Explore Moonee Valley
Welcome to the Open House Melbourne Weekend in Moonee Valley.
Those coming to visit Moonee Valley this weekend will discover a culturally rich and vibrant part of the city! With more than 200 parks, gardens and open spaces and four major waterways, there’s so much to explore.
Start your Weekend exploring Essendon Fields Airport Terminal. From 1959 to 1970, it served as the city’s gateway to the world as Australia’s second dedicated international terminal. Join the Civil Aviation Historical Society for a talk in the airport lounge, or pick up a walking map to explore original airport landmarks for yourself. You can also visit the nearby Airways Museum. The airport will be open Friday and Saturday.
Near the Maribyrnong River, you’ll find the Essendon Incinerator Complex. In the 1920s, Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin were commissioned to design the beautiful, state-of-the-art incinerator for waste disposal. Today, the building is the last of its kind in Victoria. Join for a tour to explore the building, now the Incinerator Gallery.
While you’re there, don’t forget to buy tickets for The Playground Project, an interactive, international travelling exhibition that even includes a playground takeover! Afterwards, you can continue to explore the river via the Maribyrnong River loop that passes through Afton St Conservation Reserve where you can see plenty of native flora and fauna.
Drop into Moonee Valley Race Course, where you can join a guided tour of the racetrack, grandstand, horse stalls and the historic TOTE building. Later this year, the race course will be renovated and redeveloped with new state-of-the-art facilities, so now’s your chance to get a ‘before’ glimpse!
Finish the day with a hearty laksa to warm up. You’ll spot the line on Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington, for the famous Laksa King, but Chef Lagenda and M Yong Tofu are equally excellent alternatives to hit the spot. There’s also plenty more to choose from on Racecourse Road, including Vietnamese phở and Yemeni mandi.
There’s still more to do in Moonee Ponds the next day. Start your Sunday with breakfast on Puckle Street before dropping into the Clocktower Centre. Wander through the building, which was originally built in 1880 as the Essendown Town Hall. Now a performing arts venue, you can still see the beautiful grand archways and brickwork of the original building. Join a tour for a special behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary theatre, rehearsal studio and more.
You can also discover the Moonee Ponds Court House Museum and beautiful Queens Park. Take the self-guided tour, or join a heritage tour of the park in the afternoon.
At Valley Lake, you can enjoy a lakeside coffee at Perry’s. A former basalt quarry that’s now been filled, you can get a full view of the landscape from the stunning lookout, whose design pays a subtle homage to the site’s past. Hear from the architects and landscape engineers about how they transformed the site.
Then it’s the perfect time to explore Steele Creek. Take the paved trail up to Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School, where you can hear more about four unique buildings designed to encourage wonder in students. Afterwards, head nearby to the Centreway, where you’ll find neighbourhood shops and cafés. Don’t forget to take a quick peek at the centre reserve, where you can see bronze plaque installations by Wemba Wemba and Gunditjmara artist Paola Balla, made in collaboration with local primary school kids.
There’s so much to explore in Moonee Valley. Keep up to date with what’s on by following their events page!
Moonee Valley Program
Clocktower Centre
Saturday 26 July, Sunday 27 July
Essendon Fields Airport Terminal
Friday 25 July, Saturday 26 July
Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School—Keilor East Campus Tour
Sunday 27 July
Moonee Ponds Court House Museum and Queens Park
Sunday 27 July
