Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Yarra Ranges Council area were the Wurundjeri Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from the 1830s, when pastoralists took up land along the Yarra River, in what is now Yering and Coldstream. Growth was minimal until the 1860s, spurred by gold discoveries in the northern and eastern areas of the Council area. Land was used mainly for timber-getting, quarrying, pastoral activity and vineyards. More substantial growth took place from the 1880s through to the early 1900s, aided by the construction of railway lines, tourism and the establishment of many townships. In the post-war era, large areas of the Council area were quarantined for water harvesting purposes. Significant development occurred from the 1960s to the 1980s, bringing about the increased suburbanisation of the western areas of the Council area, particularly Chirnside Park, Kilsyth, Lilydale, Mooroolbark and Montrose. Population growth generally continued from the 1990s, although at a slower rate, with the bulk of the growth in the suburbs of Chirnside Park, Lilydale and Mooroolbark.

Land use

The Yarra Ranges Council area is a rural and urban area, with significant residential areas in suburbs and townships, and some commercial and industrial land use. Most of the urban areas are located in the western part of the Council area, while the central and eastern parts are more rural. Rural land is used mainly for agriculture, horticulture and viticulture. Tourism is also an important industry. The Council area encompasses a total land area of 2,470 square kilometres.

Transport

The Yarra Ranges Council area is served by the Burwood Highway, the Maroondah Highway, the Melba Highway, the Warburton Highway and the Belgrave and Lilydale railway lines.

Major features

• Major features of the Yarra Ranges Council area include Dandenong Ranges National Park,
• Kinglake National Park,
• Yarra Ranges National Park,
• Sherbrooke Forest,
• Healesville Sanctuary,
• Puffing Billy Railway,
• Yarra Valley Railway,
• Toolangi State Forest,
• Yarra State Forest,
• Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve,
• Kurth Kiln Regional Park,
• Mount Donna Buang,
• Mount Dandenong Observatory,
• Maroondah Reservoir,
• O’Shannassy Reservoir,
• Silvan Reservoir,
• Upper Yarra Reservoir,
• The Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail,
• Lillydale Lake,
• Lysterfield Lake,
• Lysterfield Park,
• Yarra Valley Racing Centre,
• Yarra Ranges Regional Museum,
• Hedgend Maze,
• William Ricketts Sanctuary,
• Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens,
• Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden,
• George Tindale Memorial Gardens,
• Chirnside Park Shopping Centre,
• William Angliss Institute of TAFE (Lilydale Campus),
• various camps,
• The Yarra River and numerous wineries and vineyards.

Included areas