Scottish Place Names
- Melbourne, Australia


For comparability with other large cities around the world, Melbourne has been defined as the entire urban and semi-urban area extending from Werribee and Melton in the west to Seville, Monbulk, Pakenham and Clyde in the east and bounded in the north by Sunbury, Mickleham, Wollert and St Andrews. Also included in this area is the western half of the Mornington Peninsula. Of the names of the 543 suburbs, neighbourhoods and municipalities in Metropolitan Melbourne, 138 (25.4%) can be found in Scotland, or are based on Scottish family names, Scottish titles or Scottish words. Of course, some of the names are used in other parts of the British Isles as well, but at least 84 of them (15.5%) appear to have a uniquely Scottish connection or are readily identifiable with places in Scotland that are based on the same names.

Yarra River at Night, Melbourne (via Wikimedia)

Official suburbs and other localities with names that are definitely or most probably of Scottish origin are:

There is a possibility that some of the following suburbs and neighbourhoods may have a Scottish connection. However, these names are also associated with other parts of the British Isles, or may have other associations, e.g. Aboriginal in the case of Bangholme.

A final category of suburban names comprises places that can be found in Scotland but which, in Melbourne's case, definitely or most probably have no Scottish connection.

Scottish influences on the development of Australia's second largest city are also very apparent when looking at the names of parks, reserves, sports grounds and major thoroughfares throughout the metropolitan area. There are literally hundreds of parks and reserves with Scottish sounding names. The list is too long to publish (at least 26 names begin with the letter 'A' alone!) but this is a testament in itself to the marked influence of the Scots and their descendants on the growth of the city.

There are also hundreds (possibly thousands) of ordinary suburban streets with Scottish names. Edinburgh, for instance, is the name of 19 different roads, streets, avenues, courts, drives, places and closes scattered around the city. (This compares with only 9 streets named for London, 7 for Cardiff and 5 for Dublin.) Other popularly used Scottish names are Balmoral (36 uses), Clyde (25 uses), Melrose (22 uses), Kelvin (20 uses), Roslyn/Rosslyn (20 uses), Stirling (19 uses), Aberdeen (18 uses), Inverness (18 uses), Montrose (18 uses), Loch (17 uses) and St Andrews (16 uses). Glasgow, on the other hand, is used as the name of only four streets. Not surprisingly, there are dozens of streets named for individuals bearing common Scottish surnames such as Anderson, Campbell, Douglas, Gordon, Hamilton, Munro, Murray, Scott, Stewart/Stuart and Wallace.

The following is a list of the names of primary, secondary, major and collector roads throughout the metropolitan area that look Scottish. A few of these names could also be English (e.g., Ingles, Kirkham, Patterson, Shaw, Todd, Walker, Wilson) or Irish (e.g., Carrick, Kilberry, McDonald, McGrath) but the vast majority are very likely to have Scottish links.

