Dromana, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Dromana is a suburb
south of Melbourne
, the capital city of Victoria
, Australia, and is located on the Mornington Peninsula
. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula
.
In 1841, Hugh Jamieson purchased 5120 acres (2,072 ha), or eight square miles, of land from the Crown for ₤1 an acre under the terms of the short-lived Special Survey
regulations.
The purchase included the northern part of the present suburb of Dromana to the east of Safety Beach
. The area is known as Jamieson's Special Survey
in cadastral surveys.
The first subdivision of Crown lands in Dromana occurred in 1854.
Dromana Post Office opened on 12 April 1858. The completion of its pier took place in 1872, allowing the shipping of produce to the city markets. In 1881, Dromana was well established as a seaside resort.
A travel brochure of the time describes it as follows: "Sheltered from the untempered violence of the elements by the lofty ranges by which it is encircled, Dromana presents an air of homely comfort, singularly foreign to the majority of watering places." Dromana was proclaimed a town in February 1861.
A major contributor to the development of Dromana was Spencer Jackson. One of his greatest achievements was the facilitation of the construction of a road to the summit of Arthurs Seat in 1929. Dromana's pier was much longer in those days and Dromana shared with Sorrento the ability to accommodate the bay steamers which did much to promote Dromana as a tourist destination. The McKeown and Shaw families ran guest houses for over half a century.
One of the oldest buildings that remains is the Dromana Hotel but it was a much more beautiful building before Lou Carrigg remodelled it in 1927. There was a racecourse behind the hotel for years, as well as one near the site of the Dromana Secondary College. The Arthurs Seat Hotel, which stood between Permien and Foote St was destroyed by a fire that swept down the mountainside in 1898.(Sources: A Dreamtime of Dromana, rate books.)
Much of the early work in the area involved cutting, sawing and dressing timber from Arthurs seat for the construction of piers around the bay and at Flinders. Farmers were involved with this livelihood and carting the wood on Bullock drays to Peter Pidota's Little Angelina at Sheepwash creek. Many of the grantees of land around the township were at first tenants on Jamieson's Special Survey. (Sources as above plus Rosebud;Flower of the Peninsula.)
Dromana's commercial centre is concentrated on Point Nepean Road, with Arthurs Seat and surrounding bushland providing a scenic backdrop. Across the road is an attractive foreshore with calm, sandy beaches, including designated camping areas. It is also home to the D.A. Christie Public Barbecue, which started manufacture in the Dromana Industrial Estate in 1974. Points of interest along the coast include the Dromana Pier, the rocky cutting at Anthony's Nose and the Mornington Peninsula Visitor Information Centre.
The Dromana Drive-in cinema is a popular entertainment spot for locals and holidaymakers alike.
Overlooking Dromana from the south Arthurs Seat
, is the highest point on the Mornington Peninsula offering panoramic views of Port Phillip, Safety Beach
and Mount Martha
.
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
.
The colloquialism , "No Dromanas", is rhyming slang for "no dramas", meaning "no worries" or "not a problem" and refers to the popular beachside suburb of Dromana. This phrase is used frequently by Melbournians as a popular means of comic relief.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
south of Melbourne
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...
, the capital city of 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, and is located on the Mornington Peninsula
Mornington Peninsula
The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located south-east of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to the mainland in the north. Geographically, the peninsula begins its protrusion...
. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula
Shire of Mornington Peninsula
The Shire of Mornington Peninsula is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located to the south of the city of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula. It has an area of 723 square kilometres...
.
Geography
Dromana is located in Victoria, south of the capital city, Melbourne, between Mornington and St Andrews Beach. It is located west of Merricks Beach and French Island. Overlooking Dromana from the south, Arthurs Seat is the highest point on the Mornington Peninsula.History
It is believed that the name Dromana is of Irish origin and that it came about from the influx of gold prospectors in the late 1830s. In fact there is a Dromana on the tidal section of the Blackwater River, near Cappoquin, County Waterford in Ireland, and this is the most likely origin of the name.In 1841, Hugh Jamieson purchased 5120 acres (2,072 ha), or eight square miles, of land from the Crown for ₤1 an acre under the terms of the short-lived Special Survey
Port Phillip District Special Surveys
In August 1840, the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners of the British Government decided to allow the purchase of land anywhere in the Port Phillip District of New South Wales – now Victoria, Australia. Special Surveys could be requested to enable the purchase of , or eight square...
regulations.
