Population 20,873 (2011 census) LGA(s) City of Whittlesea South Morang Yarrambat Postal code 3752 | Postcode(s) 3752 State electorate(s) Mill Park Area 5.9 km² | |
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Location 27 km (17 mi) from Melbourne Federal divisions Division of McEwen, Division of Scullin | ||
South Morang is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km north-east of Melbourne's central business district. Its local government area is the City of Whittlesea. At the 2011 Census, South Morang had a population of 20,873.
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Map of South Morang VIC 3752, Australia
Originally known as Morang South, South Morang grew from a country area on the outskirts of Melbourne in the late 1990s/early 2000s to a suburban area with new estates being developed.
History
Before the arrival of European explorers and farmers, the area now called South Morang was inhabited by the Wurundjeri balug clan.
In 1824, William Hovell and Hamilton Hume (who hated each other by the way) were the first Europeans to set foot in what is now the City of Whittlesea when they were going from Sydney to Port Philip Bay.
By 1840, the area was owned by rich landowners. By the 1850s, the area was used for farming. Lots of evidence of the farming, such as dry stone walls, can still be seen today.
Morang South Post Office opened on 24 November 1873. The post office has now moved to Westfield Plenty Valley.
The old South Morang railway station served the Whittlesea steam railway line until the 1950s. It was further north than the current station.
Today
South Morang's ethnically diverse surrounding suburbs (such as Mill Park and Epping) have added to its ethnic diversity as residents of those suburbs move to South Morang. 84% of residents are Australian born but are associated with the following ethnic groups: Italian, Greek, Maltese, Croatian, Macedonian, Russian, British and New Zealander.
South Morang is also home to many sites of historical and cultural significance, such as Farm Vigano and Le Page Homestead at Plenty Gorge Park
The Lakes South Morang P-9 School opened in 2007.
The South Morang railway station, the terminus of the South Morang railway line, opened on 22 April 2012.
Sport
South Morang Football Club, an Australian Rules football team, competes in the Northern Football League and are based at Mill Park Lakes. Brownlow medallist Kevin Murray played football for South Morang after his retirement from the AFL.
It is also home to the Northern District Softball Association with multiple clubs playing at its site in Mill Park.