Ascot Vale, Victoria

Ascot Vale is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Ascot Vale recorded a population of 15,197 at the 2021 census.

Ascot Vale is bounded in the west by the Maribyrnong River, in the north by Maribyrnong and Ormond Roads, in the east by the Moonee Ponds Creek, and in the south by Lyons Road, Epsom Road to the railway line thence generally north-east to Moonee Ponds Creek.

History
Ascot Vale West Post Office opened on 1 January 1888 and was renamed Ascot Vale around 1893. An Ascot Vale East office was open from 1914 until 1979.

The Temperance Township Estate in Ascot Vale, bounded by Union, Maribyrnong and Epsom Roads, was established with a caveat on each title preventing the distilling, brewing, or the serving of alcoholic beverages, but hotels were soon built at the outside corners of the settlement.

Population
In the, there were 14,750 people in Ascot Vale. 64.5% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Vietnam 2.8%, England 2.3%, Italy 2.2%, China 1.7% and New Zealand 1.6%. 66.2% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Italian 3.7%, Vietnamese 3.3%, Greek 2.4%, Cantonese 1.8% and Arabic 1.8%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 34.5% and Catholic 29.1%.

Landmarks
A major landmark in the suburb is the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, which has special events such as the annual Royal Melbourne Show. The Showgrounds are adjacent to the Flemington Racecourse which is in neighbouring Flemington.

Education
Ascot Vale has the Ascot Vale Special School, Ascot Vale Primary School, Ascot Vale West Primary School, St Mary's Catholic Primary School Ascot Vale and the arts program of Western Autistic School.

Sport
Golfers play at the course of the Riverside Golf Club on Newsom Street.

Ascot Vale is the home of the Melbourne Aces, of the Australian Baseball League, who play home games at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

The suburb is also home to the Essendon Hockey Club which was established in 2017 encompassing Essendon Hockey Club (Men), Essendon Ladies Hockey Club (Women) and Essendon Hockey Juniors.

Public transport
Ascot Vale railway station is located off Station Avenue on its east side and on The Crescent on its west side. It is on the Craigieburn railway line, part of the Melbourne suburban rail system. Trains take 10 minutes to get to the City Loop from Ascot Vale.

Tram route 57 runs along Epsom Road, Union Road and Maribyrnong Road between West Maribyrnong and Flinders Street Station at Melbourne CBD, tram route 59 runs along Mount Alexander Road between Airport West and Flinders Street Station, and tram route 82 runs along Maribyrnong Road between Mooney Ponds and Footscray.