FRIDAY HISTORY LESSON: WERRIBEE PT 2.

Going back to my previous history post about the Chirnside's, remember that? Well, when Thomas and Andrew Chirnside died, Andrew's two sons acquired 400 sq kilometres of land around Werribee between them. And so, the farmers who resided on the land in Werribee South became known as "tenant farmers". By 1905, they became freeholders of their own farmland, irrigation was then established in Werribee. Italian market gardeners, orchardists and poulterers started to move into Werribee soon after. In 1912, the Animal Research Institute was built.
Italian Farmers 1953.




Soldiers settling in Werribee after the first world war made their own farms, creating a new suburb called Werribee South in 1925. In 1922 the Catholic Church purchased the Chirnside mansion, which then became Victoria's seminary, Corpus Christi College. The Chirnside sons eventually left Werribee in 1928. About 3,000 people lived in the area at the time. A picture theatre and a primary school were also built. Werribee's pre-war homes were clustered in a small area around central Werribee mostly south of the railway line.
During the First and Second World Wars, considerable military infrastructure was established in, or near, Werribee: permanent RAAF bases at Point Cook, Laverton(where I was a RAAF cadet) and Avalon(where the air show was held this year); temporary airfields; and munitions stores. RAAF Point Cook 1910's.

During the second half of the 20th century the RAAF personal contributed greatly to the cultural and economic development of the community. Many small but solidly built three bedroom 'RAAF houses' remain in Laverton and the northern part of Central Werribee.
By 1971 (the year I was born) Werribee housed 12,000 residents.

The girls playing around a sculpture, one of many in the main street.

During this period, there were a number of scientific research facilities in the region: The Board of Works Farm (researching sewerage treatment); the CSIRO facility in Railway Avenue; the State Research Farm (renamed the Animal Research Institute); and the Melbourne University Veterinary Science School. Many teachers and scientists and engineers working in the petrochemical industry lived in Werribee, which at one stage was reputed to have more degrees per head of population than any other area in the state!!!

In 1970 a Catholic Secondary College (MacKillop College) was built on what had been part of the grounds of the Corpus Christi Catholic Seminary. In 1973 Corpus Christi was sold to the state government, and renamed Werribee Park. After 30 years of restoration and development, the propery now includes the Open Range Zoo, the State Rose Garden, an Equestrian Centre, the restored Werribee Park Mansion and a luxury hotel.

By the mid-seventies the area's facilities included numerous sports grounds, pubs, churches, primary and secondary schools and a hospital. The pub in main street was where we would go some Saturday nights for a meal and a dance as a family, great memories of dancing to "Sweet Caroline"!!

Local water hole..

Many students left school after Form IV (now called Year 10). (I know I wanted to leave and train in hospital which was how it was supposed to be done...but that all changes and so I went on and obtained my Higher School Certificate and then had to attend University).
Those who went on to university and wished to continue living at home in Werribee had a few choices: the University of Melbourne, Footscray Institute of Technology (where I obtained my degree in Health Sciences Nursing) or Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Now, we have a campus of the Victorian University here in Werribee, which is great.

One of the shrines in the main street, Lest We Forget.

For many years Werribee suffered a stigma due to the Melbourne Water sewage plant. Anyone from Werribee would invariably be at the receiving end of 'sewage farm' jokes. Now, every year as part of the Weerama Festival, there is a Dunny race that is held, just showing what great humour the residents of this city are!

A Weerama float.

In the 1990s, many of the research facilities were relocated to other regions and the bulk of the RAAF facilities were moved to Northern Australia: this impacted Werribee in several ways. Hundreds of RAAF-owned homes were placed on the market. (Alot of my friends also had to move as their mum or dad were in the RAAF)

Today, Werribee remains a more self-contained city compared with outer suburbs of Melbourne. With a full range of schools, community facilities and shops (including the ever-expanding Werribee Plaza shopping centre) its residents seldom need to travel more than 3 or 4 kilometres except possibly for work.

Wildlife at the Western Treatment Plant

The old Werribee town centre located in Watton Street continues to bustle. Following upgrades, the Melbourne Water plant's presence is not noticed, and indeed has become an asset, attracting diverse bird life.
Werribee today is the major centre within the City of Wyndham, one of Melbourne's fastest growing municipalities. Local facilities and cheap housing (2006 average house price $220 000AU) has made it popular with young families and first homebuyers. With Werribee now largely built out, most new housing in the area is being constructed at Wyndham Vale, Tarneit and Point Cook.

For people who originally grew up here in Werribee, or outback of Werribee, we can sure see changes happening rapidly. Paddocks where we would ride our horses or climb trees or play spotlight tiggy are now filled with houses and roads and parks...that is progress I guess.