“Kelbundoora” rings through time. This is the name of a 19th-century Wurundjeri man. It’s also where the name Bundoora comes from. Welcome to Bundoora.
Bundoora sits 15 km northeast of Melbourne’s CBD. It is a suburb within the Cities of Banyule, Darebin and Whittlesea. In 2021, Bundoora had a population of 28,068. The Kurnaj-berring tribe of the Wurundjeri clan first inhabited this land.
Europeans arrived in the Bundoora area around 1835. At that time, it was known as the Parish of Keelbundora. William Wedge-Drake surveyed the land in 1837. This allowed the sale of land. Before this, John Batman grazed his sheep here. He did so without regard for the Wurundjeri clan. The land was auctioned in Melbourne in 1838. Bundoora was divided into two areas of about 400 hectares. Wealthy individuals and land speculators bought the land. They resold it in blocks of 40 to 120 hectares. The land was mainly used for sheep grazing and grain production.
The Bundoora Post Office opened in 1863.
In 1899, John Matthew Vincent Smith bought a 242-hectare property. It was called “Bundoora Park.” Smith bred racing horses here. A competition was held to design a homestead for the property. Sydney Herbert Wilson won the prize. He also designed the Malvern Town Hall. The Bundoora Homestead is still a great example of Queen Anne style Federation architecture.
Bundoora is home to La Trobe University’s main campus. It was established in 1964. RMIT also has a campus in Bundoora.
The Floridia Cheese Company started in 1955. The Montalto family bought a small factory in Bundoora.
Bundoora is a large suburb. It stretches from Preston to Plenty. It covers three local government areas. Mount Cooper is in Bundoora Park. Many people say it’s Melbourne’s highest point.
The Bundoora All-Weather Market was once a major Melbourne market. It was located in Thomastown. However, it has been demolished and replaced by a homemaker center. Greensborough Lanes is a bowling alley in Bundoora. University Hill is a business park. It houses the Australian Headquarters of Continental AG and Bundoora BMW. Uni Hill Factory Outlets is a discount shopping mall. It opened in 2008 and was first called Brand Junction.
Fifteen bus routes serve Bundoora. Route 86 is a tram that runs from RMIT University to Waterfront City in Docklands.
Bundoora has a football team in the Northern Football League. Golfers can play at Bundoora Park Public Course. They can also visit Strathallan Golf Club or Kings Park Golf Club. The Bundoora Brumbies Baseball Club competes in the Melbourne Winter Baseball League. The Home of the Matildas is in Bundoora near La Trobe University. The Victorian Rugby Centre of Excellence is also nearby.
The Greensborough Historical Society covers Bundoora. They collect and share local history.
The Wurundjeri-willam people occupied the Bundoora area for thousands of years.
In 1839, land in the area was sold to Neil Campbell and Horatio Cooper.
In 1920, the Victoria Police Department established a Horse Stud at Bundoora Park. It was known as the ‘Police Paddock’.
Bundoora. A suburb rich in history. From its indigenous roots to its modern-day institutions, Bundoora offers a unique blend of the past and the present, a vibrant community shaping its future.