Exploring Melbourne’s Suburbs City of Stonnington

Choose Melbourne Bus Hire To Discover The City Of Stonnington

Located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, the City of Stonnington is a local government area, comprising the inner south-eastern suburbs of the city. Covering an area of 9.9 sq miles, the region includes the suburbs of Malvern, Malvern East, Glen Iris, Kooyong, Armadale, Toorak, Windsor, Prahran and South Yarra.  The name Stonnington is derived from Stonnington Mansion built in 1890.

As per the 2011 census, more than one quarter residents were born overseas, making it a culturally diverse place. If you are looking forward to discover this beautiful suburb, choose Melbourne bus hire for a comfortable ride in and around the beautiful city.

About The City Of Stonnington

Prior to European settlement, the land was initially occupied by the aboriginal Australian Woiwurrung-speaking people of the Kulin nation, known as the Wurundjeri. The invasion of European settlers was then the Port Philip District of New South Wales, followed by the area now known as Malvern. In the early 19th century, many auctions were held in the Prahran Area, with many miners returning from the gold diggings to Prahran.

In the late 19th century, the region underwent extensive commercial and residential development, with population of Malvern shooting up to 11,000. In the spring of 1992, following the election of Kennett government, the cities of Prahran and Malvern were amalgamated to form the city of Stonnington to restructure the local state government. Stonnington City Centre was incorporated in the Malvern Town hall, and it became the corporate headquarters of the city council.

With a rich history behind its back, the place has got to offer plenty of attractions and sightseeing opportunities for the wanderers. Here’s more on the key attractions:

Herring Island

Paying a visit to the pristine Herring Island is an adventure in itself that will leave you awe-struck. The region can only be accessed through boat, and that’s the best part about it. One of the key attractions of the island is its varied flora and fauna sustaining in a natural environment. If you have passion for photography, the place is sure to tickle your fancy bone with some exceptional nature photography on offer.

You can also delve deep into the environmental sculptures spread across the island, conveying an important message regarding the effect of human activities on the environment. In order to explore the island in its entirety, make sure to plan a complete day trip!

Chapel Off Chapel

Being the premier arts venue in the City of Stonnington, the Chapel off Chapel was born in 1995, set in one of the oldest churches in Victoria. Having been built after 3 decades of first settlements in Melbourne, the setting has been defined as a busy hotbed for the arts. This is a well-established popular destination for entertainment in the entire Prahran region showcasing a diverse program of comedy, visual art, cabaret, musicals and theatre in a couple of up-to-date performance spaces and a premium gallery space.

Prahran Aquatic Centre

The land next to the existing Princes Gardens on Essex Street was purchased by the Prahran Council in 1924 to build a children’s playground, along with a large wading pool.  Four decades later, a new outdoor 50m swimming pool was constructed on site, designed by Leslie Perrot & Partners.  The Prahran pool was then opened as seasonal pool during the summer months for swimming carnivals. In the 1990s, the pool was renamed to Prahran Aquatic Centre following the construction of new amenities including a steam room, sauna and spa facilities.

Glen Iris Wetlands

Experience the natural sounds, sights and smells of the environment on a stroll across the Glen Iris Wetlands, as you explore a new precinct, featuring interactive stormwater display, as well as bird and frog sounds. These wetlands were stimulated by a strong faith that open spaces beside the Gardiners Creek Valley should dole out an educational and ecological role, instead of being ornamental and recreational.

Consisting of 3 different waterbodies of various character and size, they are linked by a block on Hedgeley Dene Drain and bluestone channels. An island along with nesting boxes and fallen dead trees were included into the wetlands development to provide birdlife with secure nesting spots that cannot be reached by humans. You can witness a wide assortment of birds in the region, including swamp hens, little grebes, little cormorants, white-necked herons, white faced herons and black ducks. The park also offers onsite BBQ facilities, along with play equipment for kids.

Malvern Urban Forest

Running through the cities of Glen Eira, Stonnington and Boroondara, the Urban Forest forms a part of the linear network all along the railway course.  The forest embraces the natural bushland viewpoint of the Gardiners Creek Valley vegetation. This particular woodland is a modern equivalent of Hedgeley Dene Garden, designed as a native forest along a man-made water course linked with a couple of ponds.

This is relatively fresh and innovative approach to develop a space purely for recreational purposes. The entire area is not a manicured one, but an attempt to reconstruct an eco-system that once existed before European urbanisation and settlement. Featuring a grassy picnic area, along with bridges, ponds, tree plantings, walking and cycling paths, the place is ideal for family outing. The ponds have an eclectic mix of aquatic plants and are kept as natural water body than an ornamental one.

Gardiners Creek Trail

The off-road shared bike pathway of the Gardiners Creek Trail follows the Gardiners Creek through the eastern suburbs of the capital, linking the Main Yarra Trail and the Blackburn Lakes. The 20 kilometre long stretch starts off at the Blackburn Road, and passes through the Gardiners Creek Reserve and Creekland reserves, prior to crossing in the city of Monash.

On the way you will be treated with beautiful wetland areas where frogs, ducks and birds can be found. You will also navigate through Holmesglen, Jingella, Ashwood and Gardiners where local sports grounds are located.  The trail continues to track the creek and Monash Citylink through various reserves, until it goes past the Yarra River to meet the main trail to downtown.