Introduction

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Early 1800s - the name Bulleen is derived from a Yarra billabong, characterised as Lake Bolin Bolin, thought to be Aboriginal for a place of loneliness. That does not square with the billabong flood plains being an important food source for the Aboriginal population.

1841 - Frederic Unwin, a Sydney solicitor, bought 5,120 acres (20.7 km2) of land, including most of the present suburb of Doncaster, from the Crown for one pound an acre under the terms of the short-lived Special Survey regulations. The area was sometimes known as Unwin's Special Survey. The land was suitable for dairying and cereals, and formed several prosperous holdings with spacious homesteads.

1852 - Templestowe village (the Templesowe Governmen Town Reserve) was formed west of Ruffey Creek between present day Finns Reserve and Foote Street. The district's hotel, Finns Upper Yarra, was also west of the creek, in Templestowe Lower.

1856 - the Templestowe Roads Board was formed, which included Bulleen.

1873 - Warrandyte was added to the district in 1873.

1875 - all the area from Bulleen to Warrandyte was proclaimed the Bulleen Shire.

1890 - Doncaster was made a separate shire.

1892 – Bulleen shire changed its name to Templestowe Shire

1915 - Doncaster and the former Bulleen Shires were united as Doncaster and Templestowe Shire.

1926 - The name was proclaimed as the Shire of Doncaster and Templestowe

1994 - all local Councils and Shires in Victoria abolished. The Shire of Doncaster and Templestowe merged with Wonga Park to form the Manningham City Council

The Doncaster region was settled in the 1860s and 1870s, predominantly by German settler orchardists. The German community was named Waldau, but the name Doncaster gradually became commonly accepted. A Lutheran church was the first one in Doncaster in 1858. A Lutheran school opened in 1860 and a denominational school in 1861. Doncaster Post Office opened on 17 May 1861.