  • Inner City: Abbotsford St (North Melbourne), Balmain St (Cremorne/Richmond), Dryburgh St (North Melbourne), Duncan St (Flemington), Elgin St (Carlton), Elliott Ave (Parkville), Erskine St (North Melbourne), Graham St (Port Melbourne), Ingles St (Port Melbourne), Johnston St (Collingwood/Fitzroy), Lennox St (Richmond), Linlithgow Ave (Melbourne)(see crest of Linlithgow, Scotland here), Macarthur Rd (Parkville), Macaulay Rd (North Melbourne/Kensington), Moray St (South Melbourne), Murray St (Abbotsford), Richardson St (Albert Park/Middle Park), Roseneath St (Clifton Hill), St Kilda Rd (Melbourne), Sturt St (Southbank), Swanston St (Melbourne), Todd Rd (Port Melbourne).
  • Inner Eastern Suburbs: Anderson Rd (Hawthorn East), Balwyn Rd (Balwyn North/Balwyn/Canterbury), Buchanan Ave (Balwyn North), Carron St (Balwyn North), Carson St (Kew), Dunlop St (Ashburton/Glen Iris), Elgin St (Hawthorn), Glenferrie Rd (Hawthorn/Kew), Gordon St (Balwyn), Lithgow St (Glen Iris), McIntyre St (Burwood), Munro Ave (Ashburton), Murdoch St (Camberwell), Scott St (Hawthorn), Stroma Ave (Balwyn North), Urquhart St (Hawthorn), Yuile St (Ashburton).
  • Mid-Eastern Suburbs: Anderson St (Templestowe), Andersons Creek Rd (Doncaster East), Ayr St (Doncaster), Leslie St (Donvale), Milne Rd (Park Orchards), Waverley Rd (Mount Waverley/Glen Waverley), Williamsons Rd (Doncaster/Templestowe).
  • Outer Eastern Suburbs: Anderson St (Lilydale), Glasgow Rd (Kilsyth), Glenfern Rd Ferntree Gully/Upwey), Hendersons Rd (Seville), Inverness Rd (Mount Evelyn/Kalorama), Lauriston Dr (Coldstream) (Lauriston Castle is shown here), Leith Rd (Montrose), Lyons Rd (Croydon North), McNicol Rd (Belgrave), Montrose Rd (Montrose), Oban Rd (Ringwood).
  • Inner Southern Suburbs: Albany Rd (Toorak), Anderson St (South Yarra), Cameron Ave (Oakleigh South), Crosbie Rd (Murrumbeena), Cochrane St (Brighton), Cochranes Rd (Moorabbin), Cummins Rd (Brighton East), Glendearg Gv (Malvern), Glenferrie Rd (Malvern/Armadale), Glenhuntly Rd (Elsternwick/Caulfield/Glen Huntly), Holyrood St (Hampton), Mackie Rd (Bentleigh East), McKinnon Rd (McKinnon/Bentleigh East), Patterson Rd (Bentleigh), St Andrews St (Brighton), St Kilda St (Brighton), Waverley Rd (Malvern East).
  • Outer Southern Suburbs: Armstrongs Rd (Seaford), Malcolm Rd (Braeside), McDonald St (Mordialloc), McClelland Dr (Langwarrin/Frankston North/Skye), McCulloch Ave (Kananook), McLeod Rd (Carrum/Patterson Lakes), Skye Rd (Frankston), Yuille St (Frankston).
  • South-Eastern Suburbs: Albany Dr (Mulgrave), Allister Rd (Sandown Park), Athol Rd (Springvale South/Noble Park), Douglas St (Noble Park), Elliott Rd (Dandenong South), Dunblane Rd (Noble Park)(that's Dunblane Cathedral illustrated here), Gladstone Rd (Dandenong North), Gleneagles Dr (Endeavour Hills), Henderson Rd (Keysborough), Kelvinside Rd (Harrisfield), Kidds Rd (Doveton), McCrae St (Dandenong), McFees Rd (Dandenong North), McNaughton Rd (Clayton), Menzies Ave (Dandenong North), Mossgiel Park Dr (Endeavour Hills), Murray Rd (Dandenong North), Rosebank Ave (Westall), Scotsburn Ave (Clayton), Scotsburn Way (Endeavour Hills), Shetland St (Endeavour Hills), Thomas Mitchell Dr (Endeavour Hills), Walker St (Dandenong).
  • Outer South-Eastern Suburbs: Ardblair Tce (Narre Warren South), Bemersyde Dr (Berwick), Brisbane St (Berwick), Cairns Rd (Hampton Park), Cameron St (Cranbourne East), Campbell Dr (Hampton Park), Chirnside Rd (Berwick), Clyde Rd (Berwick), Craig Rd (Junction Village/Devon Meadows), Duff St (Cranbourne/Cranbourne West), Duncan Dr (Pakenham), Fairbairn Rd (Cranbourne), Galloway Dr (Narre Warren South), Gordon Rd (Pakenham Upper), Hamilton Dr (Cranbourne North), Inglis Rd (Berwick), Kilberry Bvd (Hampton Park), Lecky Rd (Officer), Lyall Rd (Berwick), Melville Park Dr (Berwick), McDowall Rd (Hampton Park), McGregor Rd (Pakenham), Melville Park Dr (Berwick), Morrison Rd (Pakenham Upper), Ormond Rd (Hampton Park/Narre Warren South), Paterson Dr (Lynbrook), Rosebank Dr (Cranbourne North), Scotsdale Dr (Cranbourne East), Stevensons Rd (Cranbourne), Strathaird Dr (Narre Warren South), Stuart Ave (Hampton Park), Waverley Park Dr (Cranbourne North).
