Balwyn Historical Society

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The Balwyn Historical Society was formed in mid 2008 to foster appreciation of the local history of the Balwyn area, comprising Balwyn and the areas of Deepdene, North Balwyn and Greythorn. Historical societies are active in other adjoining areas, but the particular history and heritage of Balwyn is not a central concern for them. In part this is because the adjacent areas, located along railways extended in 1883 to Melbourne’s east, developed more rapidly. The railway facilitated access, and the railway stations and other public buildings provided a growing population with a focus for community interaction, so furnishing a more substantial  narrative of local history.

Balwyn’s settled history began with the eight square mile Special Survey in Melbourne’s east acquired by Henry Elgar in 1841, and subsequently subdivided into farm and grazing allotments. Farms and farm houses were established in Balwyn in the late 1850s. Pioneer settler Andrew Murray purchased one subdivision, planted a vineyard, and built a house named Balwyn (reputedly after Celtic bal home and Saxon wyn wine). The adjoining road was named Balwyn Road, and the district surrounding the intersection of Balwyn and Whitehorse Roads became known as Balwyn

The Balwyn area remained sparsely populated for many years. Initially Balwyn lacked the focus provided by public buildings such as a post office, churches, schools and shops. The first school was opened in 1868, Anglican worship started in the same year and St Barnabas` church was opened in 1872. Growth away from the railway corridor was slow, but when tramlines were extended into the Deepdene and Balwyn areas in 1916, more land was subdivided for housing and the population grew more rapidly. Development was similarly spurred in the north east by the North Balwyn tramline extension in 1936. Beyond the transport termini land remained largely undeveloped, until there was widespread access by motor car in the 1950s.

Located at the outskirts of Melbourne, Balwyn was seen as a fringe outer suburb of the metropolis early in the 20th century. Along with other suburbs it shared in the progress made in infrastructure such as roads and the provision of reticulated water, gas and electricity, though parts of outer North Balwyn and Greythorn were not sewered until the 1950s building boom.

Balwyn has progressed to being a middle or even inner middle suburb, and as such its broad development parallels many similar areas near Melbourne. It is the aim of the Balwyn Historical Society to show Balwyn’s part in Melbourne’s story and to explore features of particular interest in  Balwyn.

Dating from the 1870s, Colongulac is the oldest large house  in North Balwyn.

The cenotaph in Beckett Park commemorates Balwyn residents who served in the defence forces in the World Wars.