Bonnie Doon Time Warp Walk
The Bonnie Doon 2.6km history walk invites you to travel through time as you explore the town's unique history through twelve signs, strategically placed throughout the township.
As you are walking from sign to sign, you will discover how the town developed over more than 150 years.
Note: The As QR code affixed to each sign no longer works.
Map of Route
Interactive Map
Points of Interest on the Walk
1. Overview of Bonnie Doon's past
War Memorial, public picnic area and toilets
2. History of the Bonnie Doon primary school
Public picnic area with FREE electric BBQ (Community Centre)
3. View of goods shed
The importance of the railroad.
4. Phillip street
The process of moving the whole town
5. Church street
Site of "Loyal Orange Lodge"
6. Anglican, Uniting and Catholic churches
Public picnic area in original township
7. Memorial Rock
Site of original World War 1 monument
8. Recreational reserve hall
Sports at Bonnie Doon
Sport and sporting events are an integral part of Bonnie Doon's community life. The first Australian Rules football match was played between Bonnie Doon and Mansfield in July 1885, and in August of the same year, interest in forming an official football club became evident but it was not until May 1891 the Bonnie Doon Football Club, 'The Blues', was formed. The present site of the Recreation Reserve was gazetted in 1901.
Tennis courts were established in 1902 in the northwest corner of the Reserve. Cricket was played for many years.
A basic kiosk and football change rooms were the only facilities available and it wasn't until 1978, when a new Community Hall with football club rooms beneath was built as a result of huge community fundraising efforts.
The reserve was well known due to the rather unique fall of six metres between the top and bottom goal posts. The team lucky enough to win the toss would choose to kick uphill in the first quarter and consequently kick downhill in the final quarter. In 2009 a major development took place to realign and enlarge the ground.
9. Cemetery
Remembering past generations
The Bonnie Doon cemetery is one of the few local landmarks which has stayed in the same location.
Unfortunately, the date of the first burial cannot be traced back as records were destroyed in a house fire and many old graves have fallen to decay and been lost over time. The oldest existing gravestone dates back to 1875 and was erected for the memory of Miriam Davies who died on June 2 at the age of 24 years.
Although many gravestones have disappeared, the ones that remain tell stories about the lives and deaths of the people who found their final resting place in Bonnie Doon. Headstone inscriptions inform about age and family connections of the deceased and sometimes even give details such as place of birth, occupation and manner of death. As such, the Bonnie Doon cemetery is a focal point of historically important information and a place to remember generations gone by.
10. Zimmerman street
New street when town expanded
11. Original houses
Houses moved from the original township
12. Site of original Mechanics Hall
The Mechanics Hall was moved to the Bonnie Doon Community Centre
Location
75 Arnot Street, Bonnie Doon 3720 Map
Web Links
→ Bonnie Doon Time Warp (Walking Maps)