  • Mornington Peninsula: Arthurs Seat Rd (Arthurs Seat/Dromana/Red Hill)(that's Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh shown here), Bruce Rd (Safety Beach), Craigie Rd (Mount Martha), Dundas St (Rye/St Andrews Beach), Dunns Rd (Mornington/Mount Martha), Grant Rd (Somerville/Baxter), Hopetoun Ave (Mount Martha), McCulloch St (Dromana), McIlroys Rd (Red Hill), Robertson Dr (Mornington), Strachans Rd (Mornington), Walkers Rd (Mount Eliza), Wilsons Rd (Mornington).
  • South-Western Suburbs: Armstrong Rd (Wyndham Vale), Burns Rd (Altona), Christies Rd (Ravenhall), Douglas Pde (Williamstown/Newport/Spotswood), Duncans Rd (Werribee), Ferguson St (Williamstown), Forsyth Rd (Hoppers Crossing/Williams Landing), Grieve Pde (Altona North/Brooklyn), Jamieson Way (Point Cook), McGrath Rd (Wyndham Vale), Shaws Rd (Werribee), Thomas Carr Dr (Tarneit).
  • Inner North-Western Suburbs: Anderson Rd (Sunshine), Donald St (Footscray), Forrest St (Albion/Sunshine West), Fullarton Rd (Keilor Park/Airport West), Gladstone St (Moonee Ponds), Glengala Rd (Sunshine West/Glengala), Gordon St (Footscray/Maribyrnong), Keilor Park Drive (Keilor East/Keilor Park/Tullamarine), Keilor Road (Keilor/Niddrie), Mackenzie Rd (Coode Island), McIntyre Rd (Sunshine), McPherson St (Moonee Ponds), Melrose Dr (Tullamarine), Napier Cres (Essendon), Napier St (Essendon/Strathmore), Napier St (Footscray), Ormond Rd (Ascot Vale), Perth Ave (Albion), Scotia St (Moonee Ponds), Wilson St (Moonee Ponds), Waverley St (Moonee Ponds).
  • Outer North-Western Suburbs: Banchory Ave (Hillside), Barries Rd (Melton), Cairnlea Dr (Cairnlea), Calder Freeway (Keilor), Calder Park Drive (Calder Park/Sydenham/Taylors Hill), Coburns Rd (Melton South/Melton/Toolern Vale), Ferris Rd (Melton South), Gillespie Rd (St Albans/Kings Park), Glenbruar Dr (Hillside), Gourlay Rd (Taylors Hill/Hillside), Greigs Rd (Rockbank/Melton South), Hume Dr (Sydenham/Taylors Hill), Jamieson St (St Albans), Kirkton Dr (Kurunjang), Mitchells La (Sunbury), Old Calder Highway (Keilor/Taylors Lakes/Diggers Rest), Robertsons Rd (Taylors Lakes), Rutherglen Way (Taylors Lakes), Taylors Road (St Albans/Kings Park/Delahey/Taylors Hill/Caroline Springs/Plumpton), Wilsons La (Sunbury), Wilson Rd (Melton South), Yuille St (Melton).
  • Inner Northern Suburbs: Dumbarton St (Reservoir)(tht's Dumbarton Castle shown here), Dundas St (Preston/Thornbury), Erskine Rd (Macleod), Ewing St (Brunswick), Glenlyon Rd (Brunswick), Invermay St (Reservoir), Livingstone St (Ivanhoe), Loch Cres (Strathmore), McArthur Rd (Ivanhoe East), McFadzean Ave (Reservoir), Melville Rd (Brunswick West/Pascoe Vale South), Moreland Rd (Moreland), Munro St (Coburg), Murray Rd (Coburg/Preston), Reid St (Fitzroy North), Ruthven St (Macleod), Urquhart St (Coburg), Westgarth St (Westgarth).
  • Outer Northern Suburbs: Anderson Rd (Fawkner), Ardlie St (Attwood), Blair St (Broadmeadows/Dallas), Breadalbane Ave (Mernda), Caledonia St (St Andrews), Cameron Pde (Bundoora/Watsonia North), Carrick Dr (Gladstone Park), Craigieburn Rd (Wollert/Craigieburn/Yuroke), David Munroe Dr (Roxburgh Park), Donald Cameron Dr (Roxburgh Park), Dunkeld St (Meadow Heights), Elder St (Greensborough), Fraser St (Diamond Creek), Galloway Dr (Mernda), Glen Katherine Dr (St Helena), Glenroy Rd (Glenroy), Gordons Rd (South Morang), Graham St (Glenroy), Hazel Glen Dr (Doreen), Hendersons Rd (Viewbank), Hepburn St (Dallas), Kirkham Dr (Greenvale), Lorne St (Fawkner), McBryde St (Fawkner), McDonalds Rd (Epping/Mill Park), McKimmies Rd (Bundoora/Mill Park), Menzies Rd (Kangaroo Ground), Nankervis Rd (Arthurs Creek), Rattray Rd (Montmorency), Roxburgh Park Dr (Roxburgh Park), Wilson Rd (Wattle Glen).

