St Kilda is an inner suburb (neighbourhood) of the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District. St Kilda was named after a schooner, Lady of St Kilda (which moored at the main beach for much of 1841) by Charles La Trobe, and the ship's master and early settler Lieutenant James Ross Lawrence. During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, St Kilda became a favoured suburb of Melbourne's elite, and many palatial mansions were constructed along its hills and waterfront. Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, St Kilda served a similar function for Melburnians as did Coney Island to the residents of New York City and its history draws an interesting parallel.
St Kilda is home to many of Melbourne's famous visitor attractions including Luna Park, the Esplanade Hotel, Acland Street and Fitzroy Street. It is home to St Kilda Beach, Melbourne's most famous beach, several renowned theatres and several of Melbourne's big events and festivals.
Kulin people lived in Euroe Yroke (the area now known as St Kilda) for an estimated 31,000 to 40,000 years. The first European settler in St Kilda was Benjamin Baxter in around 1839. He was a settler from Melbourne on a grazing lease. In 1840, St Kilda was the home to Melbourne's first quarantine station for Scottish immigrants.
The area was officially named St Kilda in 1841. The first sale of Crown lands in St Kilda took place on 7 December 1842. The first block was bought by James Ross Lawrence, who had been master of the Lady of St Kilda until 1842. Lawrence had now settled in Melbourne. His block was bounded by three unmade roads.
St Kilda's population more than doubled between 1870 and 1890 to about 19,000 persons. During the Land Boom of the 1880s, St Kilda became a densely populated district of great stone mansions and palatial hotels, particularly along the seaside streets such as Fitzroy Street, Grey Street and Acland Street the area once known as St Kilda Hill centred between Wellington Street, Alma Road, former High Street (incorporated as part of St Kilda Road) and Chapel Street. The Esplanade Hotel was built in 1878 overlooking St Kilda Beach and the George Hotel was built in 1889 at the railway terminus on Fitzroy Street, on the site of the Seaview hotel (1857).
In 1987, the St Kilda railway line was closed, rationalised and re-opened to become part of route 96, one of the first light rail lines in Melbourne, terminating at Acland Street.
Demographics
StKilda according to Census 2011
The median/average age of the people in St Kilda is 33 years of age.
55.9% of people living in the suburb of St Kilda were born in Australia.
72.7% of people living in St Kilda speak English only.
Elwood according to Census 2011
The median/average age of the people in Elwood is 34 years of age.
64.8% of people living in the suburb of Elwood were born in Australia.
77.3% of people living in Elwood speak English only.
Port Melbourne according to Census 2011
The median/average age of the people in Port Melbourne is 38 years of age.
64.7% of people living in the suburb of Port Melbourne were born in Australia.
73.4% of people living in Port Melbourne speak English only.
South Melbourne according to Census 2011
The median/average age of the people in South Melbourne is 37 years of age.
58.4% of people living in the suburb of South Melbourne were born in Australia.
68.9% of people living in South Melbourne speak English only.
Albert Park according to Census 2011
The median/average age of the people in Albert Park is 40 years of age.
68.8% of people living in the suburb of Albert Park were born in Australia.
76.8% of people living in Albert Park speak English only.
Dwellings by Postcodes
| Postcodes |
3207 |
3205 |
3206 |
3182 |
3184 |
| Dwellings |
8087 |
5062 |
5059 |
7115 |
3563 |
Note: Dwellings count is from Census 2011