Diamond Creek, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Diamond Creek is a suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, 23 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik
. At the 2006 Census, Diamond Creek had a population of 10,287.
which flows through the area in a generally southward direction. The name relates to a story of a farmer whose prized bull (although some stories refer to it as female), named 'Diamond' because of the lozenge shape on its forehead, drowned in the creek.
Early white settlers in the Diamond Creek area are thought to have been timber getters and paling splitters. The township was established near the site of the Caledonia gold run, discovered in 1841. The Diamond Reef was found in 1863, and the township of Diamond Creek was subsequently developed, the Post Office opening on 7 February 1863. In 1864 a Methodist church, and a school were established. The township was surveyed between 1886 and 1887. The name Nillumbik was given to the area around the town, which lasted until the turn of the century. After the gold rush, the area was used for orchards and small scale farming. The railway line from Eltham to Hurstbridge was opened in 1912, including a station at Diamond Creek.
In the postwar years, population increased dramatically in Diamond Creek and its neighbouring areas. The Diamond Valley Shire was created out of the northern part of the Shire of Heidelberg in 1964. Further population growth occurred throughout the 1970s.
The early twentieth century saw a decline in the orchard industry, as orchards in Melbourne's eastern townships such as Doncaster
and Nunawading
, fell into favour due to better marketing. Diamond Creek remained relatively untouched during the boom in recreational travel that followed the popularity of the motor car.
Over the next 50 years the mine developed into a major local industry, employing up to 200 men at its peak, going down to 300 metres and drawing 5000 ounces of gold a year.
On Wednesday 20 January 1915 a spark escaped from the boiler and set fire to the entire above ground plant and buildings. Because of the depth of water which accumulated, it was found unprofitable to re-open the main shaft. A serious attempt was made in 1948 but again the depth of water was insurmountable.
to its terminus at Hurstbridge
.
.
and provides a venue for basketball, gymnasium and group fitness classes, child care, community classes and public and private functions. The centre also houses Nillumbik's Maternal & Child Health Service. The Community Centre served as an evacuation point, providing emergency accommodation, first aid and government relief to local residents affected by the February 2009 Victorian bushfires
.
A prominent building in Diamond Creek is St John's Anglican church situated at the top of Main Road.
Beside St John's Anglican church is AD Ryans' Restaurant & Bar, named after Patrick Ryan who ran the butcher shop in the earlier part of the 20th century. It was later turned into flats and turned into a restaurant by Andrew Zablocki and David and Julie Thompson in 1995. It is a prominent local building, restored to glory for all to enjoy.
On the other side of St John's is the beautiful Ashton Manor, previously known as The Abbey. It is a reception centre and very popular for weddings and other celebrations.
Diamond Creek has a football team
playing in the Northern Football League.
The Rotary Club of Diamond Creek organise the annual Diamond Creek Town Fair, a community event held in September. It commences with a parade which features local schools, scouting groups, child care centres and community groups. The fair offers food, crafts and fairground attractions, rides, wood chopping, local community stallholders, and entertainment. It traditionally concludes with an evening torchlight parade by the local CFA units and a fireworks display.
Diamond Creek is home to a Donkey Shelter which provides accommodation and care for neglected donkeys from all around the state of Victoria.
Diamond Creek Little Athletics Club is one of the eight clubs competing weekly at the Diamond Valley Little Athletics Centre
at Willinda Park, Greensborough
.
Diamond Creek also has a busy CFA (Country Fire Authority) volunteer fire brigade, which attends to over 230 emergency calls annually. The brigade was established in 1942. In 2005, a new emergency services centre was built on the Main Hurstbridge Rd, which includes CFA, Metropolitan Ambulance Service and Police facilities. The Diamond Creek CFA brigade has approximately 60 members, one pumper, two tankers and a Nissan Patrol, as well as an extensive collection of modern, advanced firefighting equipment and training facilities.
