VICFarming
Templestowe
Orchard country on the Yarra, close enough to sell fruit in town.
1852Templestowe village laid out
WHAT STARTED IT
Settlers took up grazing and farm land along the Yarra in the 1840s, and a village was laid out near Ruffey Creek in 1852. Cleared timber land with good soil, close to Melbourne’s markets, suited intensive farming.
WHAT SUSTAINED IT
Orchards and dairies spread across the hills and river flats, and growers built a co-operative cool store in 1919; orcharding peaked in the 1920s and 1930s. Suburban houses replaced most orchards from the 1960s.
TURNING POINTS
1852The original Templestowe village is laid out near Ruffey Creek.
1856The Templestowe District Road Board is formed.
1875The road district becomes Bulleen Shire, renamed Templestowe Shire in 1892.
1919Local growers build a co-operative cool store.
1920The State Treasurer inspects the Templestowe cool store on a tour of metropolitan fruit districts.
WHAT IT DOES NOW
A spacious residential suburb of large houses and Yarra parklands. Petty’s Orchard keeps the old fruit-growing landscape alive.