Mon 8 October 2007 - Place names
Interesting article about the vagaries of “secret” suburb names. It reminds me of the time a colleague told me he was buying a house in Travancore. I had no idea where it was. It turns out to be a pocket of Ascot Vale, but the name is one that I’d suspect is rarely seen outside real estate brochures. It’s all about marketing.
It’s a similar story with people wanting to move suburb boundaries around. I’ve mentioned it in passing before, but this kind of think narks me somewhat. The border of Bentleigh has crept south, and the border of Hampton (well, Hampton East actually) has crept east, with the result that properties literally across the street from Moorabbin Town Hall and Moorabbin Railway Station aren’t in Moorabbin.
Similar story in Gardenvale, which is hemmed-in from all sides by Elsternwick to the north and Brighton from the south.
Then you’ve got silly stuff like the Sydenham train line terminating not at Sydenham, but at “Watergardens.”
Is it any wonder people need directions?!
See also: a rant on why they shouldn’t have renamed Spencer Street Station.