25-596: The Black Spur is a road between the towns of Healesville and Narbethong in Victoria, Australia . It is also known as Black Spur Drive and is part of the Maroondah Highway . The Black Spur is approximately 60 kilometres northeast of Melbourne on the Maroondah Highway between Healesville and Marysville. Originally known as "The Blacks' Spur", the road gained its name from the route that displaced Aboriginal people from northern Victoria used to take on their way to
50-764: A tennis club, the Healesville Tennis Club, which competes in the Eastern Region Tennis junior and senior competitions. Healesville has a picnic horse racing club , Healesville Amateur Racing, which holds around seven race meetings a year with the Healesville Cup meeting in January. The Healesville Greyhound Racing Club also holds regular greyhound racing meetings at the Healesville Showgrounds and Sporting Complex on Don Road. Golfers play at
75-643: A 30m x 8m studio, with a wall glazed in ground glass . In it, he photographed guests, of whom he also made outdoor portraits in the bush setting. In 1913, Lindt collaborated with Nicholas Caire to produce a tourist booklet on the area. Lindt suffered from anti-German sentiment during and after WW1, and had to defend himself when a public meeting was called at the local shire council hall to demand that he be sent to an internment camp . Lindt continued to sell prints from his older glass negatives, and from new photographs he took of his forest home, guests in his gardens, and genre scenes. Some of those prints are accessible on
100-592: A population of 7,589 in the 2021 census . Healesville is situated on the Watts River , a tributary of the Yarra River . The outskirts of Healesville is home to a wildlife sanctuary, called Healesville Sanctuary . Traffic to the more distant Gippsland and Yarra Valley goldfields in the 1860s resulted in a settlement forming on the Watts River and its survey as a town in 1864. It was named after Richard Heales ,
125-596: A settlement at Corranderrk , near Healesville. During the mid-1890s depression , German-born Melbourne photographer John William Lindt closed his studio. As early as 1883 he had been exhibiting pictures of the Blacks' Spur, where he built and moved to a guesthouse, The Hermitage , in gardens set out by his friend Ferdinand von Mueller . The gardens feature New Guinea tree houses from which Lindt made frequent panoramas of his property and surrounding primeval forest of towering, 30-metre mountain ash . The Hermitage contained
150-816: Is at Cooktown, Queensland , a town 328 kilometres (204 mi) north of Cairns . At the time of the 2021 census , there were 7,589 people in Healesville. The town has an Australian rules football team, the Healesville Football Club, competing in the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League . Healesville has a cricket club, the Healesville Cricket Club, which competes in the Ringwood and District Cricket Association junior and senior competitions. Healesville has
175-522: Is one of Victoria's primary tourism regions, attracting visitors with its natural landscapes, wineries, and outdoor activities. The Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail is a popular 40-kilometre track that follows an old railway line, frequented by cyclists, walkers, and equestrians. Other natural attractions include the Healesville Sanctuary , a conservation-focused wildlife park that showcases native Australian animals, and several parks and reserves in
200-547: The Chum Creek Rural Fire Brigade with the Healesville brigade occurred in 1996. The Healesville Fire Brigade now operates a main and a satellite station with members from both the Healesville and Chum Creek areas. Healesville is the southern terminus of the Bicentennial Heritage Trail , which, at 5,330 km (3,310 mi), is the longest trail of its type in the world. The northern end of the trail
225-501: The Maroondah Dam in the 1920s brought several hundred workmen to Healesville. Their departure and the onset of the 1930s depression exposed Healesville's restricted range of industries. Timber and tourism were not stable enough for sustained and reliable growth. Notwithstanding the depression, the 1930s saw increased motor tourism (partly bypassing Healesville) and decreased railway patronage. Only 10% came by rail at Easter 1934. Tourism
250-553: The Australian TV short film Harry's War (1999) and Killer Elite (2011). Yarra Valley The Yarra Valley is a region in Victoria , Australia , centred around the Yarra River . Known for its natural beauty, agricultural significance, and as one of Australia's prominent wine-producing areas, the valley stretches from the upper reaches of the river near its source in the Yarra Ranges National Park down to
275-603: The Healesville Music Festival, Open Studios, and the Yarra Valley Rodeo. The Memo, a centre for community arts and cultural activities, was built in 1924 as a soldier's memorial hall. The Internet Movie Database has Healesville and its environs as the filming locations for a number of films and TV programs: the Australian TV series Young Ramsay (1977), Felicity (1979), the natural history TV series Life on Earth (1979), Frog Dreaming (1986),
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#1732843922378300-565: The Healesville Primary School, St Brigid's Catholic primary school, the rural Chum Creek Primary School, Badger Creek Primary School, Healesville High School and Worawa Aboriginal College , an Aboriginal school whose former students include Australian Rules Footballer David Wirrpanda . Much of what is now Healesville lies on the ancestral land of the Wurundjeri people. An Aboriginal reserve known as Coranderrk , set up in 1863,
