Oak Park, Victoria


Oak Park is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km north of Melbourne's central business district. Its local government area is the City of Moreland. At the 2016 Census, Oak Park had a population of 6,205.
Oak Park is bounded by New Road, Victoria Street, Kiama Street and Charlotte Street in the north, Watt Avenue and Pascoe Vale Road in the east, Moonee Ponds Creek in the west and Main Street in the south.

History

Oak Park was formed from part of the John Pascoe Fawkner estate. The name of the area derived from the name chosen by the purchasers of the Fawkner Estate. Oak Park was relatively slowly developed, as the area did not have a railway station until housing development had commenced in the 1950s. Through the 1950s and 1960s development of the area proceeded quickly, with the post office opening on 2 April 1957.

Today

Major features of the area include McDonald's on Pascoe Vale Road, the Winifred Street Shopping Centre, two reserves along Moonee Ponds Creek including the Oak Park Sports Centre, and the Moonee Ponds Creek Trail for cyclists. The Oak Park Sports Centre is home to the Oak Park Football Club, a member of the Essendon District Football League as well as Therry Penola Football Club, a member of the Victorian Amateur Football Association.

Transport

Public transport is provided by the Oak Park railway station which was opened in August 1956 on the Craigieburn railway line.

Sport

Oak Park Football Club, an Australian Rules football team, competes in the Essendon District Football League. Therry Penola Football Club compete in the Victorian Amateur Football Association. St.Francis Junior Football Club compete in the Essendon District Football League.
Oak Park is also served by the St Francis de Sales Cricket Club, based at Rayner Reserve, Forbes Grove, Oak Park. St Francis have 13 teams, 6 senior in the MMVCA and 7 junior in the NWCA and have been the winner of the Club Championship 5 of the past 7 years. They are probably the biggest club in success and numbers over the past 15 years. All new players of all abilities, race and sex are welcome.

Notable residents

Danny Carreras - Celebrity Chef
Rav Thomas - Musician