Werribee | |||||||||||||
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 Werribee Park | |||||||||||||
  Werribee | |||||||||||||
 Interactive map of Werribee | |||||||||||||
| Coordinates:37°54′00″S144°39′50″E / 37.900°S 144.664°E /-37.900; 144.664 | |||||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | Victoria | ||||||||||||
| City | Melbourne | ||||||||||||
| LGA | |||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||
| Government | |||||||||||||
| • State electorate | |||||||||||||
| • Federal divisions | |||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
• Total | 23.8 km2 (9.2 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Elevation | 26 m (85 ft) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 50,027 (2021 census)[2] | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 2,102/km2 (5,444/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Postcode | 3030 | ||||||||||||
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Werribee is a suburb inMelbourne, Victoria, Australia, 32 km (20 mi) south-west of Melbourne'sCentral Business District, located within thelocal government area of theCity of Wyndham. Werribee recorded a population of 50,027 at the2021 census.[2]
Werribee was established as an agricultural settlement in the 1850s, originally named Wyndham and later renamed Werribee (derived from the Aboriginal name meaning "backbone" or "spine") in 1904. The suburb is situated on its namesake theWerribee River, approximately halfway between Melbourne andGeelong, on thePrinces Highway. It is the administrative centre of the City of Wyndham local government area and is the City's most populous centre. Werribee is part of theGreater Melbourne metropolitan area and is included in the capital's population statistical division.[3]
Since the 1990s, the suburb has experienced rapidsuburban growth into surroundinggreenfield land, becoming acommuter town in the Melbourne–Geelong growth corridor. Due to this urban sprawl, Wyndham and its suburbs have merged into the Melbourne conurbation. In recent years, Werribee has undergone development which has seen the growth of high-rise buildings within the city centre.
The suburb is best known for its major tourist attractions, which include the former estate of wealthy pastoralistThomas Chirnside, known asWerribee Park, the Victoria State Rose Garden, the Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre, and theWerribee Open Range Zoo.
The name "Werribee" originated from theVictorian Aboriginal name for theWerribee River,Wirribi-yaluk inWathawurrung andBoonwurrung,wirribi meaning "backbone" or "spine".[4]
Early leasing of pastures was led by members ofJohn Batman'sPort Phillip Association. A rural township began in the early 1850s. This village was named Wyndham (the name of the local municipality today). The name derived from a suggestion by the owner of a local village inn, Elliott Armstrong, who sought to honour Scottish soldier SirHenry Wyndham. The Post Office opened on 12 January 1858 as Wyndham and was renamed Werribee in 1904.[5] However, its adjacent river was called the Werribee River, and the town's name was later changed to Werribee in 1884, and the Shire Council at that time was also renamed Werribee in 1909.[6] The Shire at the time was quite large; extending from the inner Western suburbs ofMelbourne toLittle River to the northward town ofMelton, covering 715 square kilometres.
Werribee at this time was very popular for development. Thomas Chirnside, a person famous in this area even today, was attracted to the open plain's suitability for agricultural uses. By 1863 he controlled more than 280 square kilometres around Werribee. Chirnside bought other smaller holdings of land at this time. The town grew steadily, helped by arailway line from Melbourne toGeelong, with astation at Werribee in 1857.[6]
Thomas Chirnside committed suicide in 1887. He was found dead in the laundry at Werribee Park with a shotgun lying beside him. His brother Andrew died three years later, and the property was now divided between Andrew's two sons. A new mansion was built, called "The Manor" (not in the same place as the current suburb ofManor Lakes).
In 1881 a quarter of the Shire's population lived in the Werribee Township.[citation needed] There were hotels there, as well as recreational venues such as the Werribee Racecourse (built in 1879) as well as theMechanics' Institute (built in 1883).
From 1923 to 1973, Chirnside's property was the site ofCorpus Christi College, the seminary of the Catholic Church for Victoria and Tasmania.[7]
Werribee has the highest rates of crime in Wyndham,[8] with recent significant crime increases.[9]
Werribee'scentral business district is located along Watton Street; thecivic centre (council chambers) being just 500 metres away also makes it the administrative centre of theCity of Wyndham. Werribee is surrounded by several mostly residential suburbs:Wyndham Vale to the north-west,Hoppers Crossing andTarneit to the north,Truganina andWilliams Landing to the north-east, andPoint Cook to the east. Themarket gardens and well-known tourist precinct are found inWerribee South, on the other side of theMaltby Bypass.
The area'smajor regional shopping centre, thePacific Werribee Shopping Centre is actually located just across the suburb boundary in Hoppers Crossing.
Werribee'stown centre and itsCivic Centre (council offices) are located adjacent to thePrinces Highway, known locally as Synnot Street. Major localarterial roads Derrimut Road and Old Geelong Road (as an extension of Morris Road) connect the highway to theCity of Wyndham's north, as does Cherry Street. Ballan Road is the major arterial to Wyndham's north-west.
TheCBD also links with thePrinces Freeway via Duncans Road to the south-east, and via Geelong Road (the continuation of thePrinces Highway) to the south west. The Princes Freeway circumvents the township via a section, known as the Maltby Bypass, which opened in June 1961.[10][11]
There are two major railway stations in the area –Werribee railway station andHoppers Crossing railway station to the north-east, both part of theMelbourne metropolitan network. Werribee station is theterminus of theWerribee line.V/Line services to and fromGeelong ceased in mid 2015 due to the completion of theRegional Rail Link which sees trains diverted out towardsWyndham Vale.
A disused station exists on the line nearWerribee Racecourse, which at times has hadcalls to be reopened.[12][13] Additionally, tracks have been left spread apart for a future station near Derrimut Road.[14] Further suburban stations to the north and west have been constructed on a new line as part of theRegional Rail Link to be joined with theregional rail network.[15]
An extensivebus network[16] links Werribee with neighbouring suburbs, with major bus interchanges atWerribee station,Wyndham Vale railway station,Tarneit railway station,Pacific Werribee andHoppers Crossing station.
Wyndham City Council is consistently one of the highest spending councils when it comes tobicycle infrastructure.[17][18] Thus Werribee is well served with bike paths and bike lanes.
Major trails include:
TheCity of Wyndham and surrounding areas are serviced by theWerribee Mercy Hospital, which opened in 1994 to replace the now defunct Werribee District Hospital.[19] It is a major provider ofmental health care andmaternity services for the local area.[20]
A new multi disciplinary, purpose-built medical facility was recently built opposite the Mercy Hospital, to be known as Wyndham Private Medical Centre. It includes ageneral practice clinic,specialist suites,allied health,mental health andpathology services.[21][22]
Werribee Bears play rugby league inNRL Victoria.
Primary education is provided by numerous public, private and Catholic schools, some of which are combined with secondary education as oneP-12 college (denotedc.).
Secondary education is provided by a range of public, private and Catholic colleges, also with some being combined with primary education as oneP-12 college.
Tertiary education is Provided by a number ofuniversity andTAFE campuses, which are all located in theWerribee Employment Precinct – a large area between thePrinces Highway andFreeway.
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