Diamond Creek is serviced by the Diamond Valley Division of St John Ambulance Australia (Victoria) St John Ambulance provides emergency pre-hospital care to local events in Diamond Creek, such as the Town Fair, Pet Expo, Fun Runs and many other local events. The Diamond Valley division is based in Greensborough.
Diamond Creek is serviced by the Yarra Plenty Regional Library Mobile Library every Thursday from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The Library Bus uses the Community Centre car park.
and a Mitre 10 Home & Trade
.
Diamond Creek's shopping centres have developed over the years. A Tuckerbag was built as the first shopping centre (later Foodworks); that supermarket later became a Ritchies Stores
Supa IGA. A chicken-and-chips shop called Mr Rooster has traded for some time. a range of shops trades in the Diamond Creek Plaza: Tattersalls (within the newsagent), Bakers Delight, IGA Liquor, Chemmart (now Priceline pharmacy). There are several pizza shops including Celebrity Pizza, La Sera and further up Main Road back towards AD Ryans Restaurant, Da Vinci Pizza.
In 2001 a large modern shopping centre called the Diamond Creek Shopping Station was built across the road featuring a Bi-Lo (subsequently Coles), Harvest Café (now Platters), a deli, an Amcal and a range of other specialty stores
The Diamond Creek Shopping Station has been extended three times, with a BWS and more stores to come. A new bakery has opened, a fitness centre (Fitness Link - seems closed as at 2011) and a brand new wheelchair-accessible Bendigo Bank has opened, relocating from previous premises across the road on the IGA side.
The first of the extensions expanded to the south of the centre, featuring a large ANZ bank, a Flight Centre and a health and home gift shop.
The second extension doubled the size of Coles and added a Liquorland.
In 2001 a McDonalds was added beside Diamond Creek Station. This 24-hours McDonalds features a McCafé
.
The Chute Street end of Main Street hosts Creeks Cafe, Nillumbik Cellars (incorporating The Vines Cafe), Chute Street Fish & Chips, Mr Chips, Madeleine's Bakery, Rainflorist, a tattoo parlour (opened late in 2009), a small coffee shop and several others.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 23 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik
Shire of Nillumbik
The Shire of Nillumbik is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It contains some outer northern suburbs of Melbourne and rural localities beyond the urban area. It has an area of 435 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 62,837 people...
. At the 2006 Census, Diamond Creek had a population of 10,287.
History
It is named after the Diamond Creek watercourse, a tributary of the Yarra RiverYarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
which flows through the area in a generally southward direction. The name relates to a story of a farmer whose prized bull (although some stories refer to it as female), named 'Diamond' because of the lozenge shape on its forehead, drowned in the creek.
Early white settlers in the Diamond Creek area are thought to have been timber getters and paling splitters. The township was established near the site of the Caledonia gold run, discovered in 1841. The Diamond Reef was found in 1863, and the township of Diamond Creek was subsequently developed, the Post Office opening on 7 February 1863. In 1864 a Methodist church, and a school were established. The township was surveyed between 1886 and 1887. The name Nillumbik was given to the area around the town, which lasted until the turn of the century. After the gold rush, the area was used for orchards and small scale farming. The railway line from Eltham to Hurstbridge was opened in 1912, including a station at Diamond Creek.
In the postwar years, population increased dramatically in Diamond Creek and its neighbouring areas. The Diamond Valley Shire was created out of the northern part of the Shire of Heidelberg in 1964. Further population growth occurred throughout the 1970s.
The early twentieth century saw a decline in the orchard industry, as orchards in Melbourne's eastern townships such as Doncaster
Doncaster, Victoria
Doncaster is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 15 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham. At the 2006 Census, Doncaster had a population of 17,879....
and Nunawading
Nunawading, Victoria
Nunawading is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse...
, fell into favour due to better marketing. Diamond Creek remained relatively untouched during the boom in recreational travel that followed the popularity of the motor car.
