Lying 19km southeast of Melbourne CBD, Clayton is a busy urban hub renowned for its boutique shopping, excellent restaurantsand bustling nightlife. It may appear ordinary on the surface, but there are plenty of hidden gems in this historic suburb of Melbourne.
The Clayton area was first used for farming as far back as the 1850s. As with other areas during this time, a small township was established to support local industry which eventually grew into the community you can see today.
In the 1960s, rapid urbanisation coincided with the founding of Monash University – an event that has come to be a defining feature of the suburb. A more recent addition to Clayton was a structure on the corner of Centre Road and Cooke Street which now houses the Monash Public Library Service, a gym, a swimming pool, childcare services and more.
One of Clayton’s most notable claims to fame is the main campus of Monash University, the second oldest university in Victoria and the largest in Australia. Monash consistently ranks among the world’s best universities and has created a hub of science, technology and research in Clayton, with facilities such as the Monash Medical Centre, the Australian Synchotron, the Australian Stem Cell Centre, CSIRO and plenty more. In fact, Clayton tops Victoria when it comes to density of high technology industries.
The suburb also has a proud sporting history and is home to the Clayton Football Club, the Waverley Wanderers Soccer Club and the Waverley Oakleigh Panthers.
For the fashionista Clayton is located just a short drive away from Chadstone Shopping Centre, Australia’s fashion capital.