Summary

Upper Ferntree Gully is today a suburb, but many sites and buildings from the past are still present to remind us that this was once one of Victoria's top tourist locations, and still has much beauty

Description

The area around Upper Ferntree Gully has in many ways shaped the development of the entire district, going back to 1854 when Thomas Dobson Senior cut down all the lightwood trees, leaving the tree ferns behind: Fern Tree Gully.
The Gully's beauties brought visitors, but it was not until opening of the railway in 1889 that large scale tourism was possible. A National Park was declared in 1882.
Starting from the rail station, the footpath towards the National Park is not what it seems. The grassy open space on the left above the rail line was the site of Upper Ferntree Gully State School until 1963. Part of this path is the old right of way for 'Puffing Billy' when the narrow gauge line into the hills opened in 1900. The road and rail line were re-aligned in the late 1950s.
Crossing the busy highway at the traffic lights, on the left was once the site of the Talaskia tea rooms, hence Talaskia Road. The tea rooms were run by the Head family; William Head was killed as he stormed ashore at Anzac Cove on 25 April 1915.
On the hill across the valley is the William Angliss hospital, opened in 1939. We walk down to the Talaskia reserve, turning right across the street on to the path. Rollings Road is named after a local pioneer family.
Coming back to the street, we turn right again on toAlfred Street, then cut through the car park to Rose Street, turning right again back to the highway. This is a palimpsest of local history: the hosiery factory on the left is long gone, but the former Loyalty Theatre, opened by George Knox on New Years' Day, 1940, has found new life as the home of live performance by the 1812 Theatre company. The coffee shop on the corner of Rose Street was a bakery for many years.
Turning left, pride of place must be given to the Royal Hotel, built by a consortium of local landowners in the same year as the railway, 1889. The hotel was altered from Federation to Art Moderne style in the 1930s, and added to in 1980, and again in the 21st century.
Turning left again into Dawson Street, modern shops and the car park show no sign of the early motor garage and cordial factory that once stood here. Heading south to Ferntree Gully Creek, turning right onto the path again, this spot was once a favorite water hole for local kids to swim.
This section of the creek is open. You're on a footpath, but are you following something else? You are also following the footsteps of 20,000 generations, a song-line of the Aboriginal people marked by their creator spirit, Bunjil.
Coonara neighborhood house is busy today, but the building incorporates part of the former Glenfern homestead, built in the 1870s. Kings Park has nothing to do with the British royal family, named after a local councillor.
Turning right on Forest Oak Drive, where is the school? There's no trace of the technical school that occupied this site for over forty years. Cross the road at the traffic lights, returning to the start via Hilltop Road.

8802 Views

Points of Interest

1. Upper Ferntree Gully rail station

Part of the 1889 station buildings remain, though much altered and added to. The station track layout was altered with the opening of 'Puffing Billy' in 1900, and several times later in the century

2. Puffing Billy

You are actually on the first route of 'Puffing Billy' which curved deeper into the gully than the modern rail line. The electrified suburban rail line opened in February 1962

3. Talaskia tea rooms

The tea rooms burned down about 1920. The previous course of the narrow gauge rail line can be seen on the hill behind the building

4. William Angliss hospital

The first hospital building, on Albert St, is today the Chandler House outpatients' clinic. The main part of the modern hospital off Talaskia Rd dates from the 1950s onwards

5. Shops and theatre

The shops along the highway were built by local resident, Bert Tonkin, about 1920. The cottage at rear preceded the theatre. Royal Hotel licensee, James Dunne, died here in 1926

6. Royal Hotel

The hotel's flowing art moderne lines belie the earlier Federation style it replaced. The same style can be seen in the former cafe across the road, and the former Shire Hall, now the health centre

7. Cordial factory

Upper Gully's cordial factory faced onto Burwood Hwy where the car park is now. The cordial bottles are now prized collector's items

8. Glenfern homestead

The modern neighborhood house incorporates the former 1870s homestead built by Charles H Dawson, which was one of the few stone buildings in the area

9. Kings Park

Kings Park was purchased by Ferntree Gully shire council in 1954 and was named after Cr Cyril King.

10. Technical school

Ferntree Gully technical school opened in 1954 and closed in 1996. The site was sold off for residential development. Now, no trace of the school remains

11. Recent history

One of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires was started just to the left. A passing water bomber pilot spotted the outbreak, dumping his entire load where it did most good, and saving the hills

Features

Public Transport

Drinking water available

Seating available

Public toilets

Historical interest

Art and culture

Park / Garden