“Mother’s milk.” Can you imagine that’s what the Aboriginal word “moorooboon” means? Welcome to Moorabbin. This Melbourne suburb holds a history richer than its residential streets might suggest.
Moorabbin sits 15 km southeast of Melbourne’s Central Business District. It is part of the City of Kingston. This suburb recorded a population of 6,287 in 2021.
In 1846, brothers John and Richard King were the first European settlers. They came to Moorabbin from the Western Port area.
Originally known as South Brighton, the Post Office opened here in 1857. Then it was renamed Brighton South around 1886. Finally, in 1909, it officially became Moorabbin.
Much of Moorabbin’s eastern side became industrial in the mid-1960s. Major businesses like Coca-Cola established a presence here. The residential areas that sprung up after World War II also contributed to Moorabbin’s growth.
Did you know Moorabbin had its own municipality? It existed from 1871 to 1994. Before that, in 1862, Moorabbin was incorporated as a road district. Later, it became a shire in 1871. Over time, parts of Moorabbin were united with other towns. Sandringham, Mentone, and Mordialloc all split away. However, areas like Bentleigh and Cheltenham developed within Moorabbin’s boundaries. As a result, Moorabbin was proclaimed a city in 1934.
The council initially met at the Plough and Harrow Hotel. It is now the Moorabbin Junction Hotel on Nepean Highway and South Road. The first town hall was built across South Road in 1867. It was expanded in 1907. New municipal offices were built next to the town hall in 1931.
Bates, Smart, and McCutcheon designed a new town hall that opened in 1963. It was near the Moorabbin railway station. In 1970, new council chambers and meeting rooms were added. This municipal site is now home to Kingston City Hall and the Kingston Arts Centre.
Moorabbin was once divided into four wards. Each ward elected three councillors. The wards were North Ward, Centre Ward, Cheltenham Ward, and Moorabbin Ward.
The City of Moorabbin was abolished in 1994. Bentleigh became part of the City of Glen Eira. Cheltenham became part of the City of Bayside. The bulk of Moorabbin merged with Chelsea, Mordialloc, and parts of Oakleigh and Springvale. Together, they formed the City of Kingston.
Moorabbin’s history includes the Holmesglen Institute of TAFE. The campus was formerly Moorabbin Technical College. Moorabbin also has two public primary schools and one Catholic primary school.
Moorabbin Oval served as the home ground for the St Kilda Football Club from 1965 to 1992. It remained their training and administrative base until 2010. Since 2018, the ground has become the training, entertainment, and community base for the Saints again.
The word Moorabbin may mean “mother’s milk.” Yet this suburb’s story tells of growth, change, and community. From its early days as a rural area to its current status as a thriving suburb. Moorabbin holds a unique place in Melbourne’s history.