Page 19 - InSite Kinglake Summer Edition 10:1:19

A brief history
Kinglake
The area now known as Kinglake National Park is located within the Traditional land of the Wurundjeri people to the south and Taungurung people to the north. Kinglake is generally 3 °C colder than Melbourne, with lovely summers and occasionally you will find snow falling in winter.
David Moore found the first gold in gullies above Mount Slide on Mountain Creek to the east of Kinglake and quickly after Moore's Mountain rush diggings opened on creeks numbered 1-5 which were rich in gold. 1868-70 saw a gold rush at Nuggetty Gully where hundreds of Chinese immigrants were said to have worked. The Whittlesea area was closed to logging in 1871 due to the silting of the Yan Yean Reservoir, so the timber cutters turned their attention to the Kinglake area. Sawmills were set up and timber Tramways built for the bringing out of logs. The timber was of high quality and as well as supplying firewood to Melbourne it was cut for building materials, packing cases, veneers and poles.
By 1876 the families at the eastern end of the district decided that a school was needed and their signed application was under the name 'Mountain Rush'. According to newspaper reports at the time the name was suggested by John Lindsay Beale, one of the earliest settlers, who was to become an Eltham Shire Councillor and also Shire President. The name was chosen in honour of the eminent British Historian and writer of the time Alexander William Kinglake whose eight volume history of the Crimean War had recently been published and praised. Kinglake Post Office opened on 14 May 1883. There was also an office at Kinglake East open from 1914 until 1950.
The Kinglake Ranges have a large number of Community Groups and the township celebrates a wonderful community spirit.
Enquiries
info@integrityrealestate.net.au
Yarra Valley
(03) 9730 2333
PO Box 214 Yarra Glen 3775
Kinglake Ranges
(03) 5786 2033
PO Box 213 Kinglake 3763
Sales
Bill Verhagen,
Managing Director
0417 371 987 | bill@
William Verhagen, Branch Manager
0437 371 969 | william@
Rob Verhagen, Sales Agent
0448 820 022 | robert@
Jordyn Kruger, Sales Agent
0412 747 032 | jordyn@
Property Management
David Gay,
Property Manager 0403 382 099 | david@
email @ integrityrealestate.net.au