Longwarry Memorial Park Playground, Bennett Street, Longwarry
Fenced playground in the centre of town with lots of climbing possibilities. A big climbing cube with climbing walls, rope nets and ladders which has an elevated rope tunnel leading to a structure with dual wave sides, fireman's pole, rope bridge, tic-tac-toe, abacus, little slide, steering wheel, shopfront and some games panels.
Log and stump stepper circuit, birds nest swing and two standard swings.
Shelter with four tables and BBQ?s, water tap, basketball half court, toilets, Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun on display, limited grassy area, one unshaded table, historical information signs and war memorial.
Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun
The Bofors 44mm gun is an anti-aircraft multi-purpose auto cannon designed in the 1930s by the Swedish arms manufacturer A B Bofors. It was one of the most popular medium weight anti-aircraft systems of World War Two and was used mostly by the Western Allies and the Axis Powers.
The cannon was donated by the Australian Defence Force in 1974 relocated from the Bandiana Army Base to a site on the south side of the Longwarry Public Hall on 9 September 1974. The cannon and the memorial were later relocated to their current site in Bennett Street Park in 2000.
History of the Longwarry and District Memorial
As the 1st World War continued a group of Modella, Labertouche and Longwarry residents decided that some form of committee was needed, so in May 1917 The Longwarry Soldiers' Memorial League began. Their purpose was to welcome home the men returning from the war with a public reception.
They also decided that they should raise money for a permanent Memorial to all district men and women who served and that it would be placed in a prominent position in the town. This place was just metres from where you are now across the rail crossing on the comer of Mackey St and Princes Way.
On November 12th 1919, just a year after the war ended and marking the first Remembrance Day, the granite Memorial that had cost 300 pounds and stood 18 feet (5.5 meters) was dedicated.
There are 120 names inscribed on the Memorial, 27 of them did not return and are buried in war graves, at Gallipoli, in France, Belgium, England at sea or in unnamed graves in these foreign shores.
The granite used was from a local quarry at Tynong North, the same quarry that provided the granite for The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.
The local paper of the day estimated that some 2000 people from the district attended the opening after 100 returned servicemen marched to the opening ceremony with the Longwarry Brass Band. Plaques have been added and dedicated to those who served in the 2nd World War, Korea and Vietnam.
From Fraser Siding to Longwarry
For thousands of years the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation cared for and walked the lands where you stand today. We pay respect to their elder's past, present and emerging.
The first reasonable road from Melbourne through Gippsland ran north of the town. It was the Sale Rd. constructed around 1865. The first settlements were set up along this road. The Victorian gold rushes of the 1850's and 60's resulted in a massive population growth. Vast amounts of timber for construction in Melbourne and food to feed the people were needed.
Two major changes occurred which moved settlement from along the Sale Rd. further south. The first were the various Victorian Land Acts of the 1860's that allowed for the selection and settling of small acreages to farm. However, the land had to be cleared of the massive stands of timber and given the proximity to Melbourne, local sawmilling could help fill both the need for construction timber and farm land.
The second change was the coming of the Melbourne to Moe railway which crossed the Bunyip River circa 1878. Beef, timber, and dairy could now quickly and efficiently be transported to Melbourne.
A Canadian born saw mill owner, Donald Fraser, was the first major sawmiller in Longwarry. He had set up in Drouin but had many disputes with the then Buln Buln Council, so in 1883 he moved to what is now the corner of Wilton Street and Drouin Rd on what was Crown land at the time. He constructed the first tram lines out to the stands of timber to the north to bring logs to his mill and these lines gradually radiated out to other bush mills and communities.
When Donald Fraser moved his mill to Crown land there were already residents living in the area. They were sleeper cutters for the railway mainly and some were cutting firewood for sale in Melbourne.
The Government were not happy with people setting up on Crown land, they threatened to sue Fraser and Buln Buln Council were not happy either, as they couldn't charge rates.
A preliminary survey of the area was done in 1881 and lots were sold. A more comprehensive survey was made in 1886. Fraser's Longwarry Timber Company were shipping timber out through the rail siding by 1883.
In 1886 Edwin Witton had established his brickworks on what became the dairy factory site and was shipping bricks out through the siding.
A name was now needed for what had become a small town and Longwarry was chosen. It is believed to be a Boon Wurrung word for "divided waterhole". It was also the name of the pastoral company that had a huge land lease to the south and cattle yards at Fraser Siding.
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Location
Cnr Bennett Street and Koo Wee Rup-Longwarry Road, Longwarry 3816 Map
