Have you heard of Box Hill in Victoria, Australia?

Travel & LeisureTravel Spot

  • Author Craig Payne
  • Published July 5, 2022
  • Word count 520

Box Hill is a well-known middle-class eastern area of larger Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Via the motorway it is fourteen kilometres from the central business district of Melbourne. The current city of Box Hill has got an established population of slightly below 12 000 individuals. For administrative requirements, Box Hill is currently part of the City of Whitehorse.

Prior to the arrival of Europeans the location was home to the Wurundjeri Aboriginal people. The first European landholder was Arundel Wrighte whom had a a pastoral contract for the land in 1938. Box Hill had been formally declared a city in 1927 with it thriving over the next 100 years into their own city. In 1871, the population of the township was 154 and it was mostly orchards, vineyards as well as other mixed kinds of agriculture. During this time the township became a main market hub for the fruits and vegetables which were grown in the area at the time. Box Hill was consumed into greater Melbourne in the 50's included in the eastward continuing development of Melbourne. The particular term of Box Hill had been chosen at the meeting in 1860 of local residents submitted a number of desired location names. A contest occured and won by a storekeeper, Silas Padgham, who had been later the initial postmaster in the area. Padgham was born in Box Hill in Surrey, England, and this end up being the name for the township.

These days, Box Hill is famous for its big Chinese population with over 65% of the population not born the country. Box Hill has also Melbourne’s highest high rise properties outside of the central business district and because of sometimes it is referred to as Melbourne's second city. It has these days become a key transport hub for the eastern and surrounding suburbs with certainly one of the busiest suburban train and bus stations. Box Hill provides a important hospital which initially opened in 1956 along with a sizeable shopping area. The area is served by three high schools and one technical college together with quite a few primary schools and pre-schools.

An interesting landmark within Box Hill will be the old Surrey Dive which has been a well-known swimming area. It was certainly not the best lake, but a pit which was dug to provide clay for the brick manufacturing plant next door, starting in 1880 which filled up with water. You'll find several unverified gossip and stories about drownings in the Dive. Surrey Dive was developed back then into one of Australia's premier swimming competition spots. It had been intended for competition until the 30s, when a pool ended up being built near the Dive. The remains of the brickworks still exist but hasn't used for a very long time and it has end up being the target of graffiti artists and vandalism these days. For that reason it's now fenced off and derelict. The big smokestack continues to throw a shadow over the dive. The Dive has become a decorative lake and the meet up place for a model boat club. The lake is not useful for swimming. The old brickworks is a secured heritage location.

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