Diamond Creek Gold Mine
Gold was first found on a site at the top of Fraser Street in 1862 by two brothers.The owner of the property, Dr J B Phipps, floated a company and sank a shaft.Over the next 50 years the mine developed into a major local industry, employing up to 200 men at its peak, going down to 300 metres and drawing 5000 ounces of gold a year.
On Wednesday 20 January 1915 a spark escaped from the boiler and set fire to the entire above ground plant and buildings. Because of the depth of water which accumulated, it was found unprofitable to re-open the main shaft. A serious attempt was made in 1948 but again the depth of water was insurmountable.
Geography
The Diamond Creek shopping centre and railway station are situated on the banks of Diamond Creek, and the Hurstbridge railway line follows the course of Diamond Creek northwards from ElthamEltham, Victoria
Eltham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 20 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik. At the 2006 Census, Eltham had a population of 17,581....
to its terminus at Hurstbridge
Hurstbridge, Victoria
Hurstbridge is a semi-rural town in Victoria, Australia, 26 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district, at the junction of Diamond Creek and Arthur's Creek. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik. At the 2006 Census, Hurstbridge had a population of 3448.- History...
.
Schools
Schools in Diamond Creek include Plenty Valley Montessori School, Sacred Heart Primary School, Diamond Creek Primary School, Diamond Creek East Primary School and Diamond Valley CollegeDiamond Valley College
Diamond Valley College is a public co-educational school in Diamond Creek, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.-Location:Diamond Valley College serves an area which stretches from the rural communities of Yarrambat, Arthurs Creek, Strathewen Kinglake, St Andrews and Panton Hill to the...
.
Community
The Diamond Creek Community Centre is jointly administered by the Shire of Nillumbik and the YMCAYMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
and provides a venue for basketball, gymnasium and group fitness classes, child care, community classes and public and private functions. The centre also houses Nillumbik's Maternal & Child Health Service. The Community Centre served as an evacuation point, providing emergency accommodation, first aid and government relief to local residents affected by the February 2009 Victorian bushfires
February 2009 Victorian bushfires
The Black Saturday bushfires were a series of bushfires that ignited or were burning across the Australian state of Victoria on and around Saturday, 7 February 2009...
.
A prominent building in Diamond Creek is St John's Anglican church situated at the top of Main Road.
Beside St John's Anglican church is AD Ryans' Restaurant & Bar, named after Patrick Ryan who ran the butcher shop in the earlier part of the 20th century. It was later turned into flats and turned into a restaurant by Andrew Zablocki and David and Julie Thompson in 1995. It is a prominent local building, restored to glory for all to enjoy.
On the other side of St John's is the beautiful Ashton Manor, previously known as The Abbey. It is a reception centre and very popular for weddings and other celebrations.
Diamond Creek has a football team
Diamond Creek Football Club
The Diamond Creek Football Club is an Australian rules football club located in Diamond Creek – an outer north-eastern suburb of Melbourne.-History:Formed in 1904, the club was a founding member of the Whittlesea District Football Association...
playing in the Northern Football League.
The Rotary Club of Diamond Creek organise the annual Diamond Creek Town Fair, a community event held in September. It commences with a parade which features local schools, scouting groups, child care centres and community groups. The fair offers food, crafts and fairground attractions, rides, wood chopping, local community stallholders, and entertainment. It traditionally concludes with an evening torchlight parade by the local CFA units and a fireworks display.
Diamond Creek is home to a Donkey Shelter which provides accommodation and care for neglected donkeys from all around the state of Victoria.
Diamond Creek Little Athletics Club is one of the eight clubs competing weekly at the Diamond Valley Little Athletics Centre
Diamond Valley Little Athletics Centre
Diamond Valley Little Athletics Centre is one of the largest little athletic centres in Victoria, Australia and is based at Willinda Park, Greensborough...
at Willinda Park, Greensborough
Willinda Park, Greensborough
Willinda Park, Greensborough is located at the end of Nell Street, Greensborough and is maintained by the City of Banyule and the Willinda Park Committee of Management....
