Balaclava, Victoria

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Balaclava
city = Melbourne
state = vic

---

caption = Lady of St Kilda mural on the railway overpass over the main shopping strip on Carlisle Street
lga = City of Port Phillip
postcode = 3183
pop = 5035 (2006 Census)
area = 0.8
est =
propval = $665,000 [ [http://www.domain.com.au/public/suburbprofile.aspx?suburb=Balaclava&postcode=3183 Balaclava] , accessed 13 March 2008]
stategov = Caulfield, Prahran
fedgov = Melbourne Ports
dist1 = 8
location1= Melbourne
near-nw = St Kilda
near-n = St Kilda East
near-ne = St Kilda East
near-w = Elwood
near-e = St Kilda East
near-sw = Elwood
near-s = Ripponlea
near-se = Elsternwick

Balaclava is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, in Australia. It is situated in the south-east of the city in the St Kilda East area and is bounded by Inkerman street to the north, Chapel street to the west, Hotham Street to the east and Oak Grove and Los Angeles Streets to the South. In terms of its cadastral division, Balaclava is in the parish of Prahran within the County of Bourke.

The suburb was named after the Battle of Balaclava that took place on 25 October 1854 during the Crimean War.

The well known television celebrity, Graham Kennedy, spent part of his childhood in the Balaclava area. After his death, the local council erected a plaque commemorating him on the house he lived in.

Balaclava is home to much of Melbourne's Hasidic Jewish Community.

treets

Many streets in Balaclava and its vicinity are named after famous Crimean War battles; e.g., the Battle of Balaclava (Balaclava Road), the Battle of Inkerman (Inkerman Road), the Siege of Sevastopol (Sebastapol Street), the Battle of the Alma River (Alma Road), the Battle of Malakoff (Malakoff Street).

One street, Crimea Street, is named after the war itself.

Other streets in the district are named after people connected with the Crimean War; e.g., Lord Raglan (Raglan Street), Lord Cardigan (Cardigan Street), Florence Nightingale (Nightingale Street), François Certain Canrobert (Canrobert Street), Lord Lucan (Lucan Street).

Local landmarks

* Caulfield Campus of Caulfield Grammar School - the suburb's largest school.
* St Colman's School Hall, Carlisle Street (1938-39) - designed to complement the church next door (now CBC Stkilda's Yr 9 Campus, previously King David School's Carlisle campus)

Residential architecture

Places of worship

There are many churches in St Kilda East, many of the modern places of worship serve the Jewish Faith, but many of the older buildings have at some point served various Christian religions.Many of the church buildings in St Kilda East are historic and heritage registered and form various religious precincts.Historic church buildings include:
* St Colman's Church, Carlisle Street (1913, designed by Watts " Sons)
* St George's Presbyterian Church, Chapel Street. Built in 1877-80 to the design of Albert Purchas. Listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
* Former Balaclava Corps Hall

Notable residents

* Jimmy Gunderson - Discoverer of the Norwegian Forrest Cat
* Graham Kennedy
* John Safran
* Judith Lucy

Transport

Balaclava is served by several forms of public transport.

The main railway station, Balaclava is on the Sandringham railway line.

Major tram routes operate on Chapel Street, Balaclava Road, Carlisle Street, Dandenong Road and St Kilda Road.

Hotham Street operates as a major bus way.

A main taxi rank operates on Carlisle Street outside of Coles Supermarkets.

References

External links

* [http://web.archive.org/web/20050719043402/http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/ncas/multimedia/gazetteer/list/balaclava.html Monash University - Australian Places]