Nunawading, Victoria
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Nunawading is a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, in the state of Victoria. It is in the Local Government Area of the City of Whitehorse.
The suburb is centered around the intersection of Whitehorse Road and Springvale Road in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, and features the City of Whitehorses' main offices, as well as large retail (eg. furniture), and wholesale businesses along Whitehorse Road.
The name Nunawading, thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word meaning battlefield or ceremonial ground, was initially applied to a vast area which now incorporates Box Hill, Blackburn, Mitcham, Forest Hill, and Vermont.
The township of Nunawading began life in the 1870s as a producer of bricks and clay. The name Tunstall, named after the famed pottery producing English town, was given to the area, based at the intersection of Whitehorse Road and Springvale Road. The name is still reflected in Tunstall Park on Luckie Street, and Tunstall Street, off Springvale Road. The opening of Tunstall railway station contributed to the growth of the brick and clay industries. Orchards soon followed.
Following a series of shire subdivisions throughout the 1920s, the name Nunawading fell from use. The name was reinstated in 1945 when it replaced Tunstall.
The period following World War II saw a housing boom in the area, as residential blocks began to replace orchards. The civic centre was opened in 1968 and became the administrative centre for the City of Whitehorse.
Today, Whitehorse Road is the largest retail strip for bulkgoods in Melbourne. Nunawading is home to a Holeproof clothing factory, a Seventh-day Adventist camp ground, and the municipal centre for the City of Whitehorse.