The purchase included the northern part of the present suburb of Dromana to the east of Safety Beach
Safety Beach, Victoria
Safety Beach is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.Safety Beach occupies slightly less than half the area of land between the foothills of Mount Martha and Arthurs Seat and borders Port Philip Bay to its west.There is a large...
. The area is known as Jamieson's Special Survey
Jamieson's Special Survey
In 1841, Hugh Jamieson purchased , or eight square miles, of land near Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula approximately 60 km south of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
in cadastral surveys.
The first subdivision of Crown lands in Dromana occurred in 1854.
Dromana Post Office opened on 12 April 1858. The completion of its pier took place in 1872, allowing the shipping of produce to the city markets. In 1881, Dromana was well established as a seaside resort.
A travel brochure of the time describes it as follows: "Sheltered from the untempered violence of the elements by the lofty ranges by which it is encircled, Dromana presents an air of homely comfort, singularly foreign to the majority of watering places." Dromana was proclaimed a town in February 1861.
A major contributor to the development of Dromana was Spencer Jackson. One of his greatest achievements was the facilitation of the construction of a road to the summit of Arthurs Seat in 1929. Dromana's pier was much longer in those days and Dromana shared with Sorrento the ability to accommodate the bay steamers which did much to promote Dromana as a tourist destination. The McKeown and Shaw families ran guest houses for over half a century.
One of the oldest buildings that remains is the Dromana Hotel but it was a much more beautiful building before Lou Carrigg remodelled it in 1927. There was a racecourse behind the hotel for years, as well as one near the site of the Dromana Secondary College. The Arthurs Seat Hotel, which stood between Permien and Foote St was destroyed by a fire that swept down the mountainside in 1898.(Sources: A Dreamtime of Dromana, rate books.)
Much of the early work in the area involved cutting, sawing and dressing timber from Arthurs seat for the construction of piers around the bay and at Flinders. Farmers were involved with this livelihood and carting the wood on Bullock drays to Peter Pidota's Little Angelina at Sheepwash creek. Many of the grantees of land around the township were at first tenants on Jamieson's Special Survey. (Sources as above plus Rosebud;Flower of the Peninsula.)
Dromana's commercial centre is concentrated on Point Nepean Road, with Arthurs Seat and surrounding bushland providing a scenic backdrop. Across the road is an attractive foreshore with calm, sandy beaches, including designated camping areas. It is also home to the D.A. Christie Public Barbecue, which started manufacture in the Dromana Industrial Estate in 1974. Points of interest along the coast include the Dromana Pier, the rocky cutting at Anthony's Nose and the Mornington Peninsula Visitor Information Centre.
Today
Dromana is known for its number of vineyards. More than 22 separate vintners operate within Dromana, as well as several vineyards.The Dromana Drive-in cinema is a popular entertainment spot for locals and holidaymakers alike.
Overlooking Dromana from the south Arthurs Seat
Arthurs Seat, Victoria
Arthurs Seat is a hill and locality on the Mornington Peninsula, within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula, about 75 km south east of Melbourne, Australia....
, is the highest point on the Mornington Peninsula offering panoramic views of Port Phillip, Safety Beach
Safety Beach, Victoria
Safety Beach is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula.Safety Beach occupies slightly less than half the area of land between the foothills of Mount Martha and Arthurs Seat and borders Port Philip Bay to its west.There is a large...
and Mount Martha
Mount Martha, Victoria
Mount Martha is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located 60 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula. It is located on the south-eastern shores of Port Phillip and offers a bathing beach...
.
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
The Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League is an Australian rules football competition, governed by the Victorian Country Football League. The MPNFL contains teams near the south eastern region of Victoria, Australia...
.
The colloquialism , "No Dromanas", is rhyming slang for "no dramas", meaning "no worries" or "not a problem" and refers to the popular beachside suburb of Dromana. This phrase is used frequently by Melbournians as a popular means of comic relief.
Schools
- Dromana Primary School
- Dromana Secondary College (Formerly Dromana Technical College)
- Dromana Special School