.
Diamond Creek also has a busy CFA (Country Fire Authority) volunteer fire brigade, which attends to over 230 emergency calls annually. The brigade was established in 1942. In 2005, a new emergency services centre was built on the Main Hurstbridge Rd, which includes CFA, Metropolitan Ambulance Service and Police facilities. The Diamond Creek CFA brigade has approximately 60 members, one pumper, two tankers and a Nissan Patrol, as well as an extensive collection of modern, advanced firefighting equipment and training facilities.
Diamond Creek is serviced by the Diamond Valley Division of St John Ambulance Australia (Victoria) St John Ambulance provides emergency pre-hospital care to local events in Diamond Creek, such as the Town Fair, Pet Expo, Fun Runs and many other local events. The Diamond Valley division is based in Greensborough.
Diamond Creek is serviced by the Yarra Plenty Regional Library Mobile Library every Thursday from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. The Library Bus uses the Community Centre car park.
Retailers
Diamond Creek has many large retailers, including a ColesColes Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
and a Mitre 10 Home & Trade
Mitre 10
Mitre 10 is the trading name of retail and trade hardware store chains, over 700 locations throughout of Australia. Operations are based on a co-operative system where the store owners are members of the national group and each has voting rights...
.
Diamond Creek's shopping centres have developed over the years. A Tuckerbag was built as the first shopping centre (later Foodworks); that supermarket later became a Ritchies Stores
Ritchies Stores
Ritchies is the largest independent supermarket chain in Australia, owned by a group of private investors including Metcash. Ritchies, also known as "Ritchies Supa IGA", have the majority of their stores located in Victoria....
Supa IGA. A chicken-and-chips shop called Mr Rooster has traded for some time. a range of shops trades in the Diamond Creek Plaza: Tattersalls (within the newsagent), Bakers Delight, IGA Liquor, Chemmart (now Priceline pharmacy). There are several pizza shops including Celebrity Pizza, La Sera and further up Main Road back towards AD Ryans Restaurant, Da Vinci Pizza.
In 2001 a large modern shopping centre called the Diamond Creek Shopping Station was built across the road featuring a Bi-Lo (subsequently Coles), Harvest Café (now Platters), a deli, an Amcal and a range of other specialty stores
The Diamond Creek Shopping Station has been extended three times, with a BWS and more stores to come. A new bakery has opened, a fitness centre (Fitness Link - seems closed as at 2011) and a brand new wheelchair-accessible Bendigo Bank has opened, relocating from previous premises across the road on the IGA side.
The first of the extensions expanded to the south of the centre, featuring a large ANZ bank, a Flight Centre and a health and home gift shop.
The second extension doubled the size of Coles and added a Liquorland.
In 2001 a McDonalds was added beside Diamond Creek Station. This 24-hours McDonalds features a McCafé
McCafé
McCafé is a coffee-house-style food and drink chain, owned by McDonald's. Created and launched in Melbourne, Australia in 1993 by McDonald's Licensee Ann Brown, the chain reflects a consumer trend towards espresso coffees....
.
The Chute Street end of Main Street hosts Creeks Cafe, Nillumbik Cellars (incorporating The Vines Cafe), Chute Street Fish & Chips, Mr Chips, Madeleine's Bakery, Rainflorist, a tattoo parlour (opened late in 2009), a small coffee shop and several others.
External links
- St John's Anglican Church - Diamond Creek
- Shire of Nillumbik - Diamond Creek
- Diamond Valley College
- Diamond Creek Primary School
- Australian Places - Diamond Creek
- Donkey Shelter
- St John Ambulance Victoria
- CFA- Country Fire Authority
- Diamond Creek Rotary Town Fair
- Nillumbik Historic Society
- Nillumbik (Diamond Creek) Cemetery