The History of Croydon, Victoria, Australia

Croydon is a area in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia situated roughly 28 km east of Melbourne's CBD. It has a populace of just about 27,000 people. The area that became Croydon was initially utilized during the 1840’s by colonists for grazing of farm animals. The very first road through the area was called Sawmill road as a result of sawmill nearby. Later it was changed to Oxford Road and in the 1900’s that it was altered as to what it is known at this time as Mt Dandenong Road. The region itself was initially referred to as White Flats as the region was intensely populated by a coarse silvery-white grass. The name of Croydon was presented to it by the Lacey family members whom originated from Essx, England who named it after the Croydon in the United Kingdom which was Mrs. Lacey's hometown. Near the present Main St shopping precinct is a road called after the Lacey family.

Parcels of land in the region were initially mapped in 1868 along with the place was initially officially habituated with the region concentrating on the farming of sheep, beef and dairy. There have been several sawmills established. After that, there were orchards which included cherries, apples, pears, peaches in addition to plums that thrived. Some of the recent street names in and around Croydon today reflect that first uses of the area.. In 1874 Cobb & Co began a service using horses and carts to the area. A railroad track to the place was opened on 1 December 1882 and the train station was named Warrandyte that was not really actually in Warrandyte that was deceptive as that area would be a horse and coach trip 10km away. On 1 August 1884 it had been renamed to become known as the Croydon railway stop. From the mid-1880s Mr James Hewish constructed his homestead and began several other businesses that integrated a general store, news agency, butchers store as well as a hotel. He also set up various orchard trees. The Croydon Post Office was launched on 1 December 1883. The close by Nelson's Hill Post Office launched in 1902 and it was later on rebranded Burnt Bridge in 1979. In Mt Dandenong Road in 1908 Croydon Hall had been developed. It was ultimately proclaimed and gazetted as being a city in 1912.

In 1920 a Monday market place was began in Croydon which included livestock, chickens, birds as well as other small animals. It became a known landmark in the region as well as a favorite meeting spot for locals from neighbouring suburbs before the site was re-constructed in the 80s. It was finally closed down in 2012. Administratively, Croydon was originally an important part of what was then the Shire of Lillydale, however in 1957 a request was published by representatives for Croydon to go out of the Shire of Lillydale and become its own overseeing organization. The City and Shire of Croydon was incorporated in May 1961 and was proclaimed as a City in 1971. Later on, it was combined, in addition to the City of Ringwood being the City of Maroondah in 1994. These days, the Main Street of Croydon is a booming area hub with almost 200 shops.