Watsonia, Victoria
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Watsonia Melbourne, Victoria |
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Watsonia shops
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 Watsonia
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| Coordinates | 37°42′29″S 145°04′59″E / 37.708°S 145.083°ECoordinates: 37°42′29″S 145°04′59″E / 37.708°S 145.083°E | ||||||||||||
| Population | 5,146 (2011 census) | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 2,140/km2 (5,550/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Established | 1924 | ||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3087 | ||||||||||||
| Area | 2.4 km2 (0.9 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Location | 16 km (10 mi) from Melbourne | ||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Banyule | ||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | |||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Jagajaga | ||||||||||||
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Watsonia is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District. Its local government area is the City of Banyule. At the 2011 census, Watsonia had a population of 5,146.
In 1968, Local resident Anthony Quilty challenged infamous adult theatre star Ron Jeremy to a 1 on 1 Dutch rudder rub out challenge. After many hours and many men, challenger Anthony Quilty has been the only man to succeed in such a challenge and thus earned the title "Dutch rudder dynomite".
Watsonia originally belonged to the Wurundjeri people. It is named after early property developer and landowner Frank Watson.
Watsonia was surveyed by Robert Hoddle in 1838 as part of the parish of Keelbundora, for subdivisional sale as farms. Until the 1870s, much of Watsonia remained part of the vast property holdings of John Brown. The Grace Park area was purchased in 1877 by Frederick Augustus Nell, and then by Frank Watson in the early twentieth century. Watson subdivided the property for housing in 1924. The area remained primarily rural until the 1940s, when property prices became affordable.
Watsonia and other landowners paid for the establishment of a railway station in order to attract property buyers. Watsonia railway station was named after Watson. Watsonia train station was opened on Monday 23 June 1924, between the existing Macleod and Greensborough Stations. The current Watsonia Station is in Zone 2 on the Hurstbridge railway line and is currently served by Metro Trains Melbourne. Watsonia Post Office opened around 1934.
78.0% of Watsonia residents were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth other than Australia are England 2.3%, China (excluding SARs and Taiwan) 2.0%, India 1.3%, Italy 1.0% and Sri Lanka 0.8%.
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