Olinda is a town within the

Dandenong Ranges The Dandenong Ranges (commonly just The Dandenongs) are a set of low mountain ranges, rising to 633 metres at Mount Dandenong, approximately east of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The ranges consist mostly of rolling hills, steeply weathere ...

in central-south

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, located east of Melbourne's CBD, located within the

Shire of Yarra Ranges The Shire of Yarra Ranges, also known as Yarra Ranges Council, is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the outer eastern and northeastern suburbs of Melbourne extending into the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges. It has an ...

local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...

. Olinda recorded a population of 1,773 at the 2021 census. It is a popular weekend destination for tourists, with a variety of restaurants and cafes. The town is home to the

Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden, formerly known as the National Rhododendron Gardens, is a botanical garden in Olinda, Victoria, Australia. The gardens are known for their rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, cherries and daffodils. The co ...

and R.J. Hamer Arboretum.

History

Olinda is named after

Olinda Creek Olinda Creek (Woiwurrung–Daungwurrung language, Woiwurrung: ''Gnurt-bille-worrun'') is a major tributary of the Yarra River in Victoria, Australia. Its origins are in the Dandenong Ranges, and it is notable for passing through the human settle ...

, which begins in the township. The creek was named in 1858 after Alice Olinda Hodgkinson, the daughter of

Clement Hodgkinson Clement Hodgkinson (1818 – 5 September 1893) was a notable English naturalist, explorer and surveyor of Australia. He was Victorian Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey from 1861 to 1874. Exploration in New South Wales Qualified ...

, Victoria's acting

Surveyor General A surveyor general is an official responsible for government surveying in a specific country or territory. Historically, this would often have been a military appointment, but it is now more likely to be a civilian post. The following surveyor ge ...

. The town was initially a

logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks or skeleton cars. Logging is the beginning of a supply chain ...

settlement, however as land was made available for

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

in the early 1900s, the town began to grow substantially. The Post Office opened on 21 August 1901. Berry farming, dairying, and flower growing became prosperous industries, and tourism soon flourished as the principal industry of Olinda. In 1919 the Australian artist Sir Arthur Streeton returned to Australia and built a house on the property called Longacres, in Olinda. Guesthouses and weekend homes became a common staple for the area, allowing for the township to enter a prosperous period of guest house tourism. The popularity of guesthouses and weekend cottages in the town lasted until

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. After which, the rise of motor vehicle transportation saw a decline in weekend trips, and a rise in day trips by motor vehicle. In 1966 the Ashendene Boys Home was located in Olinda, until its closure in 1988. Olinda Film Festival 1952

In 1952 Olinda hosted the Olinda Film Festival (also called the Melbourne Film Festival and the convention of Australian Council of Film Societies). The Olinda Golf Club was established in 1952, and operated for 60 years before it was closed in 2012. In 2017, the

Victorian Government The Victoria State Government, also referred to as just the Victorian Government, is the state-level authority for Victoria, Australia. Like all state governments, it is formed by three independent branches: the executive, the judicial, and th ...

announced that the site of the former golf club would be converted into parklands and gardens, along with the expansion of the rhododendron gardens into the new Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens.

Demographics

At the , Olinda had a population of 1,738 people. The median age of the Olinda population was 44 years of age, compared to the Australian average of 38. 74.9% of residents were born in Australia, compared to the Australian average of 66.7%. The other top responses for country of birth were England 7.2% and New Zealand 1.7%. When asked about religion, the most frequent response was "No Religion" (50%), followed by Catholic (12%), and Anglican (10%).

Economy

Olinda is a popular tourist destination in the Dandenong Ranges, home to cafes, restaurants, antique and craft shops, and numerous art galleries, showcasing local, national, and international artists in such areas as

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

and

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

. The town is surrounded by a number of walking trails and natural waterfalls, including the Olinda Falls & Cascade Walk. The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden is situated to the east of the town.

Sport

Together with the neighbouring township of

Ferny Creek Ferny Creek is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 33 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district, located within the Shire of Yarra Ranges local government area. Ferny Creek recorded a population of 1,524 at the 2021 ...

, Olinda has both

Australian Rules Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

football and netball teams competing in the Outer East Football and Netball League.

Media

Olinda receives all Melbourne TV and Radio Channels, as it is very close to the Transmission towers, which are West of Olinda. However, being near the Transmitters and in the hills, Olinda also receives channels from Gippsland, and some from Bendigo. TV operators are ABC, SBS, Seven Network (Melbourne), Nine Network (Melbourne), Ten Network (Melbourne), Southern Cross Nine (Gippsland and Bendigo), Prime7 (Gippsland and Bendigo), WIN Network (Gippsland and Bendigo), 7TWO (Melbourne, Gippsland, Bendigo), 7mate (Melbourne, Gippsland, Bendigo).

References

External links

Olinda
- Government tourism site {{Authority control Suburbs of Melbourne Suburbs of Yarra Ranges Logging communities Logging in Australia