Just beyond Croydon lies the Dandenong Ranges National Park with its gardens and bushwalks

Croydon
Melbourne suburb in Dandenong foothills
Croydon is an outer suburb of Melbourne located at the foot of the Dandenongs, 32 km east of the city centre. The Maroondah Highway runs through the suburb, en route to Lilydale.

The Croydon district was once utilised by both the Wurrundjeri and Bunurong tribes and they continued to use the flats for hunting in the early days of European settlement. However, they were soon dispossessed by the white settlers and ended up at Coranderrk Aboriginal station (see entry on Healesville) courtesy of John Green who lived at Brushy Creek (now Croydon North).

An earlier figure in the annals of local history was William Turner who established the first cattle station in the area in 1837. Others pastoralists followed in his wake. At that time the district was known as White Flats due to the impression created by the proliferation of the plant Danthonia Pallida on the level terrain which was surrounded by dense forests. It was later called South Warrandyte.

The general economic depression hit the area hard in the early 1840s with many boiling down their sheep for tallow. However, at least one local did benefit from the straitened circumstances by manufacturing tallow casks from blackwood.

Hugh O'Rourke built a ten-room wooden house at Brushy Creek in 1855 which he turned into the Brushy Creek Hotel. The locality was surveyed in 1855 and it was proclaimed a township in 1860. It was a stopping place en route to the goldfields. Some shops emerged, along with a post office (1860) a Presbyterian and an Anglican church, a school and a wine shop known as the Dew Drop Inn. The hotel became the site of local dances and horse races were later held adjacent.

The Mt Dandenong Road was constructed through present-day Croydon in 1857. It was, at the time, known as Sawmill Road (as it lead to a sawmill on Olinda Creek) and the Maroondah Highway was surveyed in 1860. Closer settlement proceeded from the late 1860s and land at Croydon was first surveyed in 1868. The Wesleyans operated a church in the Croydon area in the 1870s and this was sold to the Anglicans in 1880.

However, the real birth of what is now the urban settlement of Croydon commenced when the railway passed through the district in 1882. The station was initially named Warrandyte, even though Warrandyte was a separate and well-established goldmining area 10 km further north. This created confusion and, in 1884, a local landowner suggested the name Croydon after the English town which was his wife's birthplace.

At this time the land which is now the centre of Croydon was still essentially bushland with some outlying farms and sawpits exploiting the area's timber resources. However, with the arrival of the railway, interest in the area began to accelerate and James Hewish bought up land along Main Street, establishing a home, a general store, a newsagency, a butcher's, a wine saloon and an orchard. His son opened a timber business on one of the allotments and others began opening stores and services. At this time an Aboriginal family lived in a cottage in Main Street. In subsequent years David Mitchell, the father of Dame Nellie Melba, purchased the original butcher's shop.

In 1888 the 'Guide to the Upper Yarra' described Croydon as a 'new and fast-rising township'. A Church of Christ and a school opened at Croydon that same year . Hewish created a bowling green c.1900. In 1907 a Presbyterian church was built and the Prince of Wales Hotel (1886) was disassembled from its original site elsewhere in the district and reconstructed in Croydon. It burned down in 1915 and was replaced by a brick hotel that same year. The Croydon Hall was erected in 1908, the first banking agency opened in 1909 and a Catholic Church was established in 1913.

Croydon was proclaimed a town and gazetted in 1912. After World War I many subdivisions were made and the area began to grow. Many orchards were established on the new plot, along with dairy and poultry farms. However, it was after World War II that the district really boomed. Several factories and other industries opened providing work for returning servicemen. The population rapidly increased and Croydon became a municipality in 1961.

It also became home to a large undercover market which now features the country's largest mural depicting the area's history. It is held in Kent Ave.

