May 8, 2023 2 min read

1928 - Ivanhoe's "natural charm and beauty, its hills and invigorating atmosphere."

The district's hill were noted in 1928. Have they been hidden by housing, and made less notable by us driving cars rather than walking or bike riding?

Eaglemont Hill viewed from Ivanhoe

(Courtesy of Nilss)

The Herald, 11.01.1928, Page 14

"During the last decade Ivanhoe has grown in a remarkable way. Shop sites in 1905 "went begging" at £2 a foot.

Only the main thoroughfare and two or three streets immediately adjoining the railway station were made.

Photo taken from junction of Upper Heidelberg Road and Waterdale Road. Ivanhoe Fire Station in centre, Ivanhoe Hotel (since demolished) on left. Henry Knorr's grocery on right. Dr. Latham's medical rooms have customary lamp over entrance gate, extreme right. (Photo courtesy Heidelberg Historical Society)

In those days to miss a train meant to wait an hour for another.

The polls returned hundreds, as now they do thousands.

What has made this suburb advance so rapidly?

Important factors are Ivanhoe's natural charm and beauty, its hills and invigorating atmosphere.

The following railway figures of passenger journeys from Ivanhoe give some idea of the progress that has taken place. Passenger journeys from Ivanhoe:— 1904, 41,560; 1914. 554,950; 1924, 1,479,180 (including Darebin); 1927, 1,805,288 (including Darebin and Eaglemont).

To cope with the increased traffic, a new station (Darebin) on the city side of Ivanhoe, was opened in 1921, and in 1925 Eaglemont station was opened.

Residents of the district are well catered for in regard to sport. Ivanhoe is in the Sub-district cricket pennant competition, and the bowling teams are always prominent in their various sections. Croquet, tennis, football, swimming, etc., are all well provided for.

The State school was rebuilt in 1925 and already additions are in course of erection. The Ivanhoe Church of England Grammar School's property extends from the Lower Heidelberg road to the River Yarra."