One of the first subdivisions in Macleod occurred on 12 November 1910. 133 allotments from the Strathallan Estate were auctioned, fronting Greensborough Rd., Strathallan Rd., Edward St. and Railway Place. At the time the area comprising Macleod and Rosanna was called North Heidelberg. In 1910, Mr M. A. Macleod sold 75 acres of land along the railway line to the Bent government with the stipulation that a railway station be built a mile and a half beyond Rosanna, probably named "Macleod". The sale was requested by the government after they purchased 1,000 acres from the Bamfield's estate at Mont Park for a new psychiatric hospital. This purchase was cut off from the railway, so in order to gain access, they approached the landowner Mr M. A. Macleod to sell a strip of land along the railway line. Macleod railway station opened in 1911, 9 years after the railway line passed through. Macleod Post Office opened on 11 December 1923, located in the general store on the south-west corner of Greensborough and Strathallan Roads. It was replaced by the Simpson Barracks office in 1987. Macleod West Post Office opened in 1954 on McNamara Street between Dunstan and Ruthven Streets. The first Aberdeen Road shops were built in the early to mid-1950s, between Erskine Rd and Leith Rd. Macleod Primary School was built in 1926 on 4.5 acres of land on Greensborough Road between Coolie Ave and Fairlie Ave. Macleod High School opened on 31 May 1954 after a one week delay caused by the condition of unmade roads, which prevented furniture deliveries. The headmaster was Mr. F. J. Meyer. The initial enrollment consisted of 70 boys and 160 girls.
Demographics
In Macleod, 68.5% of people were born in Australia. Excluding Australia, the most common countries of birth were China 3.4%, England 2.8%, India 1.8%, Italy 1.6%, and Malaysia 1.1%. 71.4% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included, Mandarin 3.9%, Italian 2.9%, Cantonese 1.3%, Greek 1.2% and Macedonian 1.2%.
Macleod's local Australian rules football team is the Macleod Kangaroos, who play in Division 1 of the Northern Football League. As of 2008 they have played in 3 Grand Finals in a row. They are based at De Winton Park in Rosanna. They are affiliated with the Macleod Junior Football Club who play in the Yarra Junior Football League. The junior football club is based at Macleod Park. Macleod's cricket team is the Macleod Eagles. They play in the Diamond Valley Cricket Association, and were playing in the second division until a premiership in 2007–08 saw them promoted to the first division for the 2008–09 season. They are based at Macleod Park, known as "The Nest". In 2008–09 Macleod will field 4 senior teams, and 6 junior sides as well as a thriving "Milo in2cricket" program. The , located in Somers Avenue, is an affiliated member of Netball Victoria. They run NetSetGo, junior and senior netball competitions. They have a 4 court indoor stadium and 2 additional outdoor courts. There is also a local basketball team called the Banyule Hawks, whose home ground is the .
