Glen Huntly

Envision a small suburb nestled within the bustling city of Melbourne. This, my friends, is Glen Huntly. Glen Huntly is a charming haven just 11 kilometers southeast of Melbourne’s Central Business District. This quaint suburb, approximately one kilometer long and 800 meters wide, is bordered by Neerim Road, Booran Road, Grange Road, and a combination of Woodville Avenue and Oakleigh Road. Glen Huntly’s story begins with a ship, also named the Glen Huntly. In April 1840, this ship, carrying 157 hopeful immigrants from Greenock, Scotland, arrived in Port Phillip Bay. Tragedy struck mid-journey when a fever, likely typhoid, swept through the vessel, claiming ten lives before reaching their destination. Forced to land at Point Ormond, then known as Little Red Bluff, the Glen Huntly’s arrival led to the establishment of Victoria’s first quarantine station. Three more lives were sadly lost at this makeshift camp. Supplies and provisions were brought down a dirt track, a path that would eventually become Glen Huntly Road. The suburb’s name has seen its share of variations over the years, alternating between “Glen Huntly” and “Glenhuntly.” This has led to some confusion, with local businesses even today using both versions. The local train station, originally named “Glen Huntly Road” in 1881, underwent a series of name changes, briefly becoming “Glenhuntly” in 1937, before finally reverting to “Glen Huntly” during renovations in 2023. Even the post office, opened in 1907 as “Glenhuntly,” officially adopted “Glen Huntly” in 1993. Glen Huntly today is a vibrant community served by tram route 67 and the Glen Huntly train station. It’s a suburb with a rich history, born from adversity and shaped by the passage of time. Glen Huntly, a name that echoes the journey of those early settlers, a place where history and community intertwine.