Walk Cave Hill Quarry

Listen to the Wurundjeri Wandoon story of the Cave Hill Quarry:

Transcript:

My name is Doreen Garvey-Wandin. I’m a Wurundjeri Senior Elder and Wandoon Senior Elder. Also, Director of both organisations. 

We respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners, the Wurundjeri people and other Kulin Nations, as the custodians of the lands across the Yarra Ranges on whose unceded lands our work in the community takes place. We pay respect to all Aboriginal community Elders, past and present, who have resided in the area and have been and always will be an integral part of the story of the region.

Art and Sole. Walking on Country, connecting with our history, nurturing our body, mind and sole.

Cave Hill Quarry

A deep cavern at cave hill in Lilydale, is described in local oral traditions as a place, where a star fell from the sky. The cavern is called bukkertillibe in the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung language, roughly stands for bottomless pit. According to the tradition it was formed, when the sky-deity Bundjil became angry when the people did things that displeased him. In a rage he caused a star to fall from the sky and strike the earth creating a hole, this served as a strict warning to follow lores and traditions. Unfortunately, the bukkertillibe site, was destroyed when the area was excavated for a quarry.

Listen to the Victoria Road and Stuart Road historical narrative:

Victoria Road was named after Queen Victoria who was born on May 24, 1819 and died on January 22, 1901. The name first appeared in the Shire of Lillydale Rate books in 1901 but was in use in the late 1890s. The road stretches from Maroondah Highway northwards to the lush river flats of Yarra River.

From the intersection of Stuart Road, the Christmas Hills to the north are clearly visible.

Stuart Road was named after Mons (Monty) Stuart who moved to Lilydale in 1910 and to Victoria Road in 1916 where he lived most of his life. He had a large family and was involved in both the stage and sport of the district. He died at Traralgon in December 1961 aged 92 years.

Listen to the Lilydale West Primary School historical narrative:

Just north of Stuart Road is Victoria Road Primary School. Building of the then Lilydale Primary School began in 1972 and it opened in 1973 with about 280 students. In 2019 the name was changed to Victoria Road Primary School.

Listen to the Wilsons Lane and Albert Hill Road historical narrative:

Wilson’s Lane which links Victoria and Albert Hill Roads, was named after the Wilson family. Joseph and Caroline Wilson arrived in Melbourne in 1842 and moved to Lilydale with their family in 1861, the year of the first Lilydale township land sales. They purchased land on the western side of Albert Hill Road and built their small cottage. When the land was subdivided in 1885, his cottage faced the newly created road Wilson’s Lane.

Albert Hill Road was originally the main road to Melbourne and was set out as part of a three-chain road (60 metres) in width. However, the council changed its plans and opened up another road to the east which had an easier gradient for bullocks, wagons and vehicles to negotiate.

The original road was known as Wilson’s Hill but was changed to Albert Hill Road after Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, who died in 1861.