Wellington Village

Wellington Village created by Ray Peace

Rate this walk

Summary

This heritage walk is in a modern suburban area, but with references to much earlier periods in Rowville's history. Even everyday features have links to much earlier times, and a few surprises

Description

This is a short, easy heritage walk suitable for pushers, stroller, and motorized wheelchairs that dips into Rowville's past at various points and in different ways. Environmental awareness and local history go together on this walk, which also has ample parking and a choice of eateries and cafes at the shopping centre

Rate this walk

2587 Views

Points of Interest

1. Wellington Village

This shopping centre is not what it seems to be. The owners, the Gearon family, have lived in Rowville for 100 years. It is environment friendly, and the cost benefits go back to the local community

2. Emerson reserve

This reserve is modern, but the large standing trees go back to the farming era. The wetlands encourage local birdlife, and provides welcome open recreational space for local residents

3. Liberty avenue reserve

Liberty: American war of independence? French Revolution, 1789? No, check local street names: someone had a book of the English Civil War, 1642-49. Subzero Close? The horse won the 1992 Melbourne Cup

4. Footsteps in time

This path follows the former course of a local creek. This is also following the footsteps of over 20,000 generations of Aboriginal people, following 'songlines' of their creator spirit, Bunjil

5. Heany Park primary school

The school takes its name from a local swimming spot popular in the 1940s and '50s. Thomas More Heany was secretary of Ferntree Gully Shire in the early 1900s when the water pondage was built

6. Stud Road

The name derives from the Victoria Police horse stud established in 1837. It also honors the role of the Native Police Corps, the European and Aboriginal communities successfully working together