Greensborough Historical Society Plaques - Main St Greensborough
Greensborough Historical Society Plaques - Main St Greensborough
The Greensborough Historical Society placed plaques in Main St several years ago to locate sites important to the history of Greensborough. This work was supported by the local Chamber of Commerce.
Summary
The Greensborough Historical Society placed plaques in Main St several years ago to locate sites important to the history of Greensborough. This work was supported by the local Chamber of Commerce.
Description
The Plaques can be followed to form a pleasant, illuminating walk along the Greensborough Shopping strip. Greensborough was established from the 1850s with hotels, churches, grocery stores, several tea rooms and a post office on the corner of Para Rd. Only the Greensborough Hotel remains now, on its original site.
Greensborough Park and Partington Flat are to the north of Main St Greensborough. These were the home of the Wurundjeri First Nations people before colonisation. Along the Yarra, Plenty River and Darebin Creek settlers farmed the land from the 1870s.
Before rail transport, it was horses and carts heading to the gold fields coming through the area, and wagons loaded with wood. Wood was needed for the steam-powered factories in the Northcote and Collingwood areas. A Toll Gate near the Grimshaw St and Watsonia Rd corner existed to collect funds for development of the roads. Now we have the massive North East Link being established across this area.
The railway line was extended to Greensborough in 1902 and the Walk passes the current railway station. Rail passenger numbers are not as high now as they were in peak times around 2010.
Removal of rail level crossings came to the Greensborough area in the 1970s. This was of great benefit to the motor vehicle traffic, and enhanced commercial development in Main St and old shopfronts disappeared. The genteel tea rooms were replaced with cafes and restaurants. Local ladies had enjoyed the British tradition of taking afternoon tea; imagining themselves chic and sophisticated in these convivial surrounds.
In 1914 a purpose-built Commercial Bank of Australia was constructed opposite the Farmers Arms/ 'new' Greensborough Hotel. The original Greensborough Hotel at the end of Church St had been burnt down twice, once in 1872 and then again in 1896, and was now also tea rooms.
Greensborough boasted a cinema from early days, and this together with the various tea rooms and the swimming pool constructed in the river, served as entertainment for the locals. Remnants of the pool are still evident, on the opposite side of the bridge to the Pioneer Park. An iconic bluestone bridge over the Plenty River had been built in the 1860s. This was replaced by a wider modern bridge by 1983 to accommodate the heavy traffic.
With the coming of the Greensborough Plaza Shopping Centre in the 1970s the streetscape changed entirely, with the Methodist Church and the cinema disappearing. On the other side of the road the Marble Hall hotel with its associated winery and shops, and the Commercial Bank of Australia also went.
Tom Lane’s Pharmacy became a local landmark in Main St from the 1960s and other commercial spaces now included several banks and real estate agents.
- Photographs are from the collection of Greensborough Historical Society.
- Plaque development was supported by Greensborough Chamber of Commerce.
466 Views
Points of Interest
1. Huitt's Tea Rooms
In 1939, the Huitt tearooms and store were located where the Woolworths is now on the corner. Tearooms were very popular. Later the Foards offered a delivery service from here for grocery orders.
2. 'Old' Greensborough Hotel
George Ellis built this Hotel in 1860 to compete with Farmers Arms and Marble Hall. It had a butcher, baker, wood store, stables and accommodation. It burnt down in 1896 and then became a tea room.
3. Methodist Church was at entrance to Greensborough Plaza
Built in 1872 from locally made clay bricks from the gully where the Water Marc pool complex is now , the Methodist Church was demolished to make way for the new large shopping complex in 1967.
4. Main St in 1923 - looking north
This photograph shows the Fallen Soldier's Memorial for WWI and a gas lantern, looking north towards the hills. The Memorial is now situated in the War Memorial Park off Henry St, near Woolworths.
5. Ashril Cinema
From 1958-1974 the Ashril Picture Theatre operated here, run by Lou Riley and his wife Dorrie (nee Ashby). It had been a Rechabite Hall before WWI, then the Masonic Lodge and then the Victory Cinema.
6. Main St development by 1956
One constant on the streetscape from 1925 was the Greensborough Hotel, seen here on the left, at the end of what was in 1956, a strip of shops. The made road heads down towards the Plenty River.
7. Farmers Arms Hotel /'new' Greensborough Hotel
Built on the corner of Main St and Hailes St in 1864, the Farmers Arms was the third licensed premises. It was rebuilt after 1925 to look like it does now, and became the 'new' Greensborough Hotel.
8. Quirk's Tailor and Tea Rooms
Sam Quirk was a tailor and set up here, where his wife also ran a tea room. Their businesses were located just downhill from the current Greensborough RSL, over the railway line.
9. Swimming Pool on the Plenty River
Opening of the pool in 1937 was attended by Frank Beaurepaire, the world record holding Australian swimmer. Remnants of the pool can be seen at the bridge on the opposite side to the Pioneer Reserve.
10. Greensborough railway station
Greensborough Station was opened on the Hurstbridge line in 1902. Photo shows the bluestone bridge with Quirk's Tailor on right and Marble Hall top left; the rail line was located between them.
11. Marble Hall hotel
This first hotel and winery was built in mid 1850s, and was named for its white-washed walls. It was used for dances, had a nursery and a dental surgery. Pulled down in the 1960s it became a car yard.
12. Stubley Motors
Next door to Marble Hall P.B. Stubley built up a successful new and used car sales business from 1946, employing a team of mechanics. It later became the site for Watson Holden showrooms.
13. Commercial Bank of Australia
Constructed about 1914 this was the first purpose built bank, with the State Savings Bank already operating in small premises on Main St too. A busy post office existed on the corner of Para Rd.
14. Medhurst's shop
Medhurst's greengrocer shop opposite Church St, served the Greensborough community from the early 1900s. David Medhurst wrote for the local newspapers. Cafes and restaurants abound along here now.
Features
Public Transport
Seating available
Public toilets
Historical interest
Lake, creek, river
Park / Garden
