Ringwood, Victoria

Ringwood Melbourne, Victoria
Ringwood Clocktower
Ringwood
Coordinates	37°48′41″S 145°13′50″E / 37.8114°S 145.2306°E / -37.8114; 145.2306Coordinates: 37°48′41″S 145°13′50″E / 37.8114°S 145.2306°E / -37.8114; 145.2306
Population	16,009 (2011)[1]
• Density	1,634/km2 (4,231/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3134
Area	9.8 km2 (3.8 sq mi)
Location	23 km (14 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)	City of Maroondah
State electorate(s)	Ringwood Croydon Bayswater
Federal Division(s)	Deakin
Suburbs around Ringwood: Donvale Ringwood North Croydon Mitcham Ringwood Ringwood East Vermont Wantirna Heathmont

Ringwood is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km (14 mi) east of Melbourne's Central Business District. Its local government area is the City of Maroondah. At the 2011 Census, Ringwood had a population of 16,009. Ringwood has many parks reserves, most notably, Ringwood Lake.^[2] As of July 2012, the average house price in Ringwood was $583,500 and $390,000 for a unit.^[3]

History

Ringwood village emerged in the mid to late 19th century, following the 1850s land sales.^[4] Before this, Ringwood was used primarily for agriculture.^[4] The post office opened on 2 August 1875, in the then rural area.^[5]

In 1882, the construction of the Hawthorn to Lilydale railway through the suburb caused Ringwood to emerge as a more notable town.^[4]

1924 marked major growth for Ringwood. The railway was electrified and the township was further developed.^[4] This development boomed post war, causing the City of Ringwood to be declared in 1960.^[4]

The Ringwood clock tower was built in 1928 as a memorial to the war. After the successful post-depression subdivisions of land in the area, Ringwood was recognised to be a part of metropolitan Melbourne. The shopping centre Eastland was opened for trade in Ringwood in 1967.^[6] It was redeveloped in the late 1990s and in its current state has over 80,000 square feet (7,400 m²) of retail and hospitality floor space, car parks and a cinema complex on its top floor. In 2009, the owners of Eastland, QIC, planned to commence another redevelopment of the Eastland site. The Arcade near Eastland and the Ringwood Library commenced re-location in 2012.^[7]

Ringwood has been the site of a Cadbury chocolate factory since the company's acquisition of MacRobertson Chocolates in 1967. The factory is the company's second-largest in Australia and produces chocolate bars, such as Cherry Ripe and Boost, and Easter eggs.^[8]

In 2009, the State Government controversially approved the building of a nine storey housing development near Ringwood Lake, without Council or public consultation. In 2007, Ringwood became the home of ConnectEast, owner and operator of Melbourne's second toll road, EastLink. In 2012, major retail chain store Costco announced plans to open in Ringwood.^[9] Construction is expected to finish mid-2013.^[10]It opened 20 November 2013 (Emma Hastings Maroondah Leader November 20, 2013 12:59PM)^[11]

Perhaps Ringwood's most global notoriety is the development in 1958 of the "Pride of Ringwood" hop variety, which today flavors Fosters Lager, Victoria Bitter and many other beers around the world. The hops were developed along the Mullum Mullum Creek, near the site of what later became Penguin Books, in 1963.

Education

Primary Schools:

• Eastwood Primary School
• Great Ryrie Primary School
• Kalinda Primary School
• Mullum Primary School
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Secondary Colleges:

• Yarra Valley Grammar
• Norwood Secondary College
• Parkwood Secondary College Now closed
• Ringwood Secondary College
• Aquinas Ringwood
• Southwood Boys' Grammar School Now merged with Tintern
• Tintern Girl's Grammar School

Politics and representation

Ringwood operated a number of polling booths at the 2010 Federal Election, distributed mostly across the federal electorates of Deakin and Menzies, with another few allocated to Casey for pre-polling. Traditionally a relatively Liberal-leaning suburb, the combined results across all Ringwood booths produced a primary vote result of 35.7% for Labor, 47.2% for the Liberals and 12.0% for the Greens; on a two-party basis after preferences, the result was 53.02% Liberal and 46.98% Labor.^[12][13][14]

Sport

The suburb has two Australian Rules football teams, the Norwood Norsemen, at Mullum Mullum Reserve and the Ringwood Redbacks, at Jubilee Park, competing in the Eastern Football League.^[15]

Other sporting facilities include:

• Maroondah Indoor Sports Centre^[16]
• Ringwood Public Golf Course^[16]
• Proclamation Park
• Jubilee Park
• Ringwood Ice Arena (Closed 2004)

Recreation

The Ringwood Field Naturalists Club Inc. (RFNC) is an Australian natural history and conservation organisation. The club was founded in 1961 by Jack Hyett^[17] and William (Bill) King, with other notable members, including Bruce Fuhrer and Fred Rogers.

The club provides an amateur forum for the study and enjoyment of natural history and travels both locally and within Victoria.

The club logo was designed in 1964 by Jack Truscott, a local artist and Foundation member and features a male Golden Whistler and the Cinnamon Wattle (Acacia leprosa), both of which were common in Ringwood in the 1960s.

Places

Ringwood includes notable places such as:

• Ringwood Magistrates Court ^[18]
• Eastland Shopping Centre ^[19]
• Ringwood Railway Station ^[20]
• Ringwood Clock Tower ^[4]
• Spoilers Relaxation Centre ^[21]

Gallery

• 

  Mullum Mullum Creek

• 

  Ringwood Library

• 

  Eastland. Food court

See also

• City of Ringwood - the former local government area

References

External links

• Brief history of Ringwood
• Ringwood Historical Society
• State Government Transit City Program
• Ringwood Field Naturalists Club

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ringwood, Victoria.

Suburbs of the City of Maroondah, Melbourne, Victoria Bayswater North Croydon Croydon Hills Croydon North Croydon South Heathmont Kilsyth South Ringwood Ringwood East Ringwood North Vermont Warranwood