Ivanhoe is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule. At the 2006 Census, Ivanhoe had a population of 10,600.

History

Ivanhoe Post Office opened on 1 September 1874. Ivanhoe North Post Office on Waterdale Road near Banksia Street opened on 17 May 1926. An Ivanhoe West Post Office was open from 1955 until 1988.

Today

Ivanhoe is located approximately 12 kilometres north-east of Melbourne's CBD. It is largely an affluent neighbourhood, renowned for its older style homes, with many dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Properties in the area often auction up to and more than one million AUD. The Yarra River forms the southern boundary of the suburb, with a golf course and a narrow riparian strip reserve.

The area hosts two of Melbourne's few private schools in the northern suburbs: Ivanhoe Grammar School and Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School.

Upper Heidelberg Road is considered to be the suburb's centre, where the Heidelberg Town Hall is located. The town hall is a classic 'art-deco' building on top of a hill, with a green neon clockface on a tower. Upper Heidelberg Road features a supermarket, newsagent, book store, numerous restaurants and cafés, various banks and a real estate agent.

The actress Cate Blanchett grew up in Ivanhoe.

The suburb has its own railway station, which is located in the Zone 1 of the public transport system. Darebin Station is also located within the suburb.

One of Ivanhoe's most renowned features is the annual Christmas lights on The Boulevard. Every year many residents in the street cover their homes and front gardens with lights and other colourful Christmas decorations, attracting many people from all over Melbourne to the extraveganza. The display was started by George Whitelaw in the 1950s. After dark in the week before Christmas, traffic is grid-locked in this suburban street as it attracts over 100,000 people over the nine day period of its display. It is commonly recognised as one of the most impressive Christmas displays throughout Melbourne, with many residents making it an annual visit.

Bellfield,once called Ivanhoe West is now experiencing a property boom as a result of "urban renewal" the solid houses and big blocks are a rare commodity within the 10 kilometer radius of Melbournes inner suburbs.Artists,musicians and young professionals are replacing earlier tenants and theadvantages are no longer a secret

Sporting Clubs

Ivanhoe Junior Football Club (http://www.ivanhoejfc.com.au/)
West Ivanhoe Unied cricket club (http://www.westivanhoe.sportsvault.com/)
East Ivanhoe Saints Cricket Club (http://www.eiscc.com.au/)
Ivanhoe Cricket Club (http://ivanhoe.cricketvictoria.com.au/)
Golfers play at the Ivanhoe Golf Course on Vasey Street.