Fawkner is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Hume and Merri-bek local government areas. Fawkner recorded a population of 14,274 at the 2021 census. In 1867 John Jukes bought a parcel of land in the area and named it Fawkner in honour of the pioneer settler. John Jukes grandson, David Jukes, continued to live in the area until the 1970s.

One of the original settlers in Fawkner was Michael Dowling and his family, who settled on their property at Major Road near Merri Creek in September 1902, grazing cattle to fatten for market. Miss Dowling described the area then as a harsh windy place with few trees and a few unfinished shacks.

The opening of the Upfield railway line on 8 October 1889 (electrified to Fawkner on 2 December 1920); and the development and opening of the Fawkner General Cemetery in December 1906 encouraged residential development in the south of the suburb.

By 1910 there were 35 houses within walking distance of Fawkner station.

The suburb was transferred from the City of Broadmeadows to the City of Moreland (now City of Merri-bek) in December 1994, when the Victorian Government forced local government mergers.

The suburb also has a lower proportion – In Fawkner, 45.2% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were Italy 9.7%, Pakistan 8.9%, as against the municipal average of 59.3%. Historically, the Fawkner Technical School was built on the site west of the Moomba Park Primary School at the same time the primary school was established. Fawkner Technical School eventually closed in 1992,

  • : Upfield station – Coburg North via Somerset Estate, operated by CDC Melbourne
  • SmartBus : Chelsea station – Westfield Airport West, operated by Kinetic Melbourne

Cycling

The Upfield Bike Path, Merri Creek Trail and the Western Ring Road Trail provide facilities for recreational and commuting cyclists.

Train

Fawkner is served by Gowrie railway station, which is located on the Upfield railway line, and provides rail-based public transport to the Melbourne CBD. The station and the Upfield line acts as the suburb boundary between Fawkner and Glenroy. Fawkner is also served by Fawkner railway station, also on the Upfield line. Despite its name, the station is actually located in the neighbouring suburb of Hadfield, within the Fawkner Crematorium and Memorial Park.

Post offices

There is a small Australia Post office on Major Road, whereas the main GPO is on Bonwick Street.

Leisure Centre

Fawkner Leisure Centre is situated on Jukes Road and has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, gym, a child care centre and trampoline.

Reserves

Fawkner has three major reserves: Charles Mutton Reserve, home ground for the Fawkner Bowling Club; Northern Saints; Moomba Park, home ground for Moreland United; and CB Smith Reserve, home ground for the Fawkner Blues Soccer Club. There is also significant open space along the Merri Creek.

Religious settlement

  • St Matthew's Catholic Church
  • St Mark's Catholic Church
  • Presbyterian Church
  • The Greek Orthodox Parish of St Nektarios
  • The Great Prophet Islamic Centre
  • Dar ul Uloom Mosque
  • Quang Duc Temple Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist Temple, named after Thich Quang Duc

Fawkner was briefly in the news after Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 included a mysterious nonexistent towering skyscraper in Fawkner at launch.

See also

  • City of Broadmeadows – Fawkner was previously within this former local government area.

References