EJ" Whitten was an Australian rules football player and media personality. He played a then-record 321 Victorian Football League games for the Footscray Football Club between 1951 and 1970...
(Footscray Football Club) and Doug Hawkins
Doug Hawkins
Doug Hawkins is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL who made a name for himself in the media in his post-football career.-Early career:...
(Footscray and Fitzroy Football Clubs)
There are also:
- Sunshine George Cross Juniors Soccer Club (Dobson Reserve)
- Rosamond Bowling Club
- Leros United Soccer Club (Scovell Reserve)
- Rosamond Tennis Club (Footscray North Primary School)
- Maidstone Junior Sporting Club (also at Footscray North Primary School)
- Footscray United Cricket Club (Scovell Reserve).
See also
- City of SunshineCity of SunshineThe City of Sunshine was a Local Government Area located about west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1860 until 1994.-History:...
– the former local government area of which Braybrook was a part.