Mooroolbark


 * __MOOROOLBARK __**

** HISTORY ** The name Mooroolbark is thought to have originated from the **//Wurundgeri//** //**Aboriginal**// **//people//** and the word mooroolbeek: Moorool meaning red or coloured and beek meaning earth. The first graziers first crossed the area which was originally known as Brushy Creek as early as 1837. It encompassed a far larger area than Mooroolbark is today and included what is now Wonga Park and Chirnside Park. John Gardiner who had led some cattle down from N.S.W became aware of the area and purchased a grazing lease of some 15,000 acres between Brushy Creek on the west and today’s Olinda creek on the east covering land from the foothills of the Dandenong’s to the Yarra which he called Mooroolbark.In 1838 Gardiner migrated back to England. He sold part of his leased land to his cousin William Fletcher and the land became Mooroolbark sheep and cattle station. Later Fletcher bought the land in 1845 from the Government of N.S.W for 640 pounds. This property later became Mooroolbark Park owned by the Chirnside family. (A century later it was developed as Chirnside Park). The first farmers in Mooroolbark were John Lithgow in 1845 and Robert Blair in 1847. They both came from Ireland and went into partnership leasing 100 acres from Gardiner and Fletcher. After clearing the land they planted wheat continuing to do so until 1857 (where they produced 642 tons). Farming was not always easy, on February 6th, 1851 known as black Thursday, the temperatures rose to 48c in the shade and with strong winds there was a big bushfire. It destroyed their whole year’s crop of 10 tons. Other early purchasers of land in Mooroolbark were Grey, Brice, Kinsella, Laidlaw, Rourke, Campbell, Ewart, Nicholson and Watkins. They cleared the land and planted orchards, grew wheat, grazed cattle and their farms supported secondary industries such as a dairy and mill which grew rapidly in nearby areas. In 1847 the area was being developed and the bottom had fallen out of the wool and sheep markets. In 1854 Mooroolbark had a population of 40 people and in 1855 the parish of Mooroolbark was proclaimed. In 1861 There was a public meeting of about 50 land holders at Brushy Creek township which stood where Black and Decker is on the Maroondah Highway is today. As a result of this meeting the state government in Melbourne changed its boundaries to include Mooroolbark. A railway was built from Melbourne to Lilydale in 1881 and it was decided a station should be built between Croydon and Lilydale so in 1887 Mooroolbark station was built. Early photos show as being very isolated. The original proposal was to name the station Brushy Creek but due to local pressure it was given the name Mooroolbark. Local dairy farmers used the train to dispatch milk and cream to various dairies between Box Hill and Melbourne. The fruit growers products didn’t travel so well often being bruised. After the electrification of the train line subdivision started in Mooroolbark. In the 1920’s there was only one store which contained the post office. In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s there was a massive influx of people to the area and Mooroolbark was opened up for housing development at this time. Mooroolbark was prone to flooding and in 1971 just one week after Coles New World opened it was flooded. On the last day of 1973 the shopping centre on Brice avenue flooded, it was the tenth time in two years and the second time in a fortnight. As a result of this the retarding basin on the corner of Hull Rd and Brice Avenue was constructed and acts as an oval. In 1984 there was extensive flooding in Mooroolbark. The Library also opened in 1984. In 1991 Mooroolbark had almost double the population of Lilydale. Mooroolbark Community Centre was built in 1980 on land that had originally proposed for a shopping centre but knocked back due to lack of parking space. The community centre underwent radical changes since 2004 and is now surrounded by colourful mosaics and street art. The first blue light disco was held at the Mooroolbark community centre in 1976. It was a Victoria Police initiative. These discos are now held all over Australia.
 * BASIC FACTS: **
 * Population. 19,335 (2006)
 * Area 13.3 sq km (5.1 sq Miles)
 * Location 37 km from Melbourne, 5 km from Lilydale.
 * BUILDINGS OF INTEREST **
 * Mooroolbark Community Centre **

The centre is used for day and evening classes as well for other activities.

