Avondale Heights is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Avondale Heights recorded a population of 12,388 at the 2021 census.
During World War I the Canning Street bridge was known as Cordite Bridge as it led to the Department of Defence Explosives Factory. A password was necessary to cross the bridge during the war. During World War II a night curfew was imposed on the river and a boom was put into place to hinder access.
Tourists from Melbourne were attracted to the area with the construction of the elaborate and popular Riverview Tea Gardens in 1909. These grew to include sportsgrounds, kiosks, a dance hall and aviaries. Guests stopped here on their pleasure cruises, and the venue reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s-1930s. The Tea Gardens were closed during World War II and fell into disrepair. Nothing of them remains today, but the riverfront area is still used for recreation, having become Tea Gardens Reserve.
During the 1930s the district was subdivided into small dairy and cattle farms, with some poultry farming. Even into the 1960s market gardens and small dairy farms operated in the area. In the late 1960s housing development changed the area into a residential suburb with views of Melbourne city from the plateau. The Avondale Heights Post Office opened on 9 December 1957 as the suburb developed (A Maribyrnong West office had been open between 1943 and 1947).
It was announced in 2008 that Avondale Heights was set to experience its largest urbanisation initiative since the formation of the area as a suburb. This was due to the sale of the old Kangan Batman TAFE site to private investors, to develop medium density housing. On 26 May 2015, Moonee Valley City Council issued a planning permit for 135 new homes.
Transport
thumb|274x274px|The Riverview Tea Gardens drew visitors to what would become Avondale Heights from 1909-1939
Four bus routes service the suburb:
- 406: Footscray – Keilor East via Victoria University, Highpoint Shopping Centre, Avondale Heights (every day), operated by CDC Melbourne
- 407: Highpoint Shopping Centre – Avondale Heights via Milleara Mall Shopping Centre (Monday to Saturday), operated by CDC Melbourne
- 465: Essendon – Keilor Park via Buckley Street, Milleara Shopping Centre, Keilor East (every day), operated by CDC Melbouurne
- 903 Altona – Mordialloc via Essendon, Northland Shopping Centre, Box Hill, Chadstone Shopping Centre (every day), operated by Kinetic Melbourne
Cyclists and walkers have easy access to the Maribyrnong River Trail along the Maribyrnong River.
There is no tram route through Avondale Heights - the closest is the route 57 tram which ends in Maribyrnong.
Sport
- Avondale Heights has an Australian Rules football team playing in the Essendon District Football League.
- Avondale Heights Soccer Club play in the National Premier League of Victoria
- Avondale Heights Cricket Team
- Avondale Heights Basketball Team named the 'Flying Sparrows' after long time great basketballer Michael Jordan.
- Avondale Raiders Basketball Team, a Junior Basketball Club in the Keilor Basketball Association
Notable residents
- Shane Jacobson, actor, director, writer and comedian
- Matthew Lloyd, Ex AFL footballer, Essendon
- Frederick Valentich, a pilot who disappeared over Bass Strait in 1978
- Borce Ristevski, who was found guilty of the manslaughter of his wife, Karen Ristevski in 2016
See also
- City of Keilor – Avondale Heights was previously within this former local government area.