LOCATION - LILYDALE -Dandenongs
settlement noted for wine growing
Lilydale, 39 km west-north-west of Melbourne via the Maroondah Highway, could be
described as the gateway to the Yarra Valley wine-growing area. In fact a
profitable wine industry developed at Lilydale in the 19th century on the back
of the rich red volcanic soils of the area. It got under way with the planting
of the Yarra Valley's first vines in 1838 at Yering station to the north
In 1856 a small number
of locals petitioned the government to allow the formation of a local council.
In fact Lilydale was constituted as a district and the Upper Yarra Roads Board
was constituted that year (it did not hold its first meeting until 1862),
bringing some form of local administration although Lilydale shire was not
formed until 1872.
The name Lilydale was
taken from Lilly, the daughter of Paul de Castella, although locals changed the
spelling to accord with the spelling of the flower which presumably seemed more
poetic. By the start of the 1880s wine-growing was thriving, as was the lime
industry. Locals lobbied successfully for the extension of the Melbourne railway
which arrived at Lilydale in 1882. However, the disease known as phylloxera hit
Australian vines late in the century and closed all the vineyards. It was not
until quite recently that the industry began to thrive once again. Today,
boutique wines are a specialty 
of the area where the vineyards trend to be quite
small, owing to the price of land. There are also a number of orchards, along
with berry, herb and lavender farms. The population, in the 1996 census, was 10
694.
David Mitchell, the
father of famous operatic diva Dame Nellie Melba, was one of the largest
landholders in the area. He owned a dairy, a bacon factory and once built a
16-km tramway to convey firewood to his lime kilns. Dame Nellie (1861-1931)
maintained her connection with the area during her adulthood. While in
Australia, and particularly after her retirement, she passed time in the hills and had a retreat at Coldstream (5 km north of Lilydale). When she died large
crowds lined the streets of the funeral procession which conveyed her from
Melbourne to Lilydale where it was met by a guard of honour who conveyed the
hearse to a gun carriage and from there to the Lilydale cemetery where she was
laid to rest in a family plot.
The Lilydale
Agricultural and Horticultural Show is one of the state's largest such shows >
outside of Melbourne. It is held in November. The Lilydale Antique Fair and Art
Exhibition is held at Jean Eales Pavilion at 27-29 Market St at the outset of
October. At Wandin, 10 km south-east of Lilydale on the Warburton Highway, the
Victorian Cherry Festival falls in December and the Wandin Field Days are held
at the Wandin East Reserve in October. The Coldstream Country and Western
Festival is held in February.
2005 Youth of the Year
Lilydale 2005 Youth of the Year Winner Madalaine Tesoriero with President Chris
IN APPRECIATION
In
recognition of the contribution of the Lions Clubs of Turkey, especially Lion
Dr. Enzar Tore, in providing free web page hosting for Lions Clubs everywhere,
the Lions Club of LILYDALE. proudly displays the flag of Turkey on our
site.
Click on the flag to go to the web site of Lion Dr. Enzar's home club - the
Lions Club of Canakkale.
As an extension to the
Turkish Lions' contribution, the Brisbane Ekibin Lions Club of MD 201 Q1
(Australia) offer assistance to Lions Clubs who want to take advantage of the
Turkish Lions offer, but are not familiar with web publishing. They've already
set up many sites for Lions Clubs world-wide, using Lionwap.
If your club wants to be on the internet, and would like some help, leave a
message in the Ekibin Guest Book by clicking on the image above. This is a FREE
SERVICE, so you don't spend a cent for their work. As Lionwap is also FREE, this
means you get a web site that you NEVER have to pay for. - Is that a deal or
what?
All your Club has to do it have some-one update and maintain your page, which
needs not take more than a few minutes each month. The Ekibin Lions will even
give you some tips on that!
