My suburb was meant to be the ‘Toorak of the north’. It didn’t quite get there

Ivanhoe might sound like a place of nobility, but its colloquial name, The ’Hoe, tends to dampen notions of upper-class superiority.

Which suits me fine. I was pretty much farm-fresh from the Wimmera when I first ventured here and safe to say, I may not have blended particularly well if I had to keep up too many airs and graces.

I didn’t know much about Ivanhoe when we first moved in 20 years ago, but I’ve since come to wake up most mornings thinking to myself: “How bloody lucky am I to live here?”

Bordered by Darebin Creek to the west, the Yarra River and the Ivanhoe Golf Course to the south, and stretching as far north as Bell Street, Ivanhoe is home to countless scenic paths and trails, despite being less than 10 kilometres from the CBD. For me, running beside the creek listening to the bellbirds sing and kookaburras laugh as the sun rises is a pretty spectacular way to start the day.

The natural beauty of the area inspired settlers in the 1850s to name their village (and later the suburb) after a Sir Walter Scott novel. The local streets Sherwood Road, Locksley Road, and Athelstane Grove are all tributes to characters of English fiction, even if Robinhood Road is in neighbouring East Ivanhoe.

Locals are often quite happy to reveal that Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett was born in, and grew up in the ’hood. But possibly our proudest celebrity moment in recent times was when a local burger shop owner stood his ground in the face of a lawsuit brought by Kanye West. In a modern-day David and Goliath story, our little burger guy who’d named his restaurant after the rap artist’s debut album won the staring contest. And by the look of things, it’s not harmed business.

The modern development of Ivanhoe began around the 1880s, with visions it would become the “Toorak of the north”. Yet, for reasons that may or may not have anything to do with its informal moniker, The Hoe has never quite achieved that level of prestige.

Which isn’t to say it doesn’t have its share of wealth. There are plenty of residences befitting of aristocratic assumptions, including the historic Ravenswood mansion built circa 1890, and plenty of others along Fairy Street, Studley Road, or The Boulevard.

And if you want to shell out on your kids’ education, Ivanhoe Grammar and Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar – two of Melbourne’s most elite schools – won’t miss you at the checkout.

Sitting atop the hill overlooking the city, the Heidelberg Town Hall calls Ivanhoe home. The fancy art deco building, with a 28-metre tower adorned by an illuminated green clock, can be spotted from most parts of The Hoe – and even as far away as Kew. Local historians say the shifting of the civic offices from Heidelberg to their current location reflected Ivanhoe’s more prominent status.

Developed off the coattails of the gold rush, the main drag along Upper Heidelberg Road, known as the Village, included a blacksmith, butcher, and the Ivanhoe Hotel back in the day. While many original Victorian-era buildings remain, they are now home to restaurants, beauticians, Pilates studios, homewares stores, real estate agents, and (much to my chagrin) vape shops.

Increasingly, it seems, when a new business opens down the strip, they’re providing some sort of health service. Worthy operations, no doubt (especially when the locals aren’t getting younger), but a flash new dentist or hand and arm clinic doesn’t really inject a lot of energy to the place.

I’ve even heard it referred to as Dorksville, which, given my fondness for The Hoe (and unwillingness to concede I am not cool), was a heavy insult. Yet, I do admit it’s a little light on for nightlife and dining options are somewhat limited, though if you like Italian-inspired cuisine, you’re set.

I live in hope that a couple of enterprising upstarts will recognise the potential for a sleek, casually elegant venue in the Village that is welcoming of forty-something mums on a night out.

Despite its affluence, The Hoe has a down-to-earth, community vibe. My husband ribs me that a trip to “the Plaza” for groceries will take twice as long as expected on account of running into friends from school or sports and stopping for a good old chinwag. But I like the cosiness, the familiar faces, the fuzzy feels reminiscent of the neighbourly warmth you get from a small country town. And when a Friday afternoon drop-in from a friend turns from a cheeky glass of wine into something more than that, home is just a short walk.

In the two streets I’ve lived in over the years, everyone knows each other, and you can count on annual street parties. One of Ivanhoe’s most iconic traditions, the Christmas Boulevard lights was started roughly 60 years ago by a couple of neighbours wanting to encourage goodwill and community spirit. It evolved into a magical display of lights, nativity scenes, and music, attracting around 10,000 visitors a night in the lead-up to Christmas. The council caused community uproar when it elected not to support the event with traffic management in 2022, before order was restored last year.

As my husband and I have experienced, The Hoe is a magnificent place to raise a family. As with many well-heeled areas, the catch is that it is becoming out of reach for young homebuyers. Compared to when we bought in 2004 – entering the market with a modest two-bedroom home for under $350,000 – the median house price is now $1.55 million.

It pains me to think that not only will our kids struggle to make their own homes here if that’s what they would like, but that it won’t be a realistic option for many next-generation families.

So, every day, I wake up and think “how bloody lucky am I?”

Claire Burke is a freelance writer based in Melbourne.

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