Panton Hill, Victoria

Panton Hill
MelbourneVictoria

Panton Hill general store
Population: 1499 (2006) [1]
Postcode: 3759
Elevation: 154 m (505 ft)
Location:
LGA: Shire of Nillumbik
State District: Yan Yean
Federal Division: McEwen
Localities around Panton Hill:
Hurstbridge Cottles Bridge Smiths Gully
Wattle Glen Panton Hill Christmas Hills
Wattle Glen Kangaroo Ground Christmas Hills

Panton Hill is a town in Victoria, Australia, 32 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik. At the 2006 Census, Panton Hill had a population of 1499.

Contents

History

Originally called Kingstown, the area experienced population growth in the mid 1850s during the Victorian gold rush when prospectors mined the hills around the town known as the Caledonia goldfields.

It was named after Joseph Anderson Panton who was the magistrate at Heidelberg and spent much of his spare time mapping the Yarra Valley.

Panton Hill Post Office opened on 1 October 1875.[2]

Panton Hill is the Australian base of the new religious movement The Family International, formerly called the Children of God. On 15 May 1992, the base was the subject of a raid where the children in the group were removed by the authorities under allegations of child abuse, both physical and sexual. Some of the children were returned to their parents, others remained in custody.

Today

It has a hotel, store and a football team called the Panton Hill Redbacks competing in the Northern Football League.[3] It is also home to a small church, St. Matthews, and several wineries including Panton Hill Winery and Ridgeback Wines.

Panton Hill Primary School has an enrolment of approximately 150. The nearest high schools are Diamond Valley Secondary College and Eltham College of Education. Panton Hill also has a volunteer Country Fire Brigade that services Panton Hill and the surrounding areas.

References

External links