    Perhaps the most visible daily reminder of Melbourne's rich Scottish heritage for tens of thousands of Melburnians is the imposing Scots' Church in the city centre. Built in 1874 this structure is situated in the heart of the CBD, on the corner of Collins and Russell Streets. Special services for the Kirkin' o' the Tartan are held here annually.

    An article on the Scots in Melbourne can be found in the Encyclopedia of Melbourne (Brown-May & Swain, 2005, now available in electronic format through eMelbourne.

    Acknowledgments:

    • Australian Dictionary of Biography - Online Edition
    • Barnes, Les (1964). Place Names of Melbourne and Suburbs. (State Library of Victoria).
    • Black, George F. (1996). The Surnames of Scotland. Edinburgh: Birlinn Ltd.
    • Blake, Les (1977). Place Names of Victoria (Rigby).
    • Brown-May, Andrew & Swain, Surlee (Editors) (2005). The Encyclopedia of Melbourne. Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
    • Clark, Ian D. & Heydon, Toby (2002). Dictionary of Aboriginal Placenames of Melbourne and Central Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages.
    • Coulson, H. (1959). Story of the Dandenongs 1838-1958. F.W. Cheshire.
    • The Encyclopaedia of Australia, New Zealand and Papua-New Guinea, 1965, Vol 3.
    • Kennedy, Brian & Kennedy, Barbara (2006). Australian Place Names. Sydney: ABC Books.
    • Kennedy, Brian & Kennedy, Barbara (1989). Australian Place Names. Sydney: Hodder & Stoughton.
    • Kingston Historical Website
    • Lay, Max (2003). Melbourne Miles: The Story of Melbourne's Roads. (Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing).
    • Martin, A.E. (1944). Place Names in Victoria and Tasmania. (NSW Bookstall Co.)
    • Monash University Australian Places alphabetical listings sorted by locality and by Local Government Areaswebsite on Australian Places.
    • O'Callaghan, T. (1918). Names of Victorian Railway Stations. Melbourne: H.J. Green, Acting Government Printer.
    • Parliament of New South Wales website.
    • Reed, A.W. (1973). Place Names of Australia. Sydney: A.H. & A.W. Reed.
    • Scarlett, James D. (1975). The Tartans of the Scottish Clans. Glasgow & London: Collins.
    • Shire of Nillumbik website
    • Stephan, Debbie (1994). Place Names of Berwick (City of Berwick Historical Pamphlet 3).
    • WikiNorthia: Documenting Life in Melbourne's North.
    • Williams, C.F. (1985). The Origins of Box Hill Street Names: A Listing of Some of the Streets of Box Hill with Explanations as to their Known or Likely Origins. (Box Hill, Victoria: Box Hill City Council.)
    • Melway, 2010 (Melway Publishing Company).
    • Lenore Frost, member of the Essendon Historical Society.
    • Members of the Victorian Committee of the Australian National Placenames Survey in general and Judith Scurfield, State Library of Victoria, in particular, for assistance with place names on the Mornington Peninsula.
    • Websites, place name gazetteers and published Ordnance Survey maps of British and Irish cities, towns, villages and counties.

    © Ian Kendall
    Melbourne, Australia, June 2004
    (Revised January 2011)

    If you wish to contact Ian about his research, his e-mail address is ian.kendall1@bigpond.com.



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