Toorak, Victoria

From The UCSC Wikipedia Trust Project

Toorak is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is in the Local Government Area of the City of Stonnington. The suburb is located 6 km south-east of the CBD, on a rise at a bend in the Yarra River. In popular Australian culture, the name Toorak has become synonymous with wealth. For many years the suburb had a reputation of being the wealthiest locality in Melbourne and ranks among the most prestigious suburbs in Australia.

Once known for its grand mansions, and being the choice of home for Melbourne's elite, Toorak's status is being increasingly challenged by the more residential suburbs of Brighton and Portsea, both part of the Greater Melbourne area.^[3] Tucked in its side streets can be found many of Australia's largest and most expensive homes.

Toorak is also famous for Melbourne's version of Rodeo Drive, Toorak Village.

1 Local History
2 Transport
3 In Popular Culture
4 Notable citizens
5 References
6 External links

Local History

The suburb was named after Toorak House, a residence built by James Jackson, a merchant in 1849. The word "Toorak" may have come from Aboriginal words of similar pronunciation, meaning black crow or reedy swamp. Toorak House served as the residence of the second Governor of Victoria, Captain Sir Charles Hotham, from 1854 to 1855. Toorak House then served as residence of three successive Governors of Victoria until 1874. Bishopscourt in East Melbourne was then used before the present Government house was occupied in 1876.

Toorak House still stands today in St. Georges Road, and set the architectural tone for the suburb. Toorak House is presently owned by the Church of Sweden abroad. It also houses the Consulate of Sweden. The Swedish Church is open for visitors daily^[4]

Prefixing something with "Toorak" has become slang for indicating wealth; for example, luxury 4WDs becoming known as the Toorak Tractor to many Victorian motorists.^[5] The Toorak Village website perhaps best describes the attitudes of people living in Toorak: "Toorak is the most expensive, exclusive area to live in Melbourne. The Rodeo Drive of Australia, Toorak Village is the place to be seen. You can shop till you drop at the exclusive designer stores, pamper yourself silly at the hair and beauty parlors, enjoy a delicious meal at one of the many delightful cafés, go on to Silvers Nightclub or even see a film at the Trak."

Transport

Toorak is serviced by two railway stations, Toorak and Heyington.

In Popular Culture

Expensive four wheel drives (often called "Toorak Taxis or Toorak Tractors") line the leafy streets as far as the eye can see.

Toorak has many references in popular culture, besides the "Toorak Tractor" reference mentioned earlier. The Skyhooks also had a song called "Toorak Cowboy". Ted Baillieu, the Victorian opposition leader, was often derided as "the toff from Toorak" by Rob Hulls.

Notable citizens

Ted Baillieu - politician
Zara Bate - fashion designer and wife (later widow) of Prime Minister Harold Holt had a salon, called Magg, in Toorak Village.
Lindsay Fox - Australian rules footballer and one of Australia's most successful businessman, primarily through his establishment of the Linfox trucking company.
Malcolm Fraser - Liberal Party politician and 22nd Prime Minister of Australia was born in Toorak.
Duncan Gillies - colonial politician, was the 14th Premier of Victoria and member for Toorak from 1897 to 1903.
Captain Sir Charles Hotham - the second Governor of Victoria. In office from June 1854 - 31 December 1855.Hotham was governor at the time of the Eureka Stockade.
Peter Lew - businessman from Toorak is the managing director of Witchery stores.
Solomon Lew - Australian businessman and one of Australia's richest men lives in Toorak.
Eddie McGuire - journalist, sports broadcaster, television game show host, businessman and recently appointed CEO of the Nine Network was a resident of Toorak.
Charlie McLeod - Australian cricketer who died in 1918 in Toorak.
Lou Richards - Australian rules footballer, who played with the Collingwood Football Club between 1941 and 1955 is a resident of Toorak.
Peter Robb - Australian author was born in the Toorak in 1946.
Jack Saunders- Australian cricketer who died in 1927 in Toorak.
Tup Scott - Australian cricketer, born in Toorak in 1858, and served as mayor and chief magistrate in Scone, New South Wales.
Ziggy Switkowski - former Telstra chairman, who once had a Telstra mobile phone microcell installed on his property.^[6]