Preston is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the City of Darebin local government area. Preston recorded a population of 33,790 at the 2021 census.

The first permanent white resident was Samuel Jeffrey in 1841, and from him the area's early name was Irishtown.

In 1850, Edward Wood, a settler from Sussex, England, opened a store at the corner of High Street and Wood Street, which was also the district's first post office.

Preston Post Office opened on 1 March 1856.

The first church was accompanied by a growing number of hotels and other stores, which had emerged some 2 kilometres south of Wood's store, at the junction of Plenty Road and High Street, the latter of which served as a route to Sydney. Throughout the 1880s the area between Wood's Store and the junction would be known as "Gowerville".</blockquote>

Post-Gold Rush

1854 saw the establishment of the area's first primary schools, an Anglican and a Wesleyan school.

The three postwar decades saw an influx of Macedonian immigrants into the Preston area, later followed by Asian refugees in the 1980s. By 1986, some 30% of the population was foreign born.

In Preston, 63.8% of people were born in Australia. The most common other countries of birth were China (excludes SARs and Taiwan) 3.0%, Italy 3.0%, Greece 2.8%, India 2.5% and Vietnam 2.2%.

The most common responses for religion in Preston were No Religion, so described 34.8%, Catholic 22.1%, Not stated 10.4%, Eastern Orthodox 10.1% and Islam 5.6%. In Preston, Christianity was the largest religious group reported overall (46.3%) (this figure excludes not stated responses).

In Preston, 54.0% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Greek 6.7%, Italian 6.0%, Mandarin 3.9%, Arabic 3.1% and Vietnamese 2.9%. In the Legislative Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria, the State Electoral district of Preston incorporates some of Preston (and most parts of Reservoir), and is currently represented by Nathan Lambert, of the ALP. The state Electoral district of Northcote incorporates the rest of Preston, specifically all of the suburb south of Bell Street and is currently represented by Kat Theophanous of the ALP.

Arts and entertainment

As part of the City of Darebin, Preston has an active and eclectic artists and DIY community which is contemporary, experimental, and culturally diverse. Writers, musicians, and visual artists flock to the locality for performance, collaboration, and acceptance. Notable contributors to the Darebin arts community are locals Saint Jude, Downhills Home, The Contrast, The Melbourne Ukulele Kollective, Performing Older Women's Circus (POW Circus), Darebin City Brass, and members of Little John, to name a few. Darebin celebrates the artistry and diversity of the community with regular festivals and events such as the Darebin Music Feast and the now-defunct High Vibes Festival. The major community Indigenous Radio Station 3KND is located in Mary Street in Preston and is completely Aboriginal managed.

The 2001 film Mallboy is set in Preston, specifically the Northland Shopping Centre and surrounding streets.

A Preston house viewing inspired the song "Depreston" by musician Courtney Barnett on her album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, which was recorded at Head Gap Studio in Preston.

Sports

thumb|250px|Preston City Oval, home of the Northern Bullants

Preston has been home to the Preston Football Club (later known as the Northern Blues and currently as the Northern Bullants) club since its inception in 1882. West Preston Football Club is also located in Preston. The suburb also has many junior football teams, including the Northern Knights, who play in the TAC Cup and the Preston Bullants Junior Football Club, whose home ground is the Preston City Oval. The Darebin Falcons Women's Australian rules football team play in the VWFL. The Falcons were first division premiers in 2006 and 2007.

The Preston City Oval is also home to the Preston Cricket Club, which has played their home games there since c1860. Preston has played in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association since joining the VSDCA in 1922. Preston's First XI last won a Premiership in Season 2002/2003.

Preston has also been home to the Preston Lions Football Club since its inception in 1947, and currently competes in the highest soccer league in Victoria, the Victorian Premier League. The Preston Lions Football Club play their home games at B. T. Connor Reserve. The club has a large successful junior base with teams from under 8's to under 18's, and also have a women's team who also compete in the highest league in the state, the Women's Premier League. In 2007, the Lions finished the season as Minor Premiers and then went on to claim the Championship in front of more than 5,500 people, as the Lions won 3–1 against the Whittlesea Zebras.

thumb|250px|Preston Lions FC celebrate 2007 Victorian Premier League Grand Final Championship

Ruthven Reserve in East Preston has recently been upgraded, with arguably the best social and training amenities of any local sporting venue in the area.

There are few large grounds around the Northland Shopping Centre, adjacent to Wood Street. Grounds are maintained very well, and people play cricket in summer and footy during other times. Joggers are visible in all grounds.

Schools

Preston is home to many schools. The government primary schools include Bell Primary, Newlands Primary - a Spanish bilingual primary school, Preston Primary, Preston North East Primary, Preston South Primary and Preston West Primary.

