Seaford, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Seaford is a suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, 36 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Frankston
. At the 2006 Census, Seaford had a population of 15,560.
Places of interest include the Seaford Foreshore Reserve, Kananook Creek, the historic Seaford Hotel and the ruins of the Seaford Wool Shed.
Aboriginal
people. In the early twentieth century, after European settlement, the swamp was drained for farming purposes (with wet areas remaining only at low lands; including Seaford and the Edithvale wetlands).
The Seaford Post Office opened on 6 March 1914.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the suburb grew as a result of affordability, and proximity to the beach and Frankston. In 1985 a report was produced titled Ecology and Management of Seaford Swamp, recommending the creation of lagoons, substantial tree plantations and improvement of public facilities. These initiatives were implemented by the City of Frankston and Melbourne Water
, using funds from the Melbourne Parks and Waterways Grants Program.
to form the Seaford Carrum Scout Group.
Seaford is home to Seaford United Soccer Club competing in the Football Federation of Victoria Provisional Leagues and the Seaford Australian Football Club competing in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
, both using the 'Tigers' nickname. The suburb is also home to the Seaford Cricket Club and Seaford Tigers Cricket Club who comepete in the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association. Southern Districts Rugby Club has it's base in the north of the suburb.
In February 2011 the Australian Football League's St Kilda Saints Football Club has officially opened its $10.25 million training venue at Belvedere Park in Seaford.
along the whole length of the suburb. This reserve was the site for an extensive dune restoration program undertaken by the Port Phillip Authority in 1972, under the title of the "Seaford Experimental Project". The program involved extensive areas of fencing, revegetation and the installation of walking tracks, seats, tables and shelters.
The large numbers and variety of bird life make the Wetlands popular with bird watchers. Many migratory
birds from as far afield as Siberia
visit the reserve from October to March.
There are stands of River Red Gum
s around the margins of the Wetlands, some of which are estimated to be around 300 years old. Some have scars where the bark was stripped for use by the Bunurong Aboriginal people prior to European settlement.
The swamp is noted for its prolific and various bird life. Around 130 different species
have been observed there in recent years. The more common species are wetland-dependent birds which occur in southern Victoria, such as duck
s, swan
s, rails and pelican
s.
A number of rare migratory bird species also visit the wetlands between October and March. These come from Northern Asia and are protected by treaties between the Australian Government
and the Governments of Japan
and China
. Many birds can easily be seen from the vantage points overlooking the wetland's lagoon
s. Others are more difficult to spot because they prefer the protection of the reed beds.
The wetlands support a small variety of native animals consisting of Swamp Rat
, Water Rat
, snakes and frogs. Three types of fish can also be found in the wetlands: Common Galaxia, Short-finned Eel
s and Mosquitofish
(an exotic pest species).
, continuing in both directions.
.
and Kananook – on the Frankston railway line. Both are in Zone 2.
Sarah MacDiarmid
disappeared from Kananook Station on 11 July 1990, last seen walking from the station to the carpark.
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...
, 36 km south-east 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 Frankston
City of Frankston
The City of Frankston is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the southern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of 131 square kilometres and has a estimated population of 128,576 people....
. At the 2006 Census, Seaford had a population of 15,560.
Places of interest include the Seaford Foreshore Reserve, Kananook Creek, the historic Seaford Hotel and the ruins of the Seaford Wool Shed.
History
Seaford was the site of the Karrum Karrum swamp, which was utilised for food by the BunurongBunurong
The Bunurong are Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation, who occupy South-Central Victoria, Australia. Prior to European settlement, they lived as all people of the Kulin nation lived, sustainably on the land, predominantly as hunters and gatherers, for tens of thousands of years...
Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
people. In the early twentieth century, after European settlement, the swamp was drained for farming purposes (with wet areas remaining only at low lands; including Seaford and the Edithvale wetlands).
The Seaford Post Office opened on 6 March 1914.
During the 1950s and 1960s, the suburb grew as a result of affordability, and proximity to the beach and Frankston. In 1985 a report was produced titled Ecology and Management of Seaford Swamp, recommending the creation of lagoons, substantial tree plantations and improvement of public facilities. These initiatives were implemented by the City of Frankston and Melbourne Water
Melbourne Water
Melbourne Water is a government owned statutory authority that controls much of the water system in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia including the reservoirs, and thesewerage and drainage system that services the city.- Overview :...
, using funds from the Melbourne Parks and Waterways Grants Program.
Sport, recreation and public facilities
Seaford is home to several public park spaces including two with barbecue facilities and playground equipment. Seaford Scout Group, one of the earliest Australian chapters, merged with CarrumCarrum, Victoria
Carrum is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston...
to form the Seaford Carrum Scout Group.
