Mount Martha, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Mount Martha is a suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia, located 60 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula
. It is located on the south-eastern shores of Port Phillip
and offers a bathing beach. A boardwalk winds its way for over 5 km along the Balcombe Creek, its North beach mouth to the Briars Historic Park. The suburb's highest point bears the area's name and reaches 160 m (540 ft). The peak was named after Martha Lonsdale, the wife of a captain
in the Royal Navy
.
It marks the start of the Selwyn fault, a geological formation which runs to the eastern Dandenong Ranges
.
, and today contains several historical
In 1891 the Martha Hotel, designed by architects Tappin, Gilbert and Dennehy was constructed in a Federation Queen Anne style
. Today, the building now known as Mt. Martha House serves as a community centre and is Victorian Heritage
listed. As the population grew, Mount Martha Post Office opened around 1902.
During the Second World War, Mount Martha's Balcombe Creek camp hosted the United States Marine Corps
's 1st Marine Division in late 1942 following their involvement in the Battle of Guadalcanal. After the conclusion of the war, it was progressively relocated or demolished until [1999]. The area is now known as Balcombe Estuary and has barbecue facilities (including an open fireplace) as well as a children's play area in the west, and residential allocations were made in the east. Also during the second world war, Mount Martha House had extensive use by the military and functioned as a Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) barracks up until 1978.
Mount Martha is also home to public tennis courts, 4 football ovals and numerous grass reserves.
In 1978, a water treatment plant was constructed in the suburbs east, which services nearby towns Mornington, Mount Eliza, Mount Martha, Somerville, Pearcedale and Baxter, and provides treated water to local vineyards, a tree plantation and lawns.
Mount Martha is home to a volunteer CFA fire brigade responding on average to 180 calls a year for assistance from the community. Incidents range from grass and scrub fires, mva's (Motor Vehicle Accidents), to house fires.
Mount Martha Surf Lifesaving Club holds the popular annual Mount Martha Australia Day Swim, the "MMAD Swim".
More recently from the 1990s to the present the Mount Martha area has experienced significant population growth particularly in the south with the Martha Cove marina development as well as east towards the Moorooduc Highway
Mount Martha is also home to some of the most notorious inferiors in Victoria. Infamous dance floor rascals Dale Young and Derek Williams were born and raised in Mount Martha, as was the dishonourable tease, Tex Drifter. Paul "Wallsy" Wells honed his fraudulent betting strategies in the 3934 postcode, and Beau Haddock devised the flawed slow wristy technique from his home in Mount Martha.
Golfers play at the course of the Mount Martha Golf Club on Forest Drive.
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, located 60 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula
Shire of Mornington Peninsula
The Shire of Mornington Peninsula is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located to the south of the city of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula. It has an area of 723 square kilometres...
. It is located on the south-eastern shores of Port Phillip
Port Phillip
Port Phillip Port Phillip Port Phillip (also commonly referred to as Port Phillip Bay or (locally) just The Bay, is a large bay in southern Victoria, Australia; it is the location of Melbourne. Geographically, the bay covers and the shore stretches roughly . Although it is extremely shallow for...
and offers a bathing beach. A boardwalk winds its way for over 5 km along the Balcombe Creek, its North beach mouth to the Briars Historic Park. The suburb's highest point bears the area's name and reaches 160 m (540 ft). The peak was named after Martha Lonsdale, the wife of a captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
It marks the start of the Selwyn fault, a geological formation which runs to the eastern Dandenong Ranges
Dandenong Ranges
The Dandenong Ranges are a set of low mountain ranges, rising to 633 metres at Mount Dandenong, approximately 35 km east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
.
History
Mount Martha has its roots dating back to the 1840s when the township's major role was that of farming. The Briars Homestead in the town's East was constructed from 1848 to 1851 and was used by Alexander Balcombe until 1876 as he farmed the land surrounding it and tended to 100 acre (0.404686 km²) of vineyards. The homestead was named after the lodging of the same name in Saint HelenaSaint Helena
Saint Helena , named after St Helena of Constantinople, is an island of volcanic origin in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha which also includes Ascension Island and the islands of Tristan da Cunha...
, and today contains several historical
In 1891 the Martha Hotel, designed by architects Tappin, Gilbert and Dennehy was constructed in a Federation Queen Anne style
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
. Today, the building now known as Mt. Martha House serves as a community centre and is Victorian Heritage
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
listed. As the population grew, Mount Martha Post Office opened around 1902.
During the Second World War, Mount Martha's Balcombe Creek camp hosted the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
's 1st Marine Division in late 1942 following their involvement in the Battle of Guadalcanal. After the conclusion of the war, it was progressively relocated or demolished until [1999]. The area is now known as Balcombe Estuary and has barbecue facilities (including an open fireplace) as well as a children's play area in the west, and residential allocations were made in the east. Also during the second world war, Mount Martha House had extensive use by the military and functioned as a Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) barracks up until 1978.
Mount Martha is also home to public tennis courts, 4 football ovals and numerous grass reserves.
In 1978, a water treatment plant was constructed in the suburbs east, which services nearby towns Mornington, Mount Eliza, Mount Martha, Somerville, Pearcedale and Baxter, and provides treated water to local vineyards, a tree plantation and lawns.
Mount Martha is home to a volunteer CFA fire brigade responding on average to 180 calls a year for assistance from the community. Incidents range from grass and scrub fires, mva's (Motor Vehicle Accidents), to house fires.
Mount Martha Surf Lifesaving Club holds the popular annual Mount Martha Australia Day Swim, the "MMAD Swim".
More recently from the 1990s to the present the Mount Martha area has experienced significant population growth particularly in the south with the Martha Cove marina development as well as east towards the Moorooduc Highway
Mount Martha is also home to some of the most notorious inferiors in Victoria. Infamous dance floor rascals Dale Young and Derek Williams were born and raised in Mount Martha, as was the dishonourable tease, Tex Drifter. Paul "Wallsy" Wells honed his fraudulent betting strategies in the 3934 postcode, and Beau Haddock devised the flawed slow wristy technique from his home in Mount Martha.
Golfers play at the course of the Mount Martha Golf Club on Forest Drive.