Craigieburn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 26 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hume. At the 2011 Census, Craigieburn had a population of 32,700.

Craigieburn is always under constant development, be that of Delfin or Stockland, or even the council. Craigieburn ranges from halfway down Bridgewater Road to Mt Ridley. It is slowly becoming more and more urbanised and making its way further north. Most of the area is more than 200 metres above sea level (with Mount Ridley being the northernmost hill in northwestern metropolitan Melbourne), giving it clear views of Melbourne's central business district 25 km away.

History

Craigieburn’s first people were the Wurundjeri Indigenous people.

Craigieburn takes its name after an old bluestone inn that catered for travellers along the Old Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne. The Old Hume Highway still exists, albeit in a state of disrepair, and is now a continuation of Mickleham Road.

Craigieburn Post Office opened on 26 February 1866.

Demographics

The following demographic statistics come from the 2006 ABS Census data.

Australian Citizenship

Craigieburn's population in June 2006 was 20,785. According to the ABS 2006 Census, the percentage of Craigieburn's citizens who have Australian citizenship is 87.7%compared to 86.8%for all of Hume.

Country of Birth

According to ABS Census 2006 data, 71.9% of those in Craigieburn were born in Australia; 1.9% were born in England; 1.9%, in Sri Lanka; 1.8%, in Italy; 1.5%, in New Zealand; and 1.2%, in Iraq.

Within Hume, 63.9% were born in Australia; 3.9% were born in Turkey; 3.0%, in Iraq; 2.4%, in Italy; 2.0%, in England; and 1.6%, in Lebanon.

Language

English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 69.9% of persons usually resident in Craigieburn, which is less than the Australian average of 78.5%.

English was stated as the only language spoken at home by 58.3% of persons usually resident in Hume.

Religion

In the 2006 Census, the most common responses for religious affiliation for persons usually resident in Craigieburn were Catholic 37.8%, No Religion 16.8%, Anglican 10.9%, Eastern Orthodox 4.9% and Islam 4.7%. Compared to Australia as a whole, Craigieburn has more Catholics (37.8% compared to 25.8%), fewer Anglicans (10.9% compared to 18.7%), more Eastern Orthodox (4.9% compared to 2.7%), and more Muslims (4.7% compared to 1.7%).

Compared to Hume as a whole, Craigieburn has more Catholics (37.8% compared to 36.9%), more Anglicans (10.9% compared to 9.4%), more Eastern Orthodox (4.9% compared to 4.7%), and fewer Muslims (4.7% compared to 13.3%).

Facilities

Sport

Craigieburn has an Australian Rules football team playing in the Essendon District Football League.

The suburb is home to the AFL club Richmond Football Club as its second training base facility. The Tigers held a community camp in 2009 in the suburb.

Golfers play at the Craigieburn Golf Club on the Craigieburn Public Golf Course.

Craigieburn is also home to six marvellous tennis courts.Craigieburn also has a wonderful dancing hall for children and adults.

Recreational

The area requires an update to the sporting facilities at the local Sports Center. Which was promised years ago. But the Broadmeadows Center is in great condition as all the Humes budget for Leisure Centers is spent there.

Commerce and Industry

Craigieburn Shopping Plaza is located on Craigieburn Road West. There is also the North Pole Christmas Tree Farm and the Reserve Bank Note Printing Works.

Community

A 24 hour Police Station and a Fire Station are located near the Our Lady's Primary School and the Craigieburn Football Ground. There is also a Craigieburn Youth Center located behind the Library.

Residential areas

Highlands Craigieburn, a residential area by Stockland, has been growing. Formally known as Mickleham Grand it used to range from Mt Ridley Road to Crestmont Terrace but now is connected to the urbanised areas of Craigieburn. It is soon to have an addition of schools and many more parks. Other estates include Fairways Village, Creekwood Estate, Hamilton Park and Woodland Grove.

Education

Craigieburn Primary School

Craigieburn South Primary School

Craigieburn West Primary School

Our Lady's Catholic Primary School

Willmott Park Primary School

Craigieburn Secondary College

Mount Ridley P-12 College

Mother Teresa Catholic Primary School

Hume Anglican Grammer School

Transport

The electrified railway service to Craigieburn station was opened on the 30th of September 2007. Craigieburn was previously serviced by five-car diesel locomotives and Sprinter Railcars on the Seymour / Albury line. The previous terminus was Broadmeadows.

Cragieburn has five Bus services, rather than its previous three;

Route 544 : Runs from Craigieburn Station to Broadmeadows Station, direct.

Route 532 : Runs from Craigieburn Station to Broadmeadows via Upfield.

Local Bus Routes (all run every 30 minutes):

Route 528 : Runs from Cragieburn Station to Craigieburn South ('Fairways Village' estate)

Route 529 : Runs from Craigieburn Station to Craigieburn West ('Highlands' estate)

Route 533 : Runs from Craigieburn Station to Craigieburn North ('original Craigieburn', 'Creekwood estate') This was one of the first local bus routes in Craigieburn, existing when "The Met" was still the Metropolitan Public Transport provider.