Elsternwick, Victoria

In the same way that Ripponlea took its name from the "Rippon Lea Estate" of Sir Frederick Sargood, Elsternwick took its name from the largest property in the district: Charles Hotson Ebden's ^[3] "Elster" ("Elster" is German for "magpie").

The creek nearby became known as the Elster Creek; and, when a village grew up on the creek, the Anglo-Saxon suffix ‘wick’, meaning village, was added.^[4].

[edit] History

Elsternwick village was surveyed in 1856.

In 1861 a railway line operated by the Melbourne and Hobson's Bay United Railway Company, was built from Melbourne to Brighton, via Elsternwick.

In the 1880s, the Elsternwick railway station was also the Melbourne end of the railway line to the large scale sugar beet processing mill at Rosstown (see Rosstown Railway) — now known as Carnegie — and beyond. This railway was seldom used and it ceased to function in 1916.

The first site of Caulfield Grammar School, founded in 1881, was adjacent to the Elsternwick railway station.

A tramline was opened along Glenhuntly Road [6] in 1889. Today, Melbourne Tram Route No.67 links from Glenhuntly Road in Elsternwick to Melbourne CBD through Brighton and St. Kilda Roads.

A tramline between Elsternwick and Point Ormond opened in 1915; it closed on 22 October 1960.^[5]

Elsternwick was originally situated across three municipalities - Caulfield, Brighton and St. Kilda. At the end of the 1880s unsuccessful attempts were made for Elsternwick to become administratively independent. Today it is in the Local Government Area of the City of Glen Eira. The postcode is 3185.

Elsternwick is also the home of perhaps the best known brothel in Australia, and certainly Melbourne, the Daily Planet, which was the first in the world to be listed on a stock exchange (the Australian Stock Exchange)^[6].

[edit] Geography

Its boundary are Nepean Highway, Elster Avenue, Kooyong Road, Glen Eira Road and Hotham Street (the continuation of Williams Road). Elsternwick Park nearby and Elsternwick Park Golf Club bordered by Nepean Highway and Glenhuntly Road have always been connected with the suburb name of Elsternwick.

[edit] Residential architecture

Lisbon house elsternwick.jpg

"Lisbon House", 70 Orrong Road, is a grand Victorian terrace home.

Remodelled Victorian Terraces in Elsternwick.jpg

1930s remodelled Victorian terraces. Glen Eira Road (opposite Caulfield Grammar School).

Elsternwick new townhouses & apartment in Horne St.jpg

Elsternwick railway station warehouses converted to townhouses and apartment in Horne Street

Elsternwick Retirement Apartment - Victoria By The Park.jpg

Elsternwick Retirement Apartment (Victoria By The Park) Next to Hopetoun Gardens

[edit] Non-residential architecture

Elsternwick Hotel.jpg The Elsternwick Hotel. Corner of Glenhuntly and Brighton Roads. Built 1856.	Elsternwick Congregational Church.jpg Elsternwick Congregational Church	Jewish holocaust museum elsternwick.jpg Jewish Holocaust Museum, Selwyn Street	Elsternwick post office and caulfield city rifle club.jpg Former Elsternwick Post Office and former Caulfield City rifle club buildings
Elsternwick Former Fire Station.jpg Former Elsternwick Fire Station	Elsternwick Tudor Style Building.jpg Tudor style dominates Glen Eira shopping village (Corner of Glen Eira & Orrong Roads) in Elswernwick	Classic Theatre in Elsternwick (One of the earliest theatre in Melbourne).jpg Classic Theatre in Elsternwick (one of the earliest theatre in Melbourne)	Shopping strip of Glenhuntly Road in Elsternwick.jpg Shopping strip of Glenhuntly Road [1] in Elsternwick