Darebin-on-Creek Estate

Albert, Dundas, Victoria, Raglan, Hotham, Daley Streets and Chifley Drive

 In July 1856 the City of Melbourne Suburban and Agricultural Freehold Home Society sold the first plot of land on the Darebin-on-Creek subdivision (Jika Jika 138) to William Nock.

As this land became subdivided, auctions were held like the one on 28 June 1858 at the Preston Arms Hotel on High Street (see advertising poster).

Darebin-on-Creek also became known as Society’s Paddock and the land sold steadily as the population in Melbourne increased and people were looking for land. Haymaking, dairying, nurseries, brick-making and pig-raising were all major activities on this land.   An advert in 1868 offered land for sale in ‘Lots 5 and 6 of Block 15’ on the Darebin-on-Creek Estate.

‘All fenced and cultivated as fruit and vegetable gardens… having erected thereon a four room bluestone house and weatherboard kitchen, pantry etc. stabling, outbuildings and tank etc. There are about 600 fruit trees. Also the horses, drays, harness, 2 chaff cutting machines, plough and other farming implements and all the ground crops’.

A very different description from what we can see today on Block 15 which is now a busy industrial estate.

On the plans, the streets listed as ‘Government Road’ are now Bell Street, to the north, and Plenty Road and High Street to the east.

Princes Street is now Chifley Drive and Short Street is now Daley Street.

Forster, Harley W. (1968). Preston Lands and People. Melbourne: Cheshire.
Plan of small farms being part of Darebin-on-Creek Estate. [Cartographic material] Date 1858. State Library of Victoria. Available Online.
Plan of the township of Darebin-on-Creek. [Cartographic material] Date [189-?] State Library of Victoria. Available Online.
Advertisement. Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 5 February 1868, page 2