The arts Through the Boyds, Murrumbeena played host to other well-known artists including
John Perceval,
Sidney Nolan, Hatton Beck, and Peter Herbst,
Albert Tucker,
Joy Hester,
Yosl Bergner, Artur and Sylvia Halpern, Jean Langley and many others. Many pottery works produced in Murrumbeena are held in the
National Gallery of Victoria's Australian Ceramics collection. • The potter
Merric Boyd (1888–1959) established a studio in Murrumbeena and produced his own distinctive style of Art Nouveau ceramics. •
Doris Boyd (née Gough (1889–1960) was a painter who studied under
Bernard Hall and
Frederick McCubbin at the
National Gallery School, where she met husband Merric Boyd. •
Emma Minnie Boyd (1858–1936) was an experienced and prolific Australian artist and lived at 4 Wahroonga Crescent. •
Arthur Boyd (1920–1999) was one of the leading Australian painters of the late 20th Century. In 1995 he was awarded
Australian of the Year and in 1999 Boyd's portrait and artwork were featured in the
Australian Legends series postage stamps. One of the world's largest tapestries, a greatly enlarged version of Boyd's original painting, hangs in the Great Hall of the Australian Parliament House. •
Guy Boyd (1923–1988) was a figurative sculptor, potter and activist born and raised at
Open Country. He authored
Justice in Jeopardy in defence of
Lindy Chamberlain, and was the subject of a book by
Anne Von Burtouch and Patrick Hutchings. •
David Boyd (1924–2011) was a figurative painter, ceramic sculptor and potter, born and raised at "Open Country". He was married to Hermia Boyd and was a member of the
Antipodeans group. • Artist
John Perceval (1923–2000) married Mary Boyd in 1944 and moved to
Open Country, where they raised their four children. Between 1949 and 1955 he concentrated on producing earthenware ceramics and helped to establish the Arthur Merric Boyd Pottery. •
Lady Mary Elizabeth Nolan (née Boyd, also Mary Perceval, 1926–2016) was a photographer and featured in many paintings by Arthur Boyd, sculptures by Guy Boyd and the nativities of (first husband) John Perceval. She created a centre for communal art activities at The Rodd in Wales, along with husband Sidney Nolan. • Frederick Cox (1861–1965), Murrumbeena artist and potter better known as Jolliff Influenced by the Boyd family, he is known for hand-formed pottery and his "wonderfully idiosyncratic body of work", which features in gallery collections. •
Elizabeth Fretwell (1920–2006) was an Australian soprano born and raised in Murrumbeena. She was the prima donna at London's
Sadler's Wells Opera (
English National Opera) through much of the 1950s and 1960s, sang before
Queen Elizabeth II, joined the
Australian Opera and performed at
Sydney Opera House. •
John Béchervaise (11 May 1910 – 13 July 1998) was an Australian writer, photographer, artist, historian and Antarctic explorer who taught art at Murrumbeena State School. • Jazz musician/trombonist
Frank Traynor (1927–1985) opened the Melbourne Jazz Club, was once dubbed 'Australia's king of jazz,' and was born Murrumbeena. •
Mark Trevorrow, the creator of Bob Downe, the camp safari-suit wearing comic and singer was born and raised in Murrumbeena. • Musician
Nick Cave , grew up in the suburb, following his early years in
Warracknabeal. Local café Nature Boy, named after one of Cave's songs, is an homage to the former resident. •
TISM played their first show at the Duncan McKinnon Athletics Reserve's track club rooms on 6 December 1983. • Singer-songwriter
Vance Joy (born James Keogh) grew up in Murrumbeena. •
Suzanne Johnston, an operatic mezzo-soprano and
ARIA Award winner, was born in Murrumbeena. • Comedian, radio and TV broadcaster
Libbi Gorr grew up in Murrumbeena. Her satirical character
Elle McFeast emerged on ABC's
Live and Sweaty (alongside
Andrew Denton) in 1991. • Radio and television presenter
Ed Phillips lived in Murrumbeena. •
Eve Ash - writer, filmmaker and former director/board member of the AFI and Film Victoria - was raised in Murrumbeena. Her 2019 film
Man on the Bus weaves the story of her parents' Holocaust experience and new life in the suburb. •
Brian Wise is a veteran 3RRR broadcaster and founder of
Rhythms Magazine, recognised for four decades dedicated to broadcast media, particularly radio.
Sports Many Australian Rules footballers played with
Melbourne Demons and came from Murrumbeena Football Club and also grew up (or went to school) in the suburb, including
Robert Flower from 1973 until 1987,
Tom Flower, Ray Carr, Mark Mitchell, Howard Hollow and Ken Jungworth. •
Ellia Green, , is a professional Australian Rugby Union player who represented Australia in Sevens Rugby, won a gold medal at the
2016 Summer Olympics in
Rio and is Australia's highest tryscorer in history. He lived in Murrumbeena while attending school. •
Wayne Walsh was recruited from Murrumbeena FC to play for
Richmond (Tigers) in 1968, played for
South Melbourne (Swans), then returned to the Tigers and played in the 1973/1974 Premiership teams. •
John Richmond was recruited from Murrumbeena FC to play for Richmond in the 1960s. •
Sydney Swans champion footballer
Stephen Wright coached Murrumbeena Football Club from 2014 to 2018, making it to grand finals in 2015 and 2017 in the Southern Football Netball League. • Australian Baseball League player
Philip Dale coaches Australian national baseball (including Athens Olympics 2004 silver medal-winning Australian team) and resides in Murrumbeena. • Paralympic swimming medallist
Phillip Tracey was from the suburb.
Business and politics •
Sir James Patterson (18 November 1833 – 30 October 1895), was an Australian colonial politician and the 17th Premier of Victoria. He lived in Murrumbeena and was still a member of Parliament when he died from influenza. •
Bill Shorten, the Member for
Maribyrnong in the
Australian Parliament, grew up in Neerim Rd, Murrumbeena and attended Mass at the Good Shepherd Convent, on the current site of
Chadstone Shopping Centre. He was the Leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives. • Entrepreneur, owner of Australia's
National Basketball League (NBL) and co-founder of internet provider
Dodo,
Larry Kestelman attended Murrumbeena High School. • Gangster “
Squizzy" Taylor (Joseph Theodore Leslie Taylor; 1888–1927) holed up in Emily Street for a year. ==Sport==