Thomastown, Victoria
Encyclopedia
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
. At the 2006 Census, Thomastown had a population of 20,603.
Thomastown is known for sharing its area with Westgarthtown, a historical settlement
.
. Two years later, William Westgarth
bought land north of Thomas' holding, which he made way for German
settlers. Thomastown Post Office opened on 9 June 1862.
The Thomastown area attracted lots of farmers and horse-racing until the World War II
. In 1889, the Epping railway line opened and milk
production and distribution grew during the 1930s when a German dairying family formed the Pura Dairy, ultimately to expand into Preston
and became Metropolitan Dairies Pty. Ltd. In 1947, a housing co-operative was formed 2 km. north in the suburb of Lalor
. It wasn't long before residential development began at Thomastown. While German settlers already call this area home, more settlers moved in, mostly Italians
and Yugoslavs
. In 1961, St. Clare's Primary School opened, followed by Thomastown Secondary College and then Thomastown West Primary School.
, a shopping centre corner of Edgars Road and Main Street and shops on Settlement Road and Dalton Road plus various shopping strips east of the train station. Thomastown Secondary College is situated on Main Street, adjacent to Thomastown West Primary School, Thomastown Recreational and Aquatic Centre (TRAC) and Thomastown Library. Thomastown East has a grid street configuration, predating the later configuration in Thomastown West which protects residential streets from through traffic. On the south of Thomastown there are numerous factories and an electricity
terminal station
, near the Metropolitan Ring Road. There is also the Hume Freeway near Thomastown West.
The Galada Tamboore Path
to the west and the Western Ring Road Trail
to the south provide facilities for recreational and commuting cyclists. Edgars Creek and the Edgars Creek Trail
runs along a linear park which is next to a reserve with ovals.
, an Australian Rules football
team, competes in the Northern Football League.
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, 17 km north 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 Whittlesea
City of Whittlesea
The City of Whittlesea is a Local Government Area located in the outer northeastern suburbs of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covers an area of , and has an estimated population of 155,113 people.-History:...
. At the 2006 Census, Thomastown had a population of 20,603.
Thomastown is known for sharing its area with Westgarthtown, a historical settlement
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
.
History and development
Thomastown came into existence in 1848 when the Thomas family bought the land north of Melbourne for market gardeningMarket gardening
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
. Two years later, William Westgarth
William Westgarth
William Westgarth was a Scottish-born merchant, historian, statistician and politician in Australia.-Early life:...
bought land north of Thomas' holding, which he made way for German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
settlers. Thomastown Post Office opened on 9 June 1862.
The Thomastown area attracted lots of farmers and horse-racing until the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1889, the Epping railway line opened and milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
production and distribution grew during the 1930s when a German dairying family formed the Pura Dairy, ultimately to expand into Preston
Preston, Victoria
Preston is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin. At the 2006 Census, Preston had a population of 27,892.-Settlement:...
and became Metropolitan Dairies Pty. Ltd. In 1947, a housing co-operative was formed 2 km. north in the suburb of Lalor
Lalor, Victoria
Lalor is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whittlesea. At the 2006 Census the suburb had a population of 19,561...
. It wasn't long before residential development began at Thomastown. While German settlers already call this area home, more settlers moved in, mostly Italians
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
and Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
. In 1961, St. Clare's Primary School opened, followed by Thomastown Secondary College and then Thomastown West Primary School.
Thomastown Today
There is a strip shopping centre in High Street parallel to the railway stationThomastown railway station
Thomastown railway station serves the town of Thomastown in County Kilkenny, Ireland.The station opened on 12 May 1848. Unlike most other railway stations on the network, tickets are not available for purchase at Thomastown station and must be obtained on the train...
, a shopping centre corner of Edgars Road and Main Street and shops on Settlement Road and Dalton Road plus various shopping strips east of the train station. Thomastown Secondary College is situated on Main Street, adjacent to Thomastown West Primary School, Thomastown Recreational and Aquatic Centre (TRAC) and Thomastown Library. Thomastown East has a grid street configuration, predating the later configuration in Thomastown West which protects residential streets from through traffic. On the south of Thomastown there are numerous factories and an electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
terminal station
Terminal Station
Terminal Station is a 1953 film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of the love affair between an Italian man and an American woman. The film was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival.-Production:...
, near the Metropolitan Ring Road. There is also the Hume Freeway near Thomastown West.
The Galada Tamboore Path
Craigieburn Bypass Trail
The Craigieburn Bypass Trail , is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians in the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
to the west and the Western Ring Road Trail
Western Ring Road Trail
The Western Ring Road Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians that bridges the northern suburbs and follows the Western Ring Road...
to the south provide facilities for recreational and commuting cyclists. Edgars Creek and the Edgars Creek Trail
Edgars Creek Trail
The Edgars Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians in the suburb of Thomastown, an inner northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria.It leads to the historic village of Westgarthtown, which makes for an interesting day out....
runs along a linear park which is next to a reserve with ovals.
Sport
Thomastown Football ClubThomastown Football Club
Thomastown Football Club are known as the Bears and are an Australian rules football club located 17 km north of Melbourne in the suburb of Thomastown, Victoria fielding teams in the Northern Football League.-Timeline of the Thomastown F.C:...
, an Australian Rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
team, competes in the Northern Football League.