Why do some Melbourne roads have the name “parade”?

Street or road name – Wikipedia

In Australia and New Zealand, some streets are called parades. Parade: A public promenade or roadway with good pedestrian facilities along the side. Examples: Peace Celebration Parade, Marine Parade, King Edward Parade, Oriental Parade and dozens more. However, this term is not used in North America or Great Britain.

OED parade.n1, meaning 4:

A public square or promenade; (also) a row of shops in a town, or the street on which they are situated. (Frequently in the names of such streets, squares, or promenades.)

That meaning is not at all restricted to Australia, and in fact it is attested since 1697; as a street type, it may be an archaism that is restricted to Oceania.

So:

  • 1697, Dampier, New Voyage Around The World: This Square is calcled [sic] the Parade.
  • 1775, Sheridan, Rivals: We saunter on the parades [at Bath].
  • 1863, Hawthorne, Our Old Home: The smart parades and crescents of the former town.
  • 1885, Phone Book, Brighton, England: Vizer E.B…154, Marine-parade.
  • 1922, Virginia Woolf, Jacob’s Room: The parade smelt of tar which stuck to the heels.

The 1885 example clearly is an English street name.

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