Ivanhoe is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District. Its local government area is the City of Banyule. At the 2011 Census, Ivanhoe had a population of 11,085.
History
Ivanhoe Post Office opened on 1 September 1874. Ivanhoe North Post Office, on Waterdale Road near Banksia Street opened on 17 May 1926. An Ivanhoe West Post Office was open from 1955 until 1988.
Geography
The Yarra River forms the southern boundary of the suburb, with a golf course and a narrow riparian strip reserve.
Upper Heidelberg Road Commercial Centre
Upper Heidelberg Road is the suburb's centre, where the former Heidelberg Town Hall, now known as The Centre Ivanhoe, is located. The town hall is a classic 'art-deco' building on top of a hill, with a green neon clockface on a tower. Upper Heidelberg Road features a Veterinary clinic, newsagent, book store, numerous restaurants and cafés, various banks, real estate agents and two supermarkets.
Demographics
In 2011 the average individual in Ivanhoe earned $728 per week, which was more than the national average of $577 per week. Ivanhoe is renowned for its older style homes, with many dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Transport
The suburb has two railway stations; Ivanhoe, which is located in the Zone 1 and 2 overlap of the public transport system and Darebin, wholly within Zone 1, is also located in the suburb.
Education
The area hosts two of Melbourne's few private schools in the northern suburbs: Ivanhoe Grammar School and Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School. It is also home to one of Victoria's oldest state schools, Ivanhoe Primary School, established in 1853.
The Boulevard christmas lights
One of Ivanhoe's most renowned features is the annual Christmas lights display on The Boulevard. Every year many residents in the street cover their homes and front gardens with lights and other colourful Christmas decorations, attracting many people from all over Melbourne to the extravaganza. The display was started by Bill King and George Whitelaw in the 1950s. After dark in the week before Christmas, traffic is grid-locked in this suburban street as it attracts over 100,000 people over the nine-day period of its display. It is commonly recognised as one of the most impressive Christmas displays throughout Melbourne, with many residents making it an annual visit.
Sporting clubs
Hessel, Michelle. (1999) Bouvelard of Christmas Dreams