Cairnlea, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Cairnlea is a suburb in Melbourne
, Victoria
, Australia
, 17 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank
. At the 2006 Census, Cairnlea had a population of 6,070.
The former Albion site became open grassland after European settlement but later, from 1939 to the mid 1980s
, it was a defence manufacturing site.
The suburb is a new estate
, and has only been developed since 1999, with development of the new suburb to finish in mid-2005. The suburb features several manmade lakes and has implemented a suburb-wide stormwater recycling system that feeds all the lakes. Formerly there was a large government explosives factory on the site of the estate, however this factory closed in the 1990s
.
By 2011 Cairnlea is projected to have 3000 residential blocks and to have a population of more than 10000. It covers 460 hectares (2 km by 2.5 km) bounded by Station St, the Western Highway
and the Western Ring Road.
Some 130ha have been set aside for public open space. Part of that process has seen two endangered species (the Plains Rice-flower and the Striped Legless Lizard
) having reserves and management plans set up for their preservation.
is located on the Southern border of the suburb and Jones Creek on the Northern Border. The creeks have been home to healthy populations of native reptiles for thousands of years, including Tiger snake, Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard
and Eastern brown snake
. Unfortunately due to development over the past 20 years, these species are now rarely seen in the area.
Due to development of lakes and wetlands, species of frogs have reclaimed the area. The Eastern Banjo Frog
, Common Eastern Froglet
and even the now endangered Growling Grass Frog
have been seen and heard in the new wetlands and in Kororoit Creek
. Some species of birds are also returning to the creeks and lakes.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 17 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district
Melbourne city centre
Melbourne City Centre is an area of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. It is not to be confused with the larger local government area of the City of Melbourne...
. Its Local Government Area is the City of Brimbank
City of Brimbank
The City of Brimbank is a Local Government Area located within the metropolitan area of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It comprises the western suburbs between 10 and 20 km west and northwest from the Melbourne city centre.It has an area of 123 km²...
. At the 2006 Census, Cairnlea had a population of 6,070.
The former Albion site became open grassland after European settlement but later, from 1939 to the mid 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
, it was a defence manufacturing site.
The suburb is a new estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
, and has only been developed since 1999, with development of the new suburb to finish in mid-2005. The suburb features several manmade lakes and has implemented a suburb-wide stormwater recycling system that feeds all the lakes. Formerly there was a large government explosives factory on the site of the estate, however this factory closed in the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
.
By 2011 Cairnlea is projected to have 3000 residential blocks and to have a population of more than 10000. It covers 460 hectares (2 km by 2.5 km) bounded by Station St, the Western Highway
Western Highway
Western Highway may refer to:*Western Highway, Victoria in Australia*Western Highway...
and the Western Ring Road.
Some 130ha have been set aside for public open space. Part of that process has seen two endangered species (the Plains Rice-flower and the Striped Legless Lizard
Striped Legless Lizard
The Striped Legless Lizard is a species of lizard in the Pygopodidae family.It is endemic to Australia.-References:* Australasian Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Group 1996. . Retrieved on 28 July 2007....
) having reserves and management plans set up for their preservation.
Attractions
- The Black Powder Mill
- Cairnlea Community Hub
- Cairnlea Town Centre
- The Victorian Croquet Club
- Cairnlea F.C. Sports Club Inc.
- Iramoo
Flora and fauna
Kororoit CreekKororoit Creek
Kororoit Creek is a major waterway of over 80 km in length in the north-west and western parts of Melbourne. Its headwaters are north of Sunbury at 400m above sea level in ordovician geology...
is located on the Southern border of the suburb and Jones Creek on the Northern Border. The creeks have been home to healthy populations of native reptiles for thousands of years, including Tiger snake, Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard
Eastern blue-tongued lizard
The Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard is a subspecies of large skink which is common throughout Eastern Australia, often found in bushland and suburban areas where conditions are suitable...
and Eastern brown snake
Eastern brown snake
The eastern brown snake , often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of genus Pseudonaja. This snake is considered the second most venomous land snake based on its value in mice. It is native to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia.-Description:Adult eastern brown snakes are highly...
. Unfortunately due to development over the past 20 years, these species are now rarely seen in the area.
Due to development of lakes and wetlands, species of frogs have reclaimed the area. The Eastern Banjo Frog
Eastern Banjo Frog
Limnodynastes dumerilii is a frog species from the family Myobatrachidae. The informal names for this species, and its subspecies, include...
, Common Eastern Froglet
Common Eastern Froglet
The Common Eastern Froglet is a very common, Australian ground-dwelling frog, of the family Myobatrachidae.-Distribution:...
and even the now endangered Growling Grass Frog
Growling Grass Frog
The Growling Grass Frog , also commonly known as the Southern Bell Frog, Warty Swamp Frog and erroneously as the Green Frog is a species of ground dwelling tree frog is native to South eastern Australia; ranging from southern South Australia along the Murray River though Victoria to New South...
have been seen and heard in the new wetlands and in Kororoit Creek
Kororoit Creek
Kororoit Creek is a major waterway of over 80 km in length in the north-west and western parts of Melbourne. Its headwaters are north of Sunbury at 400m above sea level in ordovician geology...
. Some species of birds are also returning to the creeks and lakes.
- Brimbank Park
- Kororoit Creek TrailKororoit Creek TrailThe Kororoit Creek Trail is a shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians, which follows the Kororoit Creek in the inner western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....