Mooroolbark, Victoria
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Mooroolbark is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
Mooroolbark is located approximately 31 kilometres away from the Centre of Melbourne. Once home to the 'Red Earth Festival'. “Mooroolbeek” is thought to be the name given by the local natives (now dispossessed) the Wurunjerri Tribe. (“Moorool” meaning red and “beek” the earth). The name "Mooroolbark" was to be popularised with eventual European settlement in the late 1800's.
Mooroolbark has a train station which is part of the Lilydale-Melbourne line, along with four primary schools, two government secondary schools, and three private co-ed schools. The main shopping district is located along Brice Avenue and Manchester Road, featuring two supermarkets, two banks, and a 10 Pin bowling alley, in addition to many fast food franchises, cafés, hair salons and thrift shops.
Located in Mooroolbark is one of the Melbourne's 'oddest intersections' between Hull Rd, Lincoln Rd, Manchester Rd and Cambridge Rd: three consecutive roundabouts. Initially, the three latter streets simply connected to Hull Rd at close but slightly different locations. In order to eliminate the troubles caused by failing to give way to vehicles coming from other adjoining streets, it was decided to build individual roundabouts at each intersection, and simply employing the standard give way rules. This has largely cleared up most of the troubles at Hull Rd, but the prospect of passing through the intersection for those who don't know it is a little daunting. It's generally fairly safe, but indicators are far less trustworthy.
Mooroolbark was badly damaged in a severe thunderstorm on November 15th 1982.
Another point of interest within Mooroolbark is the Mooroolbark Community Centre, which has undergone radical changes since 2004 as part of a civil beautification and anti-graffiti project. Nowadays, the community centre is surrounded by colourful mosaics and street art, including a stencil art representation of Mooroolbark's most famous citizen, the early 20th Century landscape designer Edna Walling. Walling's legacy in Mooroolbark is further represented by the Bickleigh Vale Estate in the eastern part of Mooroolbark, which is normally a private residential area but in the past has been open for public display as part of Australia's Open Garden Scheme.
There are a number of churches in Mooroolbark with the predominate religion practised in the area being Christian. Mooroolbark is a family town, with a number of social activities on offer, including many sporting and recreation reserves, horse riding, bike riding, and a Miniture Railway.
Mooroolbark also has a tavern, Brycee's Tavern, that features live music (mostly cover bands) three nights a week. The Moo Wine Bar, which opened in January 2004, is something of a catalyst for Mooroolbark's fledging café culture.
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