Seaford is home to Seaford United Soccer Club competing in the Football Federation of Victoria Provisional Leagues and the Seaford Australian Football Club competing in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
The Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League is an Australian rules football competition, governed by the Victorian Country Football League. The MPNFL contains teams near the south eastern region of Victoria, Australia...
, both using the 'Tigers' nickname. The suburb is also home to the Seaford Cricket Club and Seaford Tigers Cricket Club who comepete in the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association. Southern Districts Rugby Club has it's base in the north of the suburb.
In February 2011 the Australian Football League's St Kilda Saints Football Club has officially opened its $10.25 million training venue at Belvedere Park in Seaford.
Seaford Foreshore Reserve
The Seaford Foreshore Reserve is one of the few remaining substantial, continuous strands of natural coastal vegetation near Melbourne. Seaford is notable for this reserve, which divides the beach from Nepean HighwayNepean Highway
Nepean Highway runs south from the centre of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia to Portsea, along the eastern shore of Port Phillip. It is the primary road route to central Melbourne from Melbourne's southern suburbs.- History :...
along the whole length of the suburb. This reserve was the site for an extensive dune restoration program undertaken by the Port Phillip Authority in 1972, under the title of the "Seaford Experimental Project". The program involved extensive areas of fencing, revegetation and the installation of walking tracks, seats, tables and shelters.
Seaford Wetlands
Seaford Wetlands is a 305 hectare nature reserve listed on the Register of the National Estate. The wetlands are home to a wide variety of bird life, including a number of rare and endangered migratory species protected by international agreements.The large numbers and variety of bird life make the Wetlands popular with bird watchers. Many migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
birds from as far afield as Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
visit the reserve from October to March.
There are stands of River Red Gum
River Red Gum
The River Red Gum is a tree of the genus Eucalyptus. It is one of around 800 in the genus. It is a plantation species in many parts of the world, but is native to Australia, where it is widespread, especially beside inland water courses...
s around the margins of the Wetlands, some of which are estimated to be around 300 years old. Some have scars where the bark was stripped for use by the Bunurong Aboriginal people prior to European settlement.
The swamp is noted for its prolific and various bird life. Around 130 different species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
have been observed there in recent years. The more common species are wetland-dependent birds which occur in southern Victoria, such as duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s, rails and pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s.
A number of rare migratory bird species also visit the wetlands between October and March. These come from Northern Asia and are protected by treaties between the Australian Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
and the Governments of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Many birds can easily be seen from the vantage points overlooking the wetland's lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
s. Others are more difficult to spot because they prefer the protection of the reed beds.
The wetlands support a small variety of native animals consisting of Swamp Rat
Swamp Rat
Swamp Rat may refer to several unrelated rodents:*Andean Swamp Rat, Neotomys ebriosus*Australian Swamp Rat, Rattus lutreolus*Scapteromys, two species from southeastern South America:**Scapteromys aquaticus, the Argentine Swamp Rat...
, Water Rat
Water Rat
Water Rat may refer to:AnimalsWater Rat is a common name for several unrelated semiaquatic rodents, including:*European Water Vole, found in north and central Europe and Russia*Rakali, found in Australia and New Guinea...
, snakes and frogs. Three types of fish can also be found in the wetlands: Common Galaxia, Short-finned Eel
Short-finned eel
The short-finned eel, Anguilla australis, is one of the 15 species of eel in the family Anguillidae. It is native to the lakes, dams and coastal rivers of south-eastern Australia, New Zealand, and much of the South Pacific, including New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, Tahiti, and...
s and Mosquitofish
Mosquitofish
The mosquitofish is a species of freshwater fish, also commonly, if ambiguously, known by its generic name, gambusia. It is sometimes called the western mosquitofish, to distinguish it from the eastern mosquitofish . It is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes...
(an exotic pest species).
Kananook walking trail
A popular walking trail, split by roads, passes by the Seaford RSLReturned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
, continuing in both directions.
Kananook Creek
The Kananook Creek runs from northern Seaford where it is fed by the Eel Race Drain and flows southwards through Seaford roughly adjacent to the Nepean Highway through to Frankston where it flows into Port PhillipPort 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...
.
Education
There are several schools located within Seaford. Belvedere Park, Seaford, Seaford North, Seaford Park and St Anne's Catholic Primary School. Patterson River Secondary School is located in the north of the suburb.Public transport
Seaford is serviced by both bus and train. Two railway stations are within the suburb – SeafordSeaford railway station, Melbourne
Seaford is a railway station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in the suburb of Seaford, on the Frankston railway line. Seaford is unmanned and is in Metcard Zone 2.-Facilities:...
and Kananook – on the Frankston railway line. Both are in Zone 2.
Sarah MacDiarmid
Sarah MacDiarmid
Sarah MacDiarmid was a 23-year-old Scottish-Australian woman who disappeared from Kananook station in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 11 July 1990...
disappeared from Kananook Station on 11 July 1990, last seen walking from the station to the carpark.