Clifton Hill, Victoria facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clifton Hill Melbourne, Victoria
Aerial view of Clifton Hill looking north to Queens Parade and Merri Creek. Hoddle Highway is the main road on the left and Darling Gardens is far left.
Clifton Hill Location in Melbourne
Postcode(s)	3068
Elevation	38 m (125 ft)
Area	1.57 km2 (0.6 sq mi)
Location	4 km (2 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Yarra
State electorate(s)	Richmond
Federal Division(s)	Cooper Melbourne
Suburbs around Clifton Hill: Fitzroy North Northcote Fairfield Fitzroy North Clifton Hill Fairfield Fitzroy Collingwood Abbotsford

Clifton Hill is a suburb located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It's about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north-east of Melbourne's city center. In 2021, about 6,606 people lived there. It is part of the City of Yarra local government area.

In the 1880s, Clifton Hill was considered a fancy place, even called the "Toorak of Collingwood." Over time, it became less popular, like many inner Melbourne areas. Later, it became a hub for artists and creative people.

Recently, the suburb has changed a lot, becoming more popular and expensive. This process is called gentrification, where an area improves and attracts wealthier residents. People are now very interested in its close location to the city and its well-preserved old houses.

Clifton Hill is next to Fitzroy North, and they share the same postcode. It has wide, pretty streets, unlike some other crowded inner Melbourne areas. This is because it was carefully planned in the 1860s. The Merri Creek forms its eastern and northern borders.

History of Clifton Hill

Early Days of East Collingwood

In the mid-1850s, the area known as East Collingwood was not a nice place. It was often flooded and dirty. People called it "Melbourne's multi-problem suburb" because of all the pollution. It was like a swamp, and traveling there was difficult.

To make things better, local business people created the municipality of East Collingwood in 1855. This area first included what is now Collingwood and Abbotsford.

How Clifton Hill Joined Collingwood

In the 1850s, the land that would become Clifton Hill was owned by the government. It had rough tracks and some quarries. East Collingwood wanted to add this land to its area. This idea caused some arguments.

One city councilor, Henry Groom, worried that joining a "swamp" would make Clifton Hill less valuable. But East Collingwood succeeded in adding Clifton Hill. This larger area became the City of Collingwood. It stayed mostly the same until 1994, when it joined with other cities to form the City of Yarra.

Planning and Early Growth

Unlike many other suburbs that grew without much planning, Clifton Hill was carefully designed. Clement Hodgkinson, a government official, planned it between 1865 and 1869. He used a grid system for the streets, similar to other parts of Melbourne.

This planning meant that main roads like Smith, Wellington, and Hoddle Streets were extended. Land was also set aside for parks and public use. However, there were arguments about where new roads and bridges should go.

A large drain, called the Reilly Street drain, was built to help sell land in Clifton Hill. But it often overflowed, causing floods in Collingwood. This drain became famous for being dangerous. Even with these problems, the area slowly grew.

Developing Homes in Clifton Hill

As more people settled in Clifton Hill, they wanted public spaces like parks and sports grounds. In 1862, people asked for improvements, and the land for Darling Gardens was set aside.

Land in Clifton Hill started to be sold in 1864. The area really boomed in the 1880s, along with the rest of Melbourne. The population of Collingwood grew a lot, and most of this growth was in Clifton Hill.

Clifton Hill got its name from Clifton Farm, one of the first properties there. The word "Hill" was added by a land developer to make his new properties sound more appealing.

By the late 1880s, Clifton Hill was known as a "residential suburb" with good houses and shops. It was on high ground and had great views of the city. Many neat brick cottages were built for working-class families.

In 1887, the cable tramway reached Clifton Hill. This made it easy to travel to shopping areas like Smith Street and Bourke Street in the city. The tram also helped the local shopping area on Queens Parade grow. Because of its high location, planned wide streets, and nice homes, Clifton Hill was called "The Toorak of Collingwood" in 1886.

Clifton Hill's Changes Over Time

As the 20th century began, Clifton Hill became less attractive for middle-class families. More factories were built, especially in the southern part of the suburb. By the 1960s, some apartment buildings were constructed, changing the look of streets like South Terrace.

However, by the late 20th century, people started to appreciate Clifton Hill's original design again. The suburb began to undergo rapid gentrification. This means it became more popular and expensive. For example, the average house price increased significantly.

Also, most of the factories had closed or moved away. This freed up land for new homes. The old City of Melbourne Quarry, which had become a rubbish tip, was turned into a nice park. This park now includes a playground and a skate park, making the area even better.

Little Hollywood

The area where Queens Parade and Gold Street meet was once called "Little Hollywood" by locals. This was because many filmmakers worked there. However, most filmmakers have since moved to the nearby suburb of Fitzroy.

About Clifton Hill

Clifton Hill is a leafy suburb with many homes from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. These include both separate houses and rows of terraced homes. The suburb still looks much like it did in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Most of it is now protected by special heritage rules.

Hoddle Street divides the suburb into western and eastern parts. Clifton Hill has many parks and gardens. These include Darling Gardens and Mayor's Park in the west, and Quarries Park in the east.

There is a nice local shopping street along Queens Parade, which borders Fitzroy North. It has many old shopfronts that are well-preserved. Clifton Hill has fewer homes packed together than other parts of the former City of Collingwood.

Getting Around Clifton Hill

Major roads that go through Clifton Hill include Queens Parade, Heidelberg Road, Alexandra Parade, and Hoddle Street. The Eastern Freeway ends at Alexandra Parade. This road helps people get to the outer eastern and south-eastern suburbs.

Clifton Hill railway station is an important train stop. It's where the Mernda and Hurstbridge train lines meet. The station is at the corner of Hoddle and Ramsden Streets. It's across from Mayor's Park and the Darling Gardens. Trains run often from this station, taking about 9 to 12 minutes to reach Flinders Street in the city center.

Tram route 86 runs along Queens Parade. This tram can take you to Smith Street and Bourke Street in the city center. It also goes to Docklands and Bundoora.

Several bus routes also run along Hoddle Street. They connect with the railway station.

Notable Residents

• John Allan Aird (1892–1959) – Irrigation Commissioner
• Wilfred Burchett (1911–1983) – journalist
• Arnold Henry (1887–1979) – architect
• George David Langridge (1829–1891) – carpenter, auctioneer, building society founder, councillor and acting premier

Images for kids

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  South Terrace, Clifton Hill

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  Clifton Hill Shot Tower