PLACE NAMES
on the

Gembrook line

Copyright ©1998, PBPS

Bob Whitehead has researched the origins of the various place names on the railway.   To these we have added the known locations in "historical pre-metric" miles from Melbourne, together with the known altitudes in feet.

Name Distance from Melb & Altitude Opened Description
UPPER FERNTREE GULLY 22 3/4 miles, 414 ft. 4/12/1889 The name is descriptive of the place
UPWEY 24 1/4 miles, 674 ft. 3/6/1902 Named at the suggestion of Miss Tullidge, a local landowner, after her estate which was located in the vicinity. The name had been given to the estate because Miss Tullidge’s forefathers had lived at "Upwey", an old English village on the River "Wey".
TECOMA 25 miles. 1/12/1924 Named after the flowering creeper known as "Tecoma", which grew prolifically in the area. This location was locally known as McNicol Road crossing prior to the provision of a station.
BELGRAVE (Original) 25 3/4 miles, 747 ft. 18/12/1900 First named "Monbulk" after a sheep run in the area. Renamed "Belgrave" on 5/12/04. The name "Belgrave" was the name of an estate in Leicestershire, England. This estate was in some way connected with local Councillor E.W. Benson, in whose honour the name was chosen.
BELGRAVE (Relocated narrow gauge) 26 miles, 725 ft. 28/7/1962 The old Belgrave station relocated to a new site for the reopening of the line to Menzies Creek. Belgrave boasted a ‘portable’ office which, after some eighty years and two moves, survives on our present  station platform!
SELBY 27 1/4 miles, 753 ft. ?/?/1904 A stopping place known as "McMahon’s" was located close to this site prior to the station being opened. The name is derived from Mr. W. Selby, J.P., a local landowner and Shire President.
BATES CROSSING ?? 25/11/24 A timber loading point opened for a Mr. Bates who owned land adjacent to the stopping place.
WATER TANKS 28 1/2 miles.   A locomotive water supply point, probably from the opening of the line on 18/12/00.

The plural ‘Tanks’ derives from the first installation which comprised a group of small square tanks on a stand.

This location was unofficially renamed "Landslide" in 1961 when the track was relocated to bypass the 1953 landslide prior to reopening of the line to Menzies Creek on 28/7/62.
THE TANKS PLATFORM 28 1/2 miles. 22/6/1923 A platform constructed by local farmers to load produce, just a few yards from the Water Tanks.
LANDSLIDE 28 1/2 miles 28/7/1962 See "Water Tanks" above.
MENZIES CREEK 29 3/4 miles, 996 ft. 18/12/1900 Named after John Menzies, an early settler in the district. On 5/12/04, the station was renamed "Aura" after the estate of the then Shire President, Mr. R. Kerr. The estate was named after a mountain in Ireland, and the name is said to mean "beautiful". The Post Office was never renamed and the station was renamed back to "Menzies Creek" on 1/7/47.
CLEMATIS 31 miles, 905 ft. 10/3/1902 First in use in 1902 but not given a name until 5/12/04. Then named "Paradise Valley" after the property of local landowner, Mr. O’Connor, who had named his farm "Paradise" and his home "Eden". The station was renamed "Paradise" from 1/5/09 but again renamed "Clematis" on 1/12/21. The name "Clematis" was derived from the climbing plant so prolific in the area.
EMERALD 32 miles, 1045 ft. 18/12/1900 So named by the Reverend Doctor Bleasdale who found precious stones in the nearby creek. There is also the story of its being named after an early prospector, Jack Emerald, who was murdered in the vicinity (See Les Blake, "Place Names in Victoria").
NOBELIUS SIDING 32 1/2 miles, 994 ft. 11/12/1904 Provided as a private siding to serve the Nobelius Nursery packing shed.
NOBELIUS 33 1/4 miles, 924 ft. 7/3/1927 Takes its name from the famous plant nursery and orchards established by C.A. Nobelius.
USHERS LOADING SITE   ?/?/22 A timber loading site named after the operator, a Mr. Usher.
LAKESIDE 34 1/4 miles, 812 ft. 18/1/1944 Located close to Emerald Lake (Lake Treganowan) and named as "Lakeside" at the request of the Council of Ferntree Gully when the lake and its park were opened to the public.
WRIGHT 35 miles, 713 ft 24/10/1904 Named after an early landowner, Mr J.W. Wright.
WATER 36 1/4 miles. ?/?/?. Water tanks were located beside the line across bridge carrying the Cockatoo Creek. Locomotive water was obtained here until watering facilities were provided at Gembrook
COCKATOO 36 3/4 miles, 619 ft 18/12/1900 First named "Devon" for unknown reasons, but renamed "Cockatoo Creek" 29/7/01. The location gained this latter name from the presence of the large white Cockatoo birds that were common in the gold rush days. The station name was shortened to "Cockatoo" on 2/5/04.
FIELDER 38 miles 10/9/1928 Not named in the early days when used as a stopping place only. Named "Fielder" from 5/2/29.   Named after a local family, who are still in the area today.
GEMBROOK 40 3/4 miles, 1020 ft. 18/12/1900 Survey plans for the line show the station as "Bromby’s Hill" but the station opened as "Gembrook". It was so named after finds of precious stones in the nearby creek by Dr. Bleasdale and Mr. A.A. LeSouef. (The site had originally been pegged out for settlement on 14th April, 1874 by a Dr. J.E. Bromby, hence the earlier location name).