Rowville

Rowville is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km (17 mi) south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Knox local government area. Rowville recorded a population of 33,571 at the 2021 census.^[1] Rowville is one of the largest suburbs south-east of Melbourne.

Rowville Melbourne, Victoria
Intersection of Stud and Wellington roads, Rowville, 2019
Rowville
Coordinates	37.937°S 145.229°E / -37.937; 145.229
Population	33,571 (2021 census)[1]
• Density	1,722/km2 (4,459/sq mi)
Established	1882
Postcode(s)	3178
Elevation	70 m (230 ft)
Area	19.5 km2 (7.5 sq mi)
Location	27 km (17 mi) from Melbourne 7 km (4 mi) from Dandenong
LGA(s)	City of Knox
State electorate(s)	Rowville
Federal division(s)	Aston
Suburbs around Rowville: Wheelers Hill Scoresby Ferntree Gully Mulgrave Rowville Lysterfield Dandenong North Endeavour Hills Lysterfield South

Tirhatuan Wetlands, to the south of Rowville, 2014

The Rowville branch of Your Library (formerly Eastern Regional Libraries), adjacent to the Rowville Community Centre under the Clock Tower. The Stringybark Festival is held at the centre on the third weekend of every October and attracts over 25,000 visitors.^[2] The event is organised by the Knox Council, and is one of Australia's longest running sustainability events. There are three golf courses within Rowville. Stud Park is currently being expanded.

Rowville is at the intersection of many local government areas with the suburb connecting to suburbs within the Yarra Ranges Shire, City of Monash, City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey and City of Knox.

History

Rowville is named after the Row family, whose property Stamford Park was established in 1882.^[3] The Stamford Park homestead has been restored in recent years by Knox Council.^[4][5]

Rowville Post Office opened on 20 December 1905 and closed in 1987. In 1989, it reopened in the new Stud Park (formerly Darryl Park) Shopping Centre.^[6]

Rowville developed rapidly throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with housing and light industrial premises being built.^{[citation needed]} Rowville has many suburban subdivisions, the more recent ones including the Sovereign Crest Estate and the Timbertop Estate. Sovereign Crest Estate is a medium-sized estate located on parts of Karoo Road. The development included the construction of the Wellington Village shopping centre on Wellington Road, complementing the Rowville Lakes shopping centre on Kelletts Road.

Education

Rowville has one dual-campus high school, Rowville Secondary College, with an Eastern Campus (7–12) and a Western Campus (7–12). Students from the Eastern Campus used to move to the Western Campus to complete their VCE. But now they can complete VCE at the eastern campus as well.^{[citation needed]}

Rowville is served by four public primary schools:

• Rowville Primary School (established 1973)^[7]
• Park Ridge Primary (established 1990)^[8]
• Karoo Primary School (established 1992)^[9]
• Heany Park Primary (established 1993)^[10]

It is also served by a Catholic primary school, St. Simon the Apostle School, which was established in 1982.^[11]

When Lysterfield Primary School moved to its present site in the 1990s, it was based in Rowville, however the boundary between the suburbs has changed and Lysterfield Primary is once again in Lysterfield.^{[citation needed]}

Commerce

Rowville's main centre of commerce is Stud Park Shopping Centre which opened in 1989^[12] and is the largest shopping centre in the suburb. It houses Coles, Woolworths and Kmart stores, and over 60 specialty stores including two hairdressers, a pharmacy, two travel agents, banks, a vet and assorted food outlets. It has approximately 1500 car park spaces and is serviced regularly by bus services.^[13]

Wellington Village, in Wellington Road, is Rowville's second-largest shopping centre. Rowville Lakes is a third, smaller shopping centre on Kelletts Road.

Sport

• Rowville Football Club in the Eastern Football League
• Rowville Knights Community Football Club in the Eastern Football League^[14]
• Lysterfield Junior Football Club in the Eastern Football League
• Rowville Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
• Eildon Park Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
• Lysterfield Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
• Rowville Eagles Soccer Club
• Knox United Soccer Club
• Knox Churches Soccer Club
• Blue Park
• Eildon Park Tennis Club
• Rowville Tennis Club
• Rowville Netball Club
• Aston Athletic FC
• Rowville Little Athletics Club
• Rowville Lakes Little Athletics Club
• Rowville Rockets Basketball Club
• Lysterfield Netball Club
• Omega Trampoline Sports Club

Golfers play at the Kingston Links on Corporate Avenue,^[15] at the course of the Tirhatuan Park Golf Club on Police and Stud Roads^[16] or at the course of the Waverley Golf Club on Bergins Road.^[17]

Community service groups

Rowville is supported by local community groups, including the 1st Rowville Scout Group since 1972 and based in its Scout Hall since 1991.

Heany Park Scout Group has been a part of the Rowville community since 1965, starting as 3rd Knox Scout Group. It later moved to Heany Park in 2001 and its name was changed to Heany Park Scout Group. Surrounding the Heany Park Scout Hall is Heany Park, which comprises 9 hectares (23 acres) of natural bushland .

Governance

Rowville is in the federal Division of Aston, which is held by Mary Doyle of the Australian Labor Party

Rowville is in the state Legislative Assembly seat of Rowville, which is held by Kim Wells of the Liberal Party.

Rowville is part of the City of Knox and is represented by three ward councillors.

See also

• 2012 Rowville Rail Study
• Rowville Training Camp