Gladstone Park is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Hume local government area. Gladstone Park recorded a population of 8,213 at the 2021 census.
Gladstone Park is bounded by the Tullamarine Freeway and Mickleham Road to the west, Broadmeadows Road to the north, the Jacana Valley to the east and the Western Ring Road to the south.
History
The Broadmeadows district was originally home to the Wurundjeri nation of Indigenous Australians. European settlement of the area now known as Gladstone Park began in the 1840s, with the land used for agriculture. The modern suburb is named after Thomas Gladstone, who was a local land owner in the 1800s. Development of the residential suburb began in the 1960s as an estate of Tullamarine. Most of the homes in the suburb were built between 1972 and 1975, as a typical part of (then) Melbourne's outer suburban expansion. The post office was opened on 4 February 1985, as the suburb developed.
Carl Williams was shot in the stomach by Jason Moran at a small park in Barrington Crescent in 1999, in one of the early events of the Melbourne gangland killings.
Demographics
In the , there were 8,338 people in Gladstone Park. 60.4% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Italy 3.6%, India 2.6%, Lebanon 2.1%, Sri Lanka 2.0% and England 1.8%. 59.6% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Arabic 7.6%, Italian 5.5%, Greek 3.6%, Turkish 2.4% and Assyrian Neo-Aramaic 1.5%. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 38.5% and No Religion 18.2%.
Community Facilities
Gladstone Park Community Centre
The Gladstone Park Community Centre is located on South Circular Road, and hosts a number of community bodies, such as the basketball club and mothers' groups. It is located adjacent to the Meadow Park Eagles soccer clubrooms.
Gladstone Park Hotel
The hotel is located on Mickleham Road. It has extensive pokies and betting facilities, as well as a bistro and bar. It also contains hotel rooms and a drive through bottle shop. It is part of the shopping centre precinct.
Gladstone Park Secondary College Library
The high school contains a public library which is part of the Hume Libraries network.
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre is a minor shopping centre. Its major stores include Woolworths, ALDI, Bigfields Fresh Market, Priceline Pharmacy, Direct Chemist Outlet and discount department store Dimmeys. It contains the suburb's post office as well as a Commonwealth Bank branch and Westpac ATM, and numerous major real estate offices, along with medical and health services and other professional services. As well as the major stores, there are a number of minor stores and a food court.
Parks
Elmhurst Park
Elmhurst Park is named after Elmhurst Road, where it is located. The park contains two playgrounds, a bike track, a small skate park and picnic facilities with barbecues. The Gladstone Park Tennis Club is located next to the park.
Gladstone Park Reserve
Gladstone Park Reserve is located on South Circular Road. The park contains a playground, and is connected to the Gladstone Park Secondary College oval via a gate in the south-east corner. It is the home ground of the Meadow Park Eagles, and is adjacent to the Gladstone Park Primary School. Sporting facilities include a synthetic cricket pitch and a soccer pitch and goals.
Gladstone Park Secondary College grounds
The Gladstone Park Secondary College has large sports grounds which are open to public use. Sporting facilities include a football oval, soccer pitch, two concrete cricket nets, three concrete basketball/ netball courts and a concrete hockey/futsal pitch.
Jacana Valley
The Jacana Valley marks the eastern boundary of Gladstone Park. The Moonee Ponds Creek flows through the valley, and there is and extensive wetlands reserve. The Moonee Ponds Creek Trail follows the creek through the park.
Jack Ginifer Reserve
Jack Ginifer Reserve is named after a former Member of Parliament. It is located on Carrick Drive, opposite the Gladstone Views Primary School. The Gladstone Park Cricket Club is based at 'Ginifer', and it has a temporary turf wicket during the summer, and football goals. Being adjacent to the Jacana Valley, Jack Ginifer Reserve gives wide views of neighbouring suburbs.