Mentone, Victoria

Mentone is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district. Its local government area is the City of Kingston. At the 2011 Census, Mentone had a population of 11,667.

It is known locally for its beach which extends from the cliffs in Beaumaris and ends at Warrigal Road where it meets [[Parkdale, Victoria|Parkdale]. And also known for it's penguins.].

Mentone is associated with the Heidelberg School of Australian artists.

History


Mentone was originally founded as a resort town named after the Italian spelling of the formerly-Italian French town Menton. In order to keep with the Italian resort theme many streets in Mentone were named after Italian cities for example, Cremona Street, Florence St, Venice St and Milan St. The development of Mentone began in the late 1800s, the Post Office opening on 16 May 1884.

The original Mentone Fire station was located on the corner of Brindisi Street and Mentone Parade, Mentone in 1906 and after the new fire station was built it was relocated to Lalor in 1957.

According to the ABS 2006 Census, the median individual income in Mentone is $533 per week, which is higher than the Australian average of $466 per week. However, the median household income in Mentone is $1,008 per week, which is lower than the Australian average of $1,027 per week.

Shopping
Mentone is home to a lively shopping area along Como Parade West, Balcombe Road and surrounding streets and laneways. This shopping strip offers a wide range of restaurants, cafes, bakeries, clothing stores, supermarkets, travel agents, fancy dress, craft, home, book stores and more. A second commercial area has grown along Nepean Highway; this may expand as the former Nylex factory site between Nepean Highway and Warrigal Highway is redeveloped into a bulky goods retail precinct.

A neighbouring suburb named Cheltenham has one of the biggest shopping malls in Australia named Southland. This shopping mall crosses the six lanes of Nepean highway. It is the main shopping mall for people of Mentone and surrounds.

In late 2010 Thrift Park shopping centre between Lower Dandenong Road and Nepean Highway just east of Warrigal Road went through with a $35-million redevelopment. The redevelopment included demolishing the original centre that was 'ageing' and building a larger Woolworths supermarket with 30 additional stores. The centre officially opened in December 2010.

Politics
In terms of State and Federal Government Mentone is situated in the Electoral district of Mordialloc and Sandringham for state parliament and the Electoral district of Isaacs in the federal system. Current trends show the majority of Mentone voters supporting the Liberal party; however Mentone is currently represented by Labor members in both state and federal parliament due to the Labor voting tendencies of other suburbs in its electoral district.

Transport
Mentone is located on the Nepean Highway. Mentone is serviced by a variety of Metlink public transport bus and Metro Trains Melbourne services, focused on the Mentone railway station.

Entertainment and leisure
The Mentone Hotel is a historical hotel building overlooking Port Phillip Bay. The Mentone RSL is housed in a building dating to 1884–1886.

The beaches and life saving clubs provide leisure space and activities, as do the parkland and oval near the council offices. Mentone is also home to numerous sporting clubs including cricket, football, tennis, field hockey, and lawn bowling. In late 2013 it was announced the iconic Mentone Tenpin Bowl on the corner of the Nepean Hwy and Warrigal Rd would close by the end of that year after fifty years of operation in order to make way for a new multi-storey residential apartment and retail complex.

Mentone Bowling Club was established in the early 1900s and has a successful history, including an Australian champion. The club is next to the train station in the centre of the suburb. Mentone were promoted to the Premier Division in 2010.

Museum
The Australian National Aviation Museum, formerly called the Moorabbin Air Museum, is located in Moorabbin Airport (Harry Hawker Airport).

Schools

 * Kilbreda College - A Catholic Secondary School for girls, founded in 1904. The school is owned and administered by the Brigidine Sisters.
 * St Bede's College - A Catholic Secondary School for boys, founded in 1938. It is administered by the De La Salle Brothers.
 * Mentone Grammar School - An Anglican school founded in 1923. Co-ed since 2006, Kindergarten to Secondary Education. The school competes in the AGSV (associated Grammar Schools of Victoria).
 * Mentone Girls' Grammar School - An Anglican school for girls from ELC to year 12, founded in 1899.
 * Mentone Girls' Secondary College
 * St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
 * Mentone Primary School
 * Mentone Park Primary School

Notable people

 * Shane Warne – attended final years of high school at Mentone Grammar; spin bowler, Test cricketer
 * Ian Meckiff – Test cricketer, best known for "chucking" incident
 * Eddie Perfect – actor, singer, comedian and composer
 * Gerard Healy – student at St Bede's College; AFL footballer and Brownlow Medallist