About the City of Merri-bek

City of Merri-bek profile

The City of Merri-bek lies between 4 and 14 kilometres north of central Melbourne.

It is bordered by the Moonee Ponds Creek to the west, Merri Creek to the east, Park Street to the south and the Western Ring Road to the north.

The City of Merri-bek covers the suburbs of Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Coburg, Coburg North, Fawkner, Glenroy, Gowanbrae, Hadfield, Oak Park, Pascoe Vale, and Pascoe Vale South. Small sections of the suburbs of Fitzroy North and Tullamarine are also part of the City of Merri-bek.

You can find out about locality names and boundaries for Merri-bek including maps and suburbs on the Victorian Government's Environment, Land, Water and Planning website.

The City of Merri-bek covers 50.9 square kilometres and is one of Melbourne’s most populous municipalities, and had an estimated resident population of 185,767 people in 2019.

Merri-bek Community Profile

There is detailed statistical and demographic information about Merri-bek and its suburbs on our Merri-bek profile within the ID Community website. The data on this website is from the latest Census and previous Censuses of Population and Housing. The site is updated with population estimates when the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) releases new figures.

Maps of Merri-bek

Community Atlas for Merri-bek lets users You can produce maps using the 2016 Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing data for Merri-bek on our Community Altas for Merri-bek within the ID Community website.

Merri-bek Population and Household Forecasts

You can see population and household forecasts for Merri-bek on our Population and housing forecast data page.

Formation of Merri-bek City

Merri-bek City (formerly known as Moreland) was formed on 22 June 1994, by the amalgamation of Brunswick City and Coburg City. On 15 December 1994, it was expanded by the addition of the southern parts of Broadmeadows City including Glenroy, Oak Park, Fawkner, and Hadfield.

Merri-bek is a locality situated on either side of the boundary between the former municipalities of Brunswick and Coburg, around the Moreland train station, and was selected as the name of the new amalgamated City.

Moreland locality was named after the land purchased in 1839, from Robert Hoddle’s survey, by Farquhar McCrae, magistrate and speculator. McCrae (the brother-in-law of Georgiana McCrae), named his property Moreland after the place of birth of his father in Jamaica. McCrae built his La Rose home on the elevated area west of Merri-bek (Coonans Hill), in 1842, at 22 Le Cateau Street. It is on the Australian and Victorian heritage registers. You can find out more about the history of Merri-bek on the Victorian Places website.

Thematic history of Merri-bek

The City of Merri-bek Thematic History addresses the history of the physical development of the municipality since the post-contact occupation.

It explains how and why the municipality looks like it does today. It identifies and explains those aspects and themes that help us understand the area and its historic physical fabric.

The Thematic History is centred around themes, such as agriculture, industry, governance, and migration, that have shaped the municipality and it provides a framework for identifying and assessing potential heritage places.

It does not provide a chronological account of everything that happened in the municipality. It is not a record of all the individuals, events, schools, sporting clubs, institutions that may have left their mark on the municipality or study area.

The Thematic History is essential in being able to identify potential heritage places and ultimately assess and determine their heritage significance. It highlights the importance of protecting Merri-bek’s heritage places as it identifies a number of significant heritage places that have been lost over the years due to these places not being protected under the provisions of a Heritage Overlay in the Merri-bek Planning Scheme.

You can download the City Of Merri-bek Thematic History (PDF).

Copies are available to view in our Libraries which you can find the details and locations of on our Visit or contact us at the Library page. Copies have also been provided to the State Library of Victoria, Museum Victoria as well as the Brunswick, Coburg and Broadmeadows Historical Societies.

Unfortunately, we do not have hard copies available for purchase.