Things to see:  

Historical Society Museum Display
The local historical society have a display of artefacts and information relating to local history in the foyer of the local library which is located in Civic Square. It is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

Wyreena Community Arts Centre
The Wyreena Community Arts Centre is located at 13 Hull Rd in Croydon. The complex is based around two historic homes and gardens, incorporating an art gallery, craft shop, artists' studio, community radio station and tearooms. It is open - Office hours: Weekdays 9.00am to 5.00pm. Gallery/Gift Shop and Cafe hours: Weekdays.10.00am to 4.00 pm and Saturday 10.00 am to 3.00 pm. Closed Sundays and Public Holidays. Phone: 9294 5590.Fax: 9294 5595.email: wyreena@maroondah.vic.gov.au

Warranwood Reserve
Warranwood Reserve is a flora reserve with walking tracks. To get there head north off the Maroondah Highway along Plymouth Rd for about 2 km then take the turnoff on the right into Kalinda Rd. The reserve is on the left, or western, side of this road, tel: (03) 9871 0222.

Yarra Valley Hills Winery
To get to the Yarra Valley Hills Winery, continue on along Plymouth Rd. It soon veers to the right as Wonga Rd (bound for Warrandyte). Delaneys Rd heads off Wonga Rd, to the right. The winery is at no.4. The cellar door is open from 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. on weekends. The restaurant is open for dinner from Thursday to Sunday and for lunch on Saturdays and Sundays, tel: (03) 9876 5885.

Warrien Reserve
Warrien Reserve is a recreational area with bushwalking tracks, a picnic area, toilets, barbecue facilities and parking. Just turn off the Maroondah Highway into Warrien Rd at Croydon North. The reserve is to the left, tel: (03) 9724 3333.

Hochkins Ridge Reserve
Continue north-east along the Maroondah Highway for a short distance, turn left into Exeter Rd, then right into Lyons Rd and left into Holloway Rd. Hochkins Ridge Reserve is to the left. It is another flora reserve with bushwalking tracks, tel: (03) 9871 0222.

	Motels
	Croydon Motel/Hotel 47 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9870 9344 Rating: **
	Dorset Gardens Motel/Hotel 335 Dorset Rd Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 6211 Facsimile: (03) 9725 3177 Rating: ***
	Victoria House Motor Inn 331 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 1955 Facsimile: (03) 9725 1778 Rating: ****
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Rosmar House 32 Vernon St Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9722 9582
	Rosmar House 32 Vernon St Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9722 9582
	Restaurants
	Bird & Bottle 333 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 3456
	Canton Dynasty Chinese Restaurant The Mall Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 7733
	Casalinga Italian Swiss Restaurant Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9870 8422
	Croydon Motel/Hotel 47 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 870 9344
	Dons Kitchen 106 Main St Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 2969
	Dorset Gardens Motel/Hotel 335 Dorset Rd Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 6211
	Jang's Chinese Restaurant 17 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9870 1862
	Kublai Mongolian B.B.Q Restaurant 434 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9876 8311
	La Porchetta Pizza Restaurant 99 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 6566
	Lucky Corner Thai & Chinese Restaurant 476 Dorset Rd Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 8266
	McDonald's Family Restaurant 101 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 5198
	Noggies Pizza & Latin Cuisine 412 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9726 5922
	Oriental Garden Chinese Restaurant 30 McAdam Square Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 7349
	Salzburger Hof 476 Dorset Rd Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 3363
	Taco Bill Mexican Restaurant 72 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 3887
	Victoria House Motor Inn 331 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 1955
	Yarralang Restaurant Swinburne, Croydon Tafe Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9213 6726
	Yen's Restaurant 72 Maroondah Hwy Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 2822
	Cafés
	Arndale Cafe 224 Mt Dandenong Rd Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9725 4144
	Bb's Cafe 63 Main St Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 6707
	Hidden Delights Cafe 20 Hewish Rd Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 5036
	Main Street Cafe 63 Main St Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 9433
	Nicolettes 50 Main St Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 6707
	Stockmans Rest 93 Main St Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 1270
	Wander In Coffee Lounge 123 Main St Croydon VIC 3136 Telephone: (03) 9723 3509