By Casey Neill
What’s In a Name delves into the fascinating stories and personalities behind some of the city’s best-known street names. This week the Journal is mixing things up by taking a look at three themed clusters, in Springvale and Dandenong North.
Pockets of Greater Dandenong have taken inspiration for their street names from royals, prime ministers and even a horse racing crew.
In Springvale there’s Albert, Balmoral, Regent, Buckingham, Victoria, Royal, Princess, St James, St Johns, Thames, Windsor, Queens and Osborne avenues.
The names refer to Queen Victoria and her husband, the Prince Regent Albert, and the Royal residences in England and Scotland.
The original subdivision on land owned by speculator and surgeon George Le Fuere was sold in 1886 as New Springvale by a company called The People’s Home Syndicate.
Queen Victoria was about to celebrate her jubilee in 1887, having come to the throne in 1837.
Also in Springvale is an area known as the Melbourne Racing Club sub-division.
Gove Street was named after former chairman Robert Gove.
Committeemen Stan Garnsworthy, Alfred Watkins, David Fairbairn, Harvey Picken, Pultney Mein, JH Davey and John C Reilly gave their surnames to courts and streets.
Carlyon Court was named for committee man and later chairman Tom Carlyon and Hodgkinson Court recognised treasurer Ern Hodgkinson.
Dandenong North has a cluster of streets, courts, crescents and avenues dedicated to Australian prime ministers.
Barton Street is named after Edmund Barton, the country’s first prime minister.
Chris Watson was Australia’s third PM and gave his name to Watson Street.
Reid Court recognises Scottish-born George Reid, Deakin Crescent is a nod to federation movement leader and second PM Alfred Deakin, and Cook Court is named for English-born sixth prime minister Joseph Cook.
There’s Fisher Crescent for three-term prime minister Andrew Fisher, Hughes Crescent for British-born eight-year PM Billy Hughes, and Bruce Street for eighth and second-youngest PM Stanley Bruce.
James Scullin led the ALP to government in 1929 and gives his name to Scullin Street.
Lyons Court recognises Joseph Lyons, who died during his prime ministerial term in 1939.
Page Court is in tribute to Earle Page who served as PM for only 20 days.
The Country Party’s Arthur Fadden is recognised through Fadden Street, having served as PM for 40 days and 40 nights.
Curtin Crescent is named after World War II prime minister John Curtin, Chifley Crescent is named after 16th PM Ben Chifley, Menzies Avenue recognises Australia’s longest serving PM Robert Menzies, and Fraser Street pays tribute to the late Malcolm Fraser.
Want to know the history behind a street name in Greater Dandenong? Let us know and we’ll find out! Email journal@starnewsgroup.com.au.