Catholic primary schools are Sacred Heart Primary and St. Raphael's Primary. Other primary schools include St John's Greek Orthodox College and East Preston Islamic College.

High schools in Preston include two government high schools: Preston High School, a year 7 to 12 school which opened in 2019, and the Northern College for the Arts and Technology which caters for years 10 to 12 and offers the VCE and VCE-VM as well as offering post secondary courses to students seeking a specialised education in arts, trades, or technologies. Parade College, an all-boys Catholic high school in the nearby suburb of Bundoora has a satellite campus in Preston which offers the Victorian Certificate of Education - Vocational Major (VCE-VM) and admits both girls and boys. Other high schools include St John's Greek Orthodox College and East Preston Islamic College.

Preston is also home to the specialist schools: YarraMe, for primary aged students with significant social and emotional challenges, and The Pavilion school, for students aged 12 to 20 who have been disengaged or excluded from mainstream education.

The Melbourne Polytechnic Preston Campus is a tertiary provider offering TAFE (VET) and Higher Education (Degree) courses.

Newlands Primary School (No 4646), designed by Percy Everett, a former chief architect of the Public Works Department of Victoria (PWD), was built in 1951 on the border of the former Cities of Coburg and Preston to a new experimental design featuring hexagonal classrooms, and is listed on the Register of the National Estate.

Dining

Preston has a wide variety of restaurants, including fine dining and fast food. High Street has been transformed lately, with many new cafes and restaurants opening and becoming popular with the youth in the area.

Niche cafés and restaurants have opened in the suburb inviting patrons to dine.

Transport

Preston is serviced by tram, train and an extensive bus system.

Bus

Sixteen bus routes service Preston:

  • : Melbourne CBD (Queen Street) – Northland Shopping Centre. Operated by Kinetic Melbourne.
  • : Whittlesea – Northland Shopping Centre via South Morang station. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Eltham station – Glenroy station via Lower Plenty. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Eltham station – Glenroy station via Greensborough. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Northland Shopping Centre – St Helena via Viewbank and Greensborough. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Coburg – Reservoir via Elizabeth Street. Operated by Ventura Bus Lines.
  • : Gowrie station – Northland Shopping Centre via Murray Road. Operated by Ventura Bus Lines.
  • : Ivanhoe station – Northland Shopping Centre via Oriel Road. Operated by Ventura Bus Lines.
  • : Northland Shopping Centre – La Trobe University via Waterdale Road. Operated by Ventura Bus Lines.
  • : North East Reservoir – Northcote Plaza via High Street. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Preston – West Preston via Reservoir. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Pacific Epping – Northland Shopping Centre via Lalor, Thomastown and Reservoir. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Pacific Epping – Northland Shopping Centre via Keon Park station. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Lalor – Northland Shopping Centre via Childs Road, Plenty Road and Grimshaw Street. Operated by Dysons.
  • : Northcote – Regent station via Northland Shopping Centre. Operated by Dysons.
  • SmartBus : Altona station – Mordialloc. Operated by Kinetic Melbourne.

Train

The suburb is serviced by two railway stations: Bell and Preston, both located on the Mernda line.

Tram

Two tram routes operate though the suburb: 36px|link=Melbourne tram route 11 (from West Preston to Victoria Harbour Docklands) and 36px|link=Melbourne tram route 86 (From Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City Docklands).

Notable residents

  • Brent Harvey – former captain of the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League.
  • Peter Daicos- former AFL player
  • Hanni (singer) – Vietnamese–Australian singer, member of South Korean girl group NewJeans.
  • Sav Rocca – former AFL player for Collingwood and North Melbourne Football Clubs and NFL punter.
  • Anthony Rocca
  • Thomas Gascoyne – An English professional cyclist and dual world record holder emigrated to South Preston in the 1900s. He died whilst serving in the Australian Army at the Battle of Passchendaele.
  • Ben Johnson – Australian Rules footballer for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League.
  • Christos Tsiolkas – author.
  • Kylie Maybury – child murder victim and resident of Gregory Grove in East Preston.
  • Members of the band Blood Duster – Preston is also mentioned in their song Three Oh Seven Ohh.
  • Boris Cipusev – artist
  • Alexander William Sheppard – Australian soldier, bookseller, publisher and writer.
  • Joe Hachem
  • Patricia Fox – Australian religious Sisters of Sion.

See also

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

References

Sources

  • Carroll, Brian and Rule, Ian, Preston: An Illustrated History, City of Preston, 1985.
  • Forster, H.W.,Preston Lands and People, F.W. Cheshire, 1968.
  • Best Streets: Preston
  • Australian Places - Preston
  • Darebin City Council
  • 3KND Indigenous Radio Station