Red Hill, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Red Hill is a small rural community, located in the hinterland of the Mornington Peninsula, about an hour's drive south of Melbourne
, in Victoria
, Australia
. The Local Government Area is the Shire of Mornington Peninsula
. At the 2006 census
, Red Hill had a population of 1,152.
that has made the area predominantly agricultural from its first European settlement in the mid-nineteenth century. The area now known as Red Hill contains land in three parishes: Kangerong, Wannaeue (only 626 acres) and Balnarring. Kangerong is north of Arthurs Seat Rd and west of Red Hill Rd. Wannaeue is west of Mornington-Flinders Rd. The rest of Red Hill and Red hill South are in Balnarring parish.Main Ridge is not far away and many residents probably supplemented their farm income by working at Alex Shand's steam saw mill. W.H.Blakely made saw blades. The mill would have supplied timber for fruit packing cases.
Many from Red Hill would have attended the annual fruitgrowers' show at Somerville's Fruitgrowers Park.Many streets are named after pioneers:Sheehan, McIlroy, Stanley, Bayne, Arkwell, Eaton,Nash, Perry (sic), Callanan,as well as uses (Cherry, Station, Mechanics i.e. Institute, and Lookout Rd). (Sources:parish maps, Flinders and Kangerong rates, Keith Holmes, Thelma Littlejohn, "The Way We Were" re Somerville.)
Sheila Skidmore's "Red Hill" is available at Dromana Museum.
Eatons Cutting Road was a vital road link with Dromana but it was rough and dangerous. One of the Red Hill Village pioneers, Thiele, lost his life on it. Sheehans Rd was originally the end of White Hill Rd and when a detour was made, it was known as Wiseman's Cutting as it cut through James Wiseman's land.
Red Hill Office opened on 1 August 1871.
.
A monthly community market is held from September through May. Patrons can still watch old time games like Pétanque
being played and smell the roasting of chestnuts. Other traditional Australian foods such as meat pies and jam donuts are also sold.
Since the 1970s, wineries have been established around Red Hill to take advantage of the microclimates that suits cool climate grapes, and especially pinot noir. Strawberries, cherries and apples are also grown and available seasonally at the farm door.
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...
, in 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...
. The 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...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Red Hill had a population of 1,152.
History
Its name derives from the rich, red clayRed Clay
Red Clay is a 1970 album by Freddie Hubbard.Red Clay may also refer to:* Red clay, a type of clay court in tennis* Ultisols, a type of red clay soil common in the U.S...
that has made the area predominantly agricultural from its first European settlement in the mid-nineteenth century. The area now known as Red Hill contains land in three parishes: Kangerong, Wannaeue (only 626 acres) and Balnarring. Kangerong is north of Arthurs Seat Rd and west of Red Hill Rd. Wannaeue is west of Mornington-Flinders Rd. The rest of Red Hill and Red hill South are in Balnarring parish.Main Ridge is not far away and many residents probably supplemented their farm income by working at Alex Shand's steam saw mill. W.H.Blakely made saw blades. The mill would have supplied timber for fruit packing cases.
Many from Red Hill would have attended the annual fruitgrowers' show at Somerville's Fruitgrowers Park.Many streets are named after pioneers:Sheehan, McIlroy, Stanley, Bayne, Arkwell, Eaton,Nash, Perry (sic), Callanan,as well as uses (Cherry, Station, Mechanics i.e. Institute, and Lookout Rd). (Sources:parish maps, Flinders and Kangerong rates, Keith Holmes, Thelma Littlejohn, "The Way We Were" re Somerville.)
Sheila Skidmore's "Red Hill" is available at Dromana Museum.
Eatons Cutting Road was a vital road link with Dromana but it was rough and dangerous. One of the Red Hill Village pioneers, Thiele, lost his life on it. Sheehans Rd was originally the end of White Hill Rd and when a detour was made, it was known as Wiseman's Cutting as it cut through James Wiseman's land.
Red Hill Office opened on 1 August 1871.
Today
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football LeagueMornington 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...
.
A monthly community market is held from September through May. Patrons can still watch old time games like Pétanque
Pétanque
Pétanque is a form of boules where the goal is, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground, to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet or jack. It is also sometimes called a bouchon or le petit...
being played and smell the roasting of chestnuts. Other traditional Australian foods such as meat pies and jam donuts are also sold.
Since the 1970s, wineries have been established around Red Hill to take advantage of the microclimates that suits cool climate grapes, and especially pinot noir. Strawberries, cherries and apples are also grown and available seasonally at the farm door.
External links
- Red Hill and Main Ridge - Government tourism site