City of Melville — Incrementalists Rule

Abstract

The City of Melville, home to 107,000 residents, is located north east of Melbourne and covers just over 110 square kilometres. It is marked by a diverse topography ranging from tightly clustered dormitory suburbs in the west to picturesque rural centres in the east. The city as it currently stands was created in 1994 following local government amalgamations. European settlement in the area though dates back to the early 1850s with the establishment of a number of small hamlets following the discovery of gold. For the next century the region remained predominantly rural in character, with fruit orchards and dairy farming dominating the landscape. The end of the Second World War though saw major residential development in the area with an influx of young families and migrants attracted by the large allotments and relatively cheap real estate prices on offer — a process that continued throughout the 1960s and 1970s to the present. Today, the physical area covered by the city remains an interesting mix of medium density brick suburbia and rustic and peaceful rural hamlets — a mix heavily promoted by the municipality.