“Boring” is what one local called Balwyn North. But I think it is a beautiful and picturesque suburb. Welcome to Balwyn North.
Balwyn North is a suburb in Melbourne. It is located 10 km east of Melbourne’s Central Business District. Balwyn North is known as North Balwyn. The local government area is the City of Boroondara. In 2021, Balwyn North had a population of 21,302.
Did you know that Balwyn North was one of Melbourne’s first postwar suburbs? It was designed with family homes in mind. There are relatively few business districts.
Let’s delve into the history of Balwyn North. The name Balwyn comes from Andrew Murray’s estate. It combines Gaelic and Saxon words. “Bal” means home and “wyn” means vine. Balwyn Road and the surrounding area were named after this estate. The Wurundjeri people are the traditional owners of this land. They are represented by the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
A Balwyn North Post Office opened in 1937. It was renamed Burke Road in 1941. A new Balwyn North office opened. The Greythorn Post Office opened in 1951. The Australian band Skyhooks even lampooned Balwyn North in their 1974 song, “Balwyn Calling.”
Balwyn North is known for its parks and recreation. It is clean, green, safe and sound. Families, professionals, retirees, and singles all find it appealing. However, some say it lacks parks and excitement.
The suburb boasts numerous parks. These include Macleay Park and Gordon Barnard Reserve. They offer space for recreation.
Greythorn is a locality within Balwyn North. It was developed later than North Balwyn. Residents have lived there since the 1830s. The Maughan and Towt families bought large tracts of land. Greythorn Road was once known as “Towt’s Road.” It was later renamed “Whitethorn Road”. This was due to the many whitethorn hedges planted along it. To avoid confusion with Whitehorse Road, it became “Greythorn”.
Greythorn Park was a wildlife sanctuary. This was from 1938 until 1954. The area between the park and Greythorn Road was subdivided for housing. Greythorn Primary School opened in 1953.
Balwyn North offers various transportation options. Bicycle tracks connect to the Main Yarra Trail. Tram route 48 runs along Doncaster Road. Several bus routes connect Balwyn North to other suburbs. There have been calls to extend tram route 48 to Doncaster.
Families are drawn to Balwyn North for its schools. Balwyn High School is highly sought after. Property prices in its zone are higher. Other primary schools include Greythorn, Balwyn North and St Bedes.
Shopping is convenient in Balwyn North. “The Village” is at Doncaster and Bulleen Roads. Greythorn Village and Belmore Heights Shopping Centre are other options.
Balwyn North offers a comfortable and convenient lifestyle. It has open spaces, bicycle trails and public transport. Burke Road and Glenferrie Road offer strip shopping. The city is a short drive away.
Some residents find Balwyn North snobby. But others find it friendly. Prices are high but typical for the inner east. Balwyn North is a suburb with much to offer. It combines quiet residential streets. It is also close to shopping and restaurants.