Pascoe Vale South, Victoria

The Pascoe Vale area was part of the original John Pascoe Fawkner estate. In 1841 Dr Farquhar McCrae, a wealthy surgeon, purchased land called 'La Rose' in what is now known as Pascoe Vale South. The house he built in 1842 or 1843 is now known as Wentworth House, and is the oldest known private dwelling in Victoria still standing on its original site and the fifth oldest building in Victoria. It is located at 22 Le Cateau Street, Pascoe Vale South.

Significant development of Pascoe Vale South took place after the tram was extended to Bell Street in 1927, with the post office opening on 1 August 1927.[2]

According to the 2001 Census data, Pascoe Vale South is primarily a family residential suburb with average income, education and relatively low unemployment. The Census revealed that 8,336 people live in Pascoe Vale, and the trend is that this is likely to increase slightly with some new residential development. House ownership is relatively stable at 54 per cent.

Pascoe Vale South is less culturally diverse than other suburbs of Moreland, and even lower than the Melbourne average.

In Pascoe Vale South (State Suburbs), 71.8% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were Italy 5.2%, Greece 2.8%, England 1.4%, New Zealand 1.0% and India 0.9%.

The most common responses for religion in Pascoe Vale South (State Suburbs) were Catholic 35.9%, No Religion, so described 26.5%, Eastern Orthodox 11.9%, Not stated 8.9% and Anglican 4.4%. In Pascoe Vale South (State Suburbs), Christianity was the largest religious group reported overall (64.3%) (this figure excludes not stated responses).

In Pascoe Vale South (State Suburbs), 64.2% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Italian 9.8%, Greek 8.4%, Arabic 2.1%, Vietnamese 1.1% and Mandarin 1.0%.

Tram route 58 provides public transport through the suburb along Melville Road from the Bell Street terminus to the city. For cyclists, the suburb adjoins the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail to the west.

The following bus routes also services the area:

• 510 Essendon – Ivanhoe via Brunswick West, Moreland RS, Thornbury, Fairfield (every day). Operated by Moreland Buslines. Moreland Road
• 513 Eltham – Glenroy via Greensborough RS, Watsonia RS, Rosanna RS, Coburg RS (every day). Operated by Dysons.
• 527 Northland Shopping Centre – Gowrie via Coburg RS, Preston RS (every day). Operated by Ivanhoe Bus Company. Route 527 is very popular with shoppers, because it travels through Coburg, which has Sydney Road and surrounding streets, Preston, High Street and Preston Market which serves food and many retail outlets, through to Northland Shopping Centre. This route was recently upgraded to the new bus time standards for Melbourne, which allows it to travel from around 6am weekdays till 9pm and on weekends 7am till 9pm.

Pascoe Vale South has a government primary school (Pascoe Vale South Primary School) and two catholic schools.

A 1965 postmark of Coonans Hill

The neighbourhood of Coonans Hill is in the south of the suburb (37°45′01″S 144°56′28″E). Its post office (now closed) opened on 21 February 1957.[3]

The following places in Pascoe Vale South are listed on the Victorian Heritage Register:

• H0138 Wentworth House, 22 Le Cateau Street Pascoe Vale South
• H0964 Lyndhurst Hall, 44 Walhalla Street, Pascoe Vale South

• City of Coburg – the former local government area of which Pascoe Vale South was a part