Harkaway, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Harkaway is a suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, 40 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey
. At the 2006 Census, Harkaway had a population of 422.
The suburb is one which is home to many who wish to avoid the inner city clutter, yet remain relatively close to the city, and is characterised by its large distinguished homes and parkland.
Harkaway is located at the northeast corner of the City and is bounded by Robinson, Halleur and Harkaway Roads in the west, Boundary Road in the north, Cardinia Creek
in the east, and by an irregular border with Berwick, Victoria
below Dalton reserve in the south.
and Wurundjeri
indigenous
peoples. They maintained a traditional hunting and gathering lifestyle with seasonal movements. A number of stone axe heads have been found in the Harkaway area in a location known as "Bald Hill", and some reports say that a corroboree
was held there in 1858. However, by 1840, reduction of their hunting grounds, draining of the swamps and introduction of European diseases such as smallpox
and measles
effectively ended their ability to maintain a traditional lifestyle.
The area was settled by German immigrants in the 1850s. They initially bought land at Thomastown
with the intention of subdividing a German settlement, but fresh from trying their luck at the Bendigo
goldfields, found the fertile land at Harkaway south of King Road (originally Koenig Road, built as a stock route to water the cattle) and settled there instead. They typically built small timber cottages for themselves and practiced small-scale intensive agriculture on family lots, with the families primarily engaged in clearing the land and growing wheat, oats and potatoes, and "also very active in dairying". However, a townsite was never actually declared. Harkaway Post Office opened on 1 January 1865.
The settlers also constructed a number of other buildings - a Lutheran
church (1869), the belfry
of which is still intact and is located on Hessell Road; a single-room brick school (1876), a post office and a community hall (1909).
, founder of the Boyd artistic dynasty
, was based at "The Grange" in Harkaway in her early years, and Jessie Traill (1881-1967), a noted Australian painter, set up a studio in the 1920s.
and the Monash Freeway
by exiting at Heatherton Road, which becomes King Road on entering Harkaway. Most services are provided from nearby Berwick
and Narre Warren
. With the exception of Harkaway Road and a portion of King Road, all roads outside the main town are unsealed.
Harkaway Primary School has an enrolment of about 200 students, a community hall, tennis courts and numerous walking and equestrian trails.
The area is not served by Melbourne public transport.
It contains the pioneer Harkaway quarry on Noack Road.
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...
, 40 km south-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 City of Casey
City of Casey
The City of Casey is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the outer south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Casey is Victoria's most populous municipality, with a 2006 census population of 214,960. The municipality's population growth rate during both 1996-2001 and 2001-2006 was...
. At the 2006 Census, Harkaway had a population of 422.
The suburb is one which is home to many who wish to avoid the inner city clutter, yet remain relatively close to the city, and is characterised by its large distinguished homes and parkland.
Harkaway is located at the northeast corner of the City and is bounded by Robinson, Halleur and Harkaway Roads in the west, Boundary Road in the north, Cardinia Creek
Cardinia Creek
Cardinia Creek is a fresh water creek which flows from Cardinia Reservoir into Western Port Bay south east of Melbourne.It forms the boundary between the City of Casey and the Shire of Cardinia. It runs through the town of Beaconsfield, Victoria and is home to much native flora and fauna.-...
in the east, and by an irregular border with Berwick, Victoria
Berwick, Victoria
Berwick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Berwick had a population of 36,420....
below Dalton reserve in the south.
History
Prior to European settlement, the area was home to the BunurongBunurong
The Bunurong are Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation, who occupy South-Central Victoria, Australia. Prior to European settlement, they lived as all people of the Kulin nation lived, sustainably on the land, predominantly as hunters and gatherers, for tens of thousands of years...
and Wurundjeri
Wurundjeri
The Wurundjeri are a people of the Indigenous Australian nation of the Woiwurrung language group, in the Kulin alliance, who occupy the Birrarung Valley, its tributaries and the present location of Melbourne, Australia...
indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
peoples. They maintained a traditional hunting and gathering lifestyle with seasonal movements. A number of stone axe heads have been found in the Harkaway area in a location known as "Bald Hill", and some reports say that a corroboree
Corroboree
A corroboree is a ceremonial meeting of Australian Aborigines. The word was coined by the European settlers of Australia in imitation of the Aboriginal word caribberie. At a corroboree Aborigines interact with the Dreamtime through dance, music and costume. Many ceremonies act out events from the...
was held there in 1858. However, by 1840, reduction of their hunting grounds, draining of the swamps and introduction of European diseases such as smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
effectively ended their ability to maintain a traditional lifestyle.
The area was settled by German immigrants in the 1850s. They initially bought land at Thomastown
Thomastown, Victoria
Thomastown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whittlesea...
with the intention of subdividing a German settlement, but fresh from trying their luck at the Bendigo
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
goldfields, found the fertile land at Harkaway south of King Road (originally Koenig Road, built as a stock route to water the cattle) and settled there instead. They typically built small timber cottages for themselves and practiced small-scale intensive agriculture on family lots, with the families primarily engaged in clearing the land and growing wheat, oats and potatoes, and "also very active in dairying". However, a townsite was never actually declared. Harkaway Post Office opened on 1 January 1865.
The settlers also constructed a number of other buildings - a Lutheran
Lutheran Church of Australia
The Lutheran Church of Australia is the major Lutheran denomination in Australia, it also has a presence in New Zealand. It has 320 parishes, 540 congregations, 70,000 baptized members in Australia, 1,130 baptized members in New Zealand, 52,463 communicant members and 450 active pastors. Its...
church (1869), the belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
of which is still intact and is located on Hessell Road; a single-room brick school (1876), a post office and a community hall (1909).
Notable people
Minnie a'Beckett, who married Arthur Merric BoydArthur Merric Boyd
Arthur Merric Boyd was an Australian painter, and founder of the Boyd artistic dynasty.Boyd was born in Opoho, Dunedin, New Zealand, son of Captain John Theodore Thomas Boyd, formerly of County Mayo, Ireland, and his wife Lucy Charlotte, daughter of Dr Robert Martin of Heidelberg, Victoria...
, founder of the Boyd artistic dynasty
Boyd Family
The Boyd family is an Australian artistic dynasty. Members of the family over several generations have established themselves as painters, artists, illustrators, sculptors, potters, ceramists, writers, architects, graphic designers, and musicians....
, was based at "The Grange" in Harkaway in her early years, and Jessie Traill (1881-1967), a noted Australian painter, set up a studio in the 1920s.
Present day
The town can be reached from MelbourneMelbourne
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...
and the Monash Freeway
Monash Freeway
Monash Freeway is an urban freeway in Victoria, Australia linking Melbourne's CBD to its southeastern suburbs and the Gippsland region. The entire stretch of the Monash Freeway bears the designation...
by exiting at Heatherton Road, which becomes King Road on entering Harkaway. Most services are provided from nearby Berwick
Berwick, Victoria
Berwick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Berwick had a population of 36,420....
and Narre Warren
Narre Warren, Victoria
Narre Warren is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 42 km south east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Narre Warren had a population of 25,667. Narre Warren has a population density of over 2000 people per square...
. With the exception of Harkaway Road and a portion of King Road, all roads outside the main town are unsealed.
Harkaway Primary School has an enrolment of about 200 students, a community hall, tennis courts and numerous walking and equestrian trails.
The area is not served by Melbourne public transport.
It contains the pioneer Harkaway quarry on Noack Road.