Olinda 3788 Olinda 3788

Olinda is township, with rural and scenic areas, 37 km. east of Melbourne and at the southern foot of Mount Dandenong.

The name Olinda originates from Olinda Creek, a watercourse with its headwaters in the Olinda area and which runs northwards towards Lilydale. In 1858 the creek was named after Alice Olinda Hodgkinson, the daughter of Victoria's dedicated and energetic Acting Surveyor-General, Clement Hodgkinson.

Olinda was first settled in the 1870s following its excision from the Dandenong Forest. The local timber provided a living. In the mod 1890s ten-acre blocks were made available for selection, and township blocks surveyed and sold. Between 1900 and 1906 a post office, school and churches were built. By 1910 the area of Olinda stretching south-east to Monbulk was extensively cleared for horticulture - orchards, berries and vegetable growing. The western forested part of Olinda was a tourist area, the first guest house being built in 1896.

In the township churches were established at the turn of the century and a school was built in 1906. After 1910 berry growing was replaced by dairying and cut flowers and Olinda entered a prosperous period of guest-house tourism. Melburnians built weekenders and, later, more spacious residences situated to take advantage of the extensive views. Several artists (Streeton, Meldrum, Maltby) built in Olinda.

The post-war years signalled the decline of guest houses, but better motor transport made it possible for Olinda to become a commuter dormitory. Day-tripper tourists also made a substantial contribution to the local economy, drawn to a place which has the highest number of hospitality, gallery and garden attractions of any location in the Dandenongs. Notable ones are the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden (formerly the National Rhododendron Garden), R.J. Hamer Forest Arboretum, Pirianda Garden and the Olinda Falls Reserve.

Between 1989 and 1996 Olinda's median house prices were about 5% above the median prices for metropolitan Melbourne.

Olinda's census populations have been 218 (1911), 560 (1947) and 821 (1991).

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