Whittlesea

Whittlesea is a town in Victoria, Australia, 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-east from Melbourne's central business district.

Whittlesea is a town in Victoria, Australia, 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its local government area is the City of Whittlesea. At the 2016 census, Whittlesea had a population of 5,611.

The Post Office opened on 1 September 1853 as Plenty and was renamed Whittlesea in 1864. The town may have been named after Whittlesey, in England. A school opened in a single stone building in 1878 and is to this day the home to Whittlesea Primary School.The railway to Whittlesea was opened on 23 December 1889 as an extension to what is now the Mernda line, and closed in December 1959.

When the original railway was in operation Whittlesea had a large logging trade, taking the timber from Kinglake, Whittlesea region toward greater Melbourne for milling. There were later two saw mills in operation. At its timber producing peak Whittlesea had several pubs to help house the temporary timber workers.

On 7 February 2009 and subsequent days thereafter, Whittlesea acted as a focal point of for firefighting and relief efforts during the Black Saturday bushfires. In a firefighting context Whittlesea Fire Station and its members play an important role in managing firefighting operations around the Mount Disappointment and Kinglake areas. The township also acted as a focal point for relief efforts, attracting support from the larger Victorian and Australian communities.

Although located only a few kilometres from the outer fringes of metropolitan Melbourne, Whittlesea lies outside the Urban Growth Boundaries of the Melbourne 2030 metropolitan development plan. It is therefore expected to maintain its status as a separate town until 2030 and beyond. City of Whittlesea planning policy for Whittlesea township envisages minimal growth over the next decade so that the township will retain its rural character.The town has a local volunteer (CFA) fire brigade as well as a limited hours Police station. On 22 January 2009 Health Minister Daniel Andrews opened an ambulance station in Whittlesea. This station operates between the hours of 10 am and 10 pm daily. This was a 2006 state election promise made by the Bracks Labor Government.Local attractions include the Funfields Theme Park, Torourrong Reservoir, Yan Yean Reservoir, Bear's Castle and the old Courthouse (now a tourist information center).