325-756: The Premier of Victoria from 1860–1861. The post office opened on 1 May 1865. The town became a setting off point for the Woods Point Goldfield with the construction of the Yarra Track in the 1870s. Healesville is known for the Healesville Sanctuary , a nature park with hundreds of native Australian animals displayed in a semi-open natural setting and an active platypus breeding program. The Yarra Valley Railway operates from Healesville Station on every Sunday, most public holidays and Wednesday to Sunday during school holidays. Schools in Healesville include
350-668: The Victorian State government allocated $ 547,000 to improve road safety on the Black Spur. Stage 1 of the works involved reducing the speed limit from 100 to 80 km/h in May 2008. [REDACTED] Australian Roads portal Healesville Healesville is a town in Victoria , Australia , 64 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district , located within the Shire of Yarra Ranges local government area . Healesville recorded
375-583: The Yarra Ranges, which offer hiking trails and scenic views. Winery tours are a major attraction, drawing tourists from across Australia and internationally. Many wineries offer cellar door tastings and restaurants with views over the vineyards, making the Yarra Valley a destination for food and wine tourism. Towns within the Yarra Valley are governed by the Shire of Yarra Ranges and the Shire of Nillumbik . Notable towns include: These towns contribute to
400-476: The Yarra Valley is one of Australia's oldest, with the first vineyards planted in the 1830s, and has since grown to encompass over 80 wineries. Local farms also produce honey, dairy, and artisanal products, contributing to a robust food industry. The agricultural output supports a growing culinary scene, with regional restaurants and markets offering farm-to-table produce and gourmet foods that are increasingly popular with both locals and visitors. The Yarra Valley
425-511: The Yarra Valley's culture, each with unique attractions and amenities that make them popular hubs for tourists exploring the area. The Yarra Valley has served as a filming location for various television and film productions, including the Australian series The Saddle Club , which used the valley's landscapes to depict rural Australia. Additionally, the region has a vibrant art scene, with local galleries and workshops showcasing works inspired by
450-713: The course of the RACV Country Club on Yarra Glen Road. Healesville has a soccer team known as Healesville Soccer Club that plays in the Victorian State League 4 East . Healesville has been a tourist destination since the 1880s, with the Grand Hotel built in 1888, and the 60-room Gracedale House in 1889. A Tourist and Progress Association was created in the 1920s. The association published "Healesville, The World-famed Tourist Resort", listing over 40 beauty spots and 20 hotels and guest houses. The construction of
475-461: The flatter lands as it approaches Melbourne . The Yarra River begins in the rugged, forested area of the Yarra Ranges, approximately 240 kilometres (150 mi) east of Melbourne's central business district . The valley runs along the river as it flows westward, descending through a series of environmental zones from mountain ranges and dense bushland to gentler, fertile plains that support vineyards and farmland. The term "Yarra Valley" commonly refers to
500-553: The sites of State Library of Victoria , State Library of New South Wales , National Gallery of Australia , National Library of Australia , and the National Gallery of Victoria . In 2009, a large section of Black Spur was damaged during the Black Saturday bushfires . In 2019, Angie Suryadi, a woman from Melbourne was killed on the Black Spur when a large tree fell on her family's car during strong winds. Her four year old son
525-568: The upper and middle regions surrounding the river, where the landscape is defined by rolling hills and agricultural lands. The Upper Yarra Valley refers to the Yarra River catchment upstream of Woori Yallock and includes towns like Warburton , Yarra Junction , and Launching Place . Historically part of the former Shire of Upper Yarra , this sub-region is known for its forested mountains and national parks, as well as its cooler climate, which impacts local agriculture and viticulture . This part of
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#1732843922378550-463: The valley is popular for outdoor recreation, including bushwalking, cycling, and wildlife observation. The Yarra Valley has a diverse economy with agriculture playing a vital role. The valley's mild climate and fertile soils make it ideal for producing a variety of crops, including grapes, fruits, and vegetables. The region is renowned for its cool-climate wine production, particularly chardonnay , pinot noir , and sparkling wine. The wine industry in
575-476: Was injured. The road has undergone restoration and improvements in August 2006, and was widened later that same year. It consists of a series of hairpin turns punctuated by short straights. Some corners are prone to dampness due to the ferny rainforest surroundings. The surrounding landscape has tall mountain ash trees and tree ferns , the typical of southeastern Australia's temperate rainforests . In March 2008,
600-493: Was located just south of the main township. Industries in and around Healesville include sawmilling , horticulture , tourism and viticulture . Healesville has an active CFA ( Country Fire Authority ) volunteer fire brigade established in 1894. The Healesville Rural Fire Brigade was formed in 1941, then disbanded and membership amalgamated with the Healesville Urban Fire Brigade in 1985. The amalgamation of
625-512: Was still active but a local newspaper commented that Healesville would be "heaps better off calling itself the good-time town instead of the world-famed-tourist-resort—that's got whiskers on it". In modern times Healesville has become a centre for tourism based around the wine and food industries of the Yarra Valley, with attractions including Healesville Sanctuary, Badger Weir Picnic Area, Yarra Valley Railway, Healesville Organic Market, numerous cafes and restaurants, and volunteer-run events such as
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