Kurrum Yallock (Plenty River) - Martins Lane to Yallambie Parklands
Kurrum Yallock (Plenty River) - Martins Lane to Yallambie Parklands
The walk follows the Plenty River Trail along the Plenty River, from Martin’s Lane in Viewbank to Yallambie Park and contains significant historic sites and landscape.
Summary
The walk follows the Plenty River Trail along the Plenty River, from Martin’s Lane in Viewbank to Yallambie Park and contains significant historic sites and landscape.
Description
The Plenty River’s indigenous name is Kurrum Yallock, meaning muddy water. The walk passes through a pleasant riverine environment that contains important wildlife habitat, along a shared walking and bike path.
Remnant pre and early European trees are a feature, along with the historic bluestone bridge at Lower Plenty.
The walk is on the land of the Wurundjeri willam people who are the traditional custodians. Before colonization, they used the Plenty River for fishing and hunting, the trees for bark and tools and the land for its plants, camping and ceremony. Their traditional lives changed forever with the arrival of Europeans.
The area’s first European occupants were squatters and timber cutters from 1836. The land was surveyed into Crown Land Portions by Robert Hoddle in 1837 on presumption of terra nullius and sold at auction in September 1838.
The majority of the land was cleared for agriculture leaving only a narrow riparian strip along the river bank and some shade trees. The area gradually became suburbanized, with revegetation of the linear parkland of the Plenty River Wildlife Corridor. Today it is a popular recreation space that contains significant historic and environmental values..
62 Views
Points of Interest
1. Martin’s Lane intersection with Plenty River Trail
The wooden fence at the end of Martin’s Lane is the boundary of Parks Victoria land with remnant River Red Gums. The Melbourne Water pipe under the track carries water from Silvan Weir to Melbourne.
2. Site of the Truefitt Farm
In the 1920s the land on the south of the track was the Truefitt farm, with a house on the ridge above the River. It was originally part of Cleveland Estate, as Portion 7 of 1837 Crown Land sales.
3. Westbank Estate site
A 163 acre subdivision of southern part of Portion 8 of 1837 Crown Land sales. In 1841 Joseph Mayor Hall built a house & farmed it, then leased it out after the death of his wife Elisabeth in 1850.
4. Heidelberg Golf Course - Patrick Turnbull’s Country Estate, Preston Hall Estate & Bryn Teg
Part of 1837 squatter Willis sheep run, then one of the first Crown Land Sales in Nillumbik. Purchased by Capt. Benjamin Baxter., it had several owners before purchase by Golf Club in 1927.
5. Edward Willis Hut and Sheep Station
From April - Aug 1837 Edward & James Willis squatted on east side of Plenty River, with 659 sheep from Van Diemen’s Land, building a hut & stock yards near Lower Plenty Hotel, then moving up river.
6. Plenty Bridge Hotel and Toll House site
The Plenty Bridge Hotel was on Old Lower Plenty Rd east, was renamed the Golf Club Hotel in 1927 when purchased by the Heidelberg Golf Club. It was damaged by fire in the 1950s and demolished.
7. Old Lower Plenty Road Bridge
The bluestone & iron bridge was opened in 1867 & carried traffic for 100 years. It was replaced in 1966 by Main Road Bridge, for safety reasons. It was reopened in 2001 as part of Plenty River Trail.
8. Plenty Station / Yallambie House
Yallambie House, situated above the park is privately owned and listed with the National Trust. Property was called Plenty Station in 1840's by Bakewell family but changed to Yallambie in the 1850s.
9. Yallambie Park
Yallambie Park is now public parkland. It has significant remnants of the Bakewell's garden & orchard . Indigenous revegetation and weed control has been conducted in the Park over many years.
10. Yallambie Hoop Pine
The towering c.1860s Hoop Pine in middle of Yallambie Park & nearby Bunya & Hoop Pines were from Government Botanist Ferdinand von Mueller. They are native to Qld /NSW and related to Wollemi Pine
11. Heart of Wurundjeri willam sign
Yallambie Park was a semi-permanent campsite of the Wurundjeri willam people, with good fishing in deep pools along the River. Signage on the Trail acknowledges them as traditional custodians.
12. Laneway to and from Yallambie Park
The gravel laneway from Yallambie Park leads up to the car park in Tarcoola Ave. It is bordered by Hawthorn and Oak trees and was the main access to the River flats for farm equipment and produce.
Features
Picnic spot
Seating available
Historical interest
Nature trail
Lake, creek, river
Park / Garden
