Flemington

Flemington is best known for its renowned racecourse and in particular “the race that stops a nation” the Melbourne Cup that it holds every November. Flemington Racecourse and the adjoining showgrounds precincts, complete with their own railway stations, occupy nearly half the suburb of Flemington, sitting on a site of 1.27 square kilometres in the west of Flemington. Flemington Racecourse held the first Melbourne Cup in 1861 for a modest prize of 710 gold sovereigns (£710) cash and a hand-beaten gold watch, winner takes all. Fast forward to 2019 with a prize pool of $8,000,000 with the winner taking $4,000,000, the Melbourne Cup is now the richest “two-mile” handicap in the world and one of the richest turf races.

Flemington was settled in 1839 by James Watson who purchased the land primarily for himself and a number of English and Scottish investors. Many credit Watson with naming the suburb after the estate his father-in-law managed in Scotland, however, the origins are uncertain.

Running along the north-eastern boundary, Mount Alexander Road was the main route to the North Western Goldfields during the Victorian Goldrush which encouraged significant development throughout Flemington. This impact is still seen today by the large number of single- and double-storey Victorian terrace houses scattered all over Flemington with some Edwardian and Federation style homes mixed alongside these period homes.

Flemington’s close proximity to the city, (approximately 4km), provides a wonderful balance of quick CBD access with a family-friendly suburban feel. Racecourse Road not only provides valuable quick access to the city and CitiLink but also acts an activity hub filled with trundling trams, trendy cafes, restaurants, Irish pubs and the Newmarket Plaza centre with a major supermarket.

From a public transport perspective, Flemington has an abundance of options. With two train stations (not including those servicing the Showgrounds and Flemington Racecourse) on two separate lines servicing the suburb, two tram routes and three bus routes, residents are spoilt for choice.