Minifie Reserve

From Boroondara Wiki
Revision as of 20:30, 2 April 2022 by Philip (talk | contribs) (Philip moved page Minifie Park to Minifie Reserve: Official name)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Minifie Park
Location Balwyn, Melbourne, Australia
Coordinates 37°48′17″S 145°05′43″E / 37.80461°S 145.09538°E / -37.80461; 145.09538
Operated by City of Boroondara
Public transport access Bus route 284, 302 and 304



Minifie Reserve, also known as Minifie Park, is a park located adjacent to Belmore Road near the intersection with Greythorn Road in Balwyn. It caters for passive recreation and contains an early learning centre and kindergarten.

History

The park is named for the Minifie family who owned the mansion "Belmore Grange" at 1 Clayton Road from the 1930s until 1954. This was a large house built in the American Queen Anne style for John and Lucy Porter in 1904. It had a large ornamental garden, much of which later became what is today Minifie Reserve. The Santospirito family occupied the house for a short while from 1954 until 1956 when they sold the property to the St Catherine's House for the elderly, who required more space. Today it continues in operation as St Catherine's Villa Maria Catholic Homes.[1]

Landscape

Minifie Reserve is mostly open grass. Some large eucalyptus trees are present along Belmore Road and the land slopes downward generally from the south-east to the north-west corner.

Access

The 302 and 304 bus routes to Box Hill and Doncaster Shoppingtown respectively service the park directly with bus stops on either side of Belmore Road between Clayton Road and Glenthorn Avenue. The route 284 bus to Box Hill also has a stop located approximately 80 metres east of Greythorn Road and Caravan Street.

Facilities

A small playground is located on Caravan Street in the south-east corner of the park. The Minifie Park Early Childhood Centre and the Balwyn East Kindergarten are both near the intersection of Belmore Road and Greythorn Road to the north.

References

  1. Etty-Leal, Matthew. 'Belmore Grange' 1 Clayton Road Balwyn. Balwyn Historical Society. May 2019. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~balwynhs/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/May-2019.pdf, accessed: 2 April 2022