Boronia, Victoria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Boronia is an outer eastern suburb of Melbourne, Australia, in the state of Victoria. It is in the Local Government Area of the City of Knox. Residents are represented in the Victorian Parliament (Legislative Assembly) by the member for the electorate of Monbulk and in the Federal Parliament (House of Representatives) by the member for the electorate of LaTrobe.
Contents |
[edit] History
Prior to European settlement, Boronia and surrounding suburbs were often visited by aboriginals from the Westernport and Yarra Yarra tribes- hunting during the summer months in the Dandenong Ranges and its foothills. The Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation are the acknowledged traditional custodians of the land on which Boronia and all of City of Knox is located (source: Knox City Council publication).
In its early days of white settlement, Boronia was predominantly an orchard, flower growing and farming area.
Boronia was named in 1915 by local councillor A. E. Chandler (prior to this, Boronia was considered part of Bayswater). Chandler named the suburb Boronia after the plant, Boronia, which grew on his property at The Basin. The plant was discovered by Ferdinand von Mueller, an Austrian botanist who came to Australia during the colonial period.
Boronia railway station opened in 1920, leading to an influx of residents. A further influx occurred in the 1960s and 1970s.
Boronia's most impressive historical building is Miller Homestead. Originally built in 1888 for John Miller, who was originally from Bayswater, London, and the first president of the Shire of Ferntree Gully (from which City of Knox separated in 1963) and Justice of the Peace. The original property included stables and horse training facilities and was over 77 acres in size. The property was sub-divided in 1971. Miller homestead is classified by the National Trust of Australia (Vic).
Features of Boronia include a view of the Dandenong Ranges. Boronia includes sections of the Dandenong Ranges foothills and thus possesses many hills itself. It has the beautiful, natural, green backdrop of the hills and Dandenong Ranges National Park.
For years, Boronia had been split in two by a railway line and a bottleneck railway crossing with 2 T intersections on each side of the line. In the mid 1990's, Vicroads made a proposal to reconstruct the Boronia and Dorest road intersection and to place the railway line underground with a new railway station built in a concrete cutting to bring the two halves of the suburb together. The new tunnel and intersection opened in 1998 with the land which the railway used to occupy turned into a new shopping centre.
[edit] Community groups
There are numerous community and service groups in Boronia- including Lions Club, Rotary Club, Returned and Services League (RSL), Y.W.C.A Women's Group, Probus Clubs, Country Women's Association, VIEW Club, Scouts and various church youth groups. The Boronia Progress Hall is a historic building of local importance.
[edit] Sport and leisure
Amenities include Knox Leisureworks, a swimming pool and exercise centre run by the YMCA, Tormore Reserve (a football and cricket ground),Boronia Bowls Club, bike paths and numerous small parks and playgrounds, Boronia weightlifting club, calisthenics schools and Knox Basketball stadium. There is also a library and a radio-control car club and raceway in the basketball stadium precinct. Boronia is also the headquarters for the Eastern Districts Football League.
[edit] Retail
Boronia Junction, a relatively new shopping centre, was completed over 2000-2001. Boronia Junction includes AMF bowling, a number of restaurants and a hairdresser. A newly opened cinema (2005) is located in Dorset Square. Boronia boasts over 11 restaurants- including Indian, Thai, Malaysian, Chinese and Italian cuisine.
The other two shopping precincts in Boronia are Boronia Village and Dorset Square (including Boronia Mall). There is also Dorset Arcade and Chandler Arcade, both run by the Boronia Chamber of Commerce.
[edit] Education
There are four primary schools in Boronia: Boronia Primary, Boronia Heights Primary, Boronia West Primary school and St Joseph's Primary school (the last one being a Catholic school). Also there is one secondary school: Boronia Heights College.
Boronia is also host to the first Templer Community Church Hall in Australia (in Wadi Street). Built in 1957 entirely by local volunteer Templers the building, with its unusual belltower and the attached nine-pin bowling alley, has been assessed by the Heritage Council in 2003 as 'culturally significant' and placed on the Register of Heritage Victoria.
Boronia is where the "Knox Leader" (local newspaper and part of the News Corporation group) is based. The "Knox News" is a weekly publication. The Boronia and The Basin Community Newspaper (BBCN) is also produced and distributed locally- by volunteers and focuses on local stories and history: including feature articles on immigrants' stories and local businesses. The community newspaper is produced on a monthly basis.
[edit] Famous former residents
- Davey Lane, guitarist of rock band You Am I grew up in Boronia.
- Comedian Shane Bourne has also made references to growing in Boronia before it was a bona fide suburb.
[edit] External links
| Melbourne suburbs near Boronia (City of Knox) |
||
| Bayswater North | Bayswater North | Kilsyth South |
| Bayswater | Boronia | The Basin |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxfield | Ferntree Gully | Tremont |
| Suburbs of the City of Knox | |
|---|---|
|
Bayswater | Boronia | Ferntree Gully | Knoxfield | Lysterfield | Rowville | Scoresby | The Basin | Wantirna | Wantirna South |