This building was originally built as a roller skating rink in 1880 by Ed Flemming. In 1990 it was converted to a bowling alley with 28 lanes. In 2008 it was converted to a gym.  Celebrate Mooroolbark Festival is held once a year in usually on the third or fourth weekend in March. It originally started as the Red Earth Festival which ran from 1979 to 2001. Celebrate Mooroolbark is a chance for locals to get together with participation from local school children and local talent. The 2010 festival will be held on Saturday March 20th with a Talent Quest the previous evening.
 * Fenix Gym**.
 * COMMUNITY FESTIVALS **

 **NOTABLE PEOPLE **

She was born in Yorkshire England in on the 4th of December 1896. In 1911 her family migrates to New Zealand. In 1914 her family moves to Melbourne and from 1916-17 Edna studies at Burnley Horticultural College. In 1918-19 she works at gardening. Later she becomes a garden designer for the rich in Toorak and also works on Dame Nellie Melbas garden at Coombe Cottage. In 1921 [|Edna Walling] purchased her first block of 1.2ha of rolling cow paddocks in Mooroolbark. It is thought that she could see the suburbs of Melbourne expanding and wanted to preserve some of the countryside. When the adjacent property came up for sale she bought that too and this would be eventually become her 8.5ha village [|Bickleigh Vale] named after a Devonshire village. She divided up the area into one and two acre lots and sold them to people who would agree to her plans for houses and gardens of her making. She used local quarry stones for the walls and floors. In 1921 she builds the first cottage at Bickleigh Vale called Sonning. She believed that a house should appear to have sprung out of the ground and the garden to be in harmony with it. Edna Walling divided up the In 1936 Sonning destroyed by fire. Edna Walling oversaw the building of 16 cottages between 1920 and the 1940’s. 1967 she moves from Bickleigh Vale to Buderim Queensland. Edna Walling dies on August 8th 1973 Bickleigh Vale is located off Pembroke road, Mooroolbark and the present owners have tried to keep faithful to Edna Wallings original ideas. Gardeners and landscape students still study her work at Mooroolbark. The village of Bickleigh Vale is listed as a Classified Landscape by the National Trust and is on the National Estate Register. **|Mooroolbark Football Club** “The Barkers” Mooroolbark Soccer Club was originally founded as a Dutch team in 1962 under the name Mooroolbark United Soccer Team. It was Australia’s first national sporting side. The present organisation has a big following training at Esther soccer grounds. Mooroolbark also has a football team the Mooroolbark Mustangs. It is a club for horse riders with their own horse up to 21 years of age. Address Hull Road Mooroolbark Mooroolbark and District Miniature Railway ad Steam Club The club meets at Kiloran Reserve, Hawthory road Mooroolbark. They provide public miniature train rides on the fourth Sunday of each month (except December) [|Mooroolbark Theatre Group (MTG)]The theatre group was formed in 1978 at Mooroolbark High School by Arlene and Tom Myers. Their first review was “Carry on Mooroolbark” with only two of the approximately 35 cast having any stage experience. In 1983 the group changed to an 18+ format performing mostly 3-act comedies, two or three times a year. Their performances shown in Mooroolbark Community Centre are of high quality entertainment and they and they have a huge following. They welcome new people to the group in all aspects of theatre. This is one of Melbourne’s most unusual intersections. It is located between Hull Road, Lincoln Rd,Manchester Road and Cambridge Roads. It consists of three consecutive roundabouts which if used according to road rules work well but can be quite daunting to those who don’t know the area. It was designed to eliminate accidents caused by drivers failing to give way to those coming from adjoining streets. REFERENCES and further reading: Border Country- Mooroolbark and Wonga Park. G.F. James Shire of Lillydale. Billanook Country Peter J Badeley. Shire of Yarra Ranges. Historical files Mooroolbark Library. Local Knowledge. Wikipedia Google search on the internet.
 * Edna Walling **
 * MOOROOLBARK SPORTS AND LEASURE **
 * Mooroolbark and District Pony Club **
 * Mooroolbark and District Adult Riders Club **
 * MOOROOLBARK QUIRKS **
 * Five Ways **