Reservoir, Victoria

The land which became the suburb of Reservoir was first surveyed by Robert Hoddle in 1837 and was formed from parts of both the Jika Jika Parish and Keelbundoora Parish.[2]

The Rose Shamrock Hotel formerly known as The Rose Shamrock & Thistle Hotel, opened on Plenty Road in 1854.[3] Reservoir Post Office opened around 1921.[4] Reservoir became a suburb at this time with the name coming from the three water reservoirs first built in 1863.

The reservoirs were collectively known as Preston Reservoir, which continue to form part of the fresh water supplied to Melbourne’s inner and western suburbs.[5] Preston Reservoir No.1, on the west of High Street, was excavated in 1863-64 and the clay was used to form the surrounding embankments, with the base and sides lined with bluestone pitchers. The reservoir commenced supplying water in 1864. The Maroondah Aqueduct was built in 1886–1891 to supply water to the Preston Reservoir from a diversion weir on the Watts River, which was dammed in 1927 to form Maroondah Reservoir. Until 1881 Preston Reservoir was Melbourne’s only service reservoir. By 1884 it was determined that Preston Reservoir needed additional water storage and an area of approximately 11ha was purchased on the east side of High Street. Reservoirs No.2 and No.3 were constructed in 1909 and 1913 respectively. Eventually reservoirs No.2 and No.3 were covered to prevent dust entering the water supply.[6]

In 1914 Thomas Dyer Edwardes donated an area of 34 acres of land to the people of the former City of Preston, which was developed into Edwardes Lake Park.[7] Between 1919 and 1939 swimming was officially permitted with the presence of the Preston Lifesaving Club and regular demonstrations of swimming and lifesaving techniques during this time.[8]

Reservoir is close to the Northland Shopping Centre, Preston Market, High Street food quarter, Sydney Road shops and restaurants and one of three remaining drive-in cinemas in Melbourne, the Village in Coburg. The area is experiencing unprecedented growth, with plenty of new developments. It is also very popular with young home-buyers looking for a 'still affordable' inner city lifestyle.

In Reservoir, there is a mosque built by the Albanian Australian community.[9]

The most common ancestries in Reservoir were, according to the 2016 census, Italian 17.1%, Australian 14.8%, English 13.9%, Greek 6.3% and Irish 5.1%. 55.9% of people were born in Australia. The most common countries of birth were Italy 8.2%, India 4.4%, China (excludes SARs and Taiwan) 3.2%, Greece 3.0% and Vietnam 1.8%.

Regent railway station

The area is serviced by four railway stations on the Mernda railway line: Reservoir, Regent, Keon Park, and Ruthven.

The Victorian Government has announced that it will build a suburban rail loop, which will include a station at Reservoir.[10]

Reservoir station acts a bus hub for many of the Reservoir bus routes.

Two tram lines service the area with the Tram route 11: West Preston - Victoria Harbour Docklands terminating at the south end of Reservoir and the Tram route 86: Bundoora RMIT - Waterfront City Docklands passing through Reservoir along Plenty Road. The Merri Creek Trail and Darebin Creek Trail are shared-use recreational paths used by cyclists and walkers that pass through Reservoir.

Reservoir has easy access to the Northern/Western Ring Rd, Hume Highway/Freeway, Tullamarine & Calder Freeways and Eastern Freeway.

• St Stephen's Parish Primary School
• Holy Name Primary School
• Reservoir Primary School
• Reservoir East Primary School
• Reservoir Views Primary School
• Reservoir West Primary School
• St Gabriel's Parish Primary School
• Reservoir High School
• William Ruthven Secondary College

• Reservoir Football Club and West Preston Football Club are Australian Rules football teams. Both compete in the Northern Football League.[11]
• Northern Rugby Union Football Club
• Preston Lions FC play soccer in the Victorian State League Division 1 at B.T. Connor Reserve.
• Northern Darts Association
• Northside Roller Derby

Victorian cricketer Ray Harvey lives in Reservoir.

Australian Rules Footballer Jason Heatley was born in Reservoir.

• City of Preston - the former local government area of which Reservoir was a part