What's in a Name?

Strathmore

Prior to residential development the area that is now Strathmore was generally known as North Essendon. Strathmore railway station was originally called "North Essendon". In 1936 the construction of the Presbyterian Church in Upland Road was completed and this church was initially known as "Upland Road Presbyterian Church" as there was already a North Essendon Presbyterian Church in Keilor Road. There was also a North Essendon Primary School in the area which would have created problems for the naming of the new primary school when it was built.

The name of "Strathmore" was first suggested by the Rev. John Sinclair who was the minister for both the "Essendon North" and the "Upland Road" Presbyterian Churches. The name was considered appropriate for two reasons. Firstly Thomas Napier came from an area in Scotland close to the valley of Strathmore. Secondly the then Queen Elizabeth#, (the Consort of King George VI, and the queen mother - deceased) was the daughter of the then Earl and Countess of Strathmore. The Seat of the Earl of Strathmore is Glamis Castle# which is also located close to the area in Scotland known as Strathmore Valley#.

Glamis (pronounced Glarms) Castle has been used as the insignia of the Strathmore Lawn Bowling Club, and the Strathmore Secondary College student newspaper is known as Glamis Gazette.

The name Strathmore was initially adopted by the church in April 1938 and then grew to have universal acceptance. The name was submitted to Council in 1943. The Railways also eventually yielded to pressure and changed the name of their station from North Essendon to Strathmore in 1955.

Some other names that were suggested for the Strathmore Area were "Hendon" (a combination of the names of Local Councillor, William Henshall and of Essendon, it was also at the time the name of one of England's main airports), and "Warrimoo" (which was said to be an aboriginal name meaning "Eaglehawk gliding to a flat plain"). There was also the name Devondale (see Annexation Page).

Glenbervie

Glenbervie was derived from the place Inerbervie which was located at the North Eastern end of the Strathmore Valley in Scotland. Named in honour of the Napier Family.

The general area in the vicinity of Glenbervie Station was previously known as Hawstead.

Moonee Ponds Creek

The derivation of the name Moonee Ponds is a matter of some debate and documentary proof is difficult if not impossible to obtain. It is considered most likely that the name was derived from the Aboriginal name for the creek rather than the name of any of the early European settlers. A form of the name first appeared in the surveyor Robert Hoddle's Field Book in 1837 when he referred to the "Mone Mone Chain of Ponds". This reference is very early in the Settlement of the Port Phillip area. Subsequent maps of the period show the name of the creek as "Moonee Moonee Chain of Ponds". The use of double word construction "Moonee Moonee" in the name is also typical of Aboriginal names as adopted by the European colonists.

Doutta Galla

Again the most likely derivation is a European corruption of an Aboriginal area name, most likely "N'uthergalla". There is no evidence that the name is derived from either the name of the local Aboriginal "tribe" or the name of any Aboriginal person. (Source: Lenore Frost of Essendon Historical Society).

The Melbourne Living Museum of the West# suggests that the name is from an Aboriginal word meaning treeless plain

Other

Want to know the derivation of the name of your street in Strathmore? Look it up in "Street Names of Essendon, Ascot Vale, Moonee Ponds and Strathmore" compiled by the Essendon Historical Society, and available for purchase from them or for loan from the Sam Merrifield Library in Moonee Ponds.