| Whittlesea Victoria |
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Whittlesea
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| Population: | 4563(2006) [1] | ||||||||||||
| Postcode: | 3757 | ||||||||||||
| Elevation: | 178 m (584 ft) | ||||||||||||
| Location: | |||||||||||||
| LGA: | City of Whittlesea | ||||||||||||
| State District: | Yan Yean | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division: | McEwen | ||||||||||||
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Whittlesea is a town in Melbourne, 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 2006 Census, Whittlesea had a population of 4,563.
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The Post Office opened on 1 September 1853 as Plenty and was renamed Whittlesea in 1864.[2] A school opened in a single stone building in 1878 and is to this day home to Whittlesea Primary School.[3]
The railway to Whittlesea was opened on 23 December 1889 as an extension to what is now the Epping line, and closed in December 1959.
On the day of February 7 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 kilometers 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 fire brigade (CFA) as well as limited hours Police station. On the 22 January 2009 Health Minister Daniel Andrews opened an ambulance station in Whittlesea,[4] this station operates between the hours of 10 am and 10 pm daily. This a 2006 state election promised made by the Bracks Labor Government[5]
Local attractions include the Funfields Fun Park toboggan park, Torourrong Reservoir, Yan Yean Reservoir, Bear's Castle and the old Court House (Now a tourist information center) [3].
Whittlesea Football Club, an Australian Rules football team, competes in the Northern Football League.[6]
Golfers play at the course of the Whittlesea Country Club on Humevale Road in neighbouring Humevale.[7]
Whittlesea Fire Brigade is the local branch of the Country Fire Authority or CFA, and serves the township as well as surrounding communities. On the 16 October 2008 the brigade will celebrate 60 years since the formation of the Whittlesea Urban Fire Brigade. Earlier this year the brigade celebrated winning the C aggregate and the Victorian State Urban Championships held on the long weekend in March.[8] This was the brigades first win at state in the 60 year history of competing.
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