Standing here on the edge of the Broadmeadows, it’s hard to believe that this bustling suburb was once a quiet rural area. The first European settlers arrived in the 1840s, seeking land for farming and grazing. They were drawn to the lightly wooded landscape between the Merri and Moonee Ponds Creeks. The original Broadmeadows, now known as Westmeadows, was laid out in the 1850s. An Anglican church was built in 1850. The first village center began to grow around the church, the police station, and the Broadmeadows Hotel, now the Westmeadows Tavern.
The Broadmeadows was also a strategic location during World War I. The area between Broadmeadows and Campbellfield was established as a military camp. This was the main camp for the reception and training of recruits for the AIF from Victoria. It was a tented camp early on, and the conditions were quite spartan, leading to a rapid increase in sickness among recruits. The camp was eventually upgraded. Despite the camp being predominantly a tented camp, it had a significant impact on the growth of the area.
After the war, the Housing Commission of Victoria began building a 2,226 ha estate in the Broadmeadows area in 1949. This massive housing development, which lasted for 30 years, helped transform the area into the bustling suburb it is today. Broadmeadows became a center for manufacturing as well. A large Ford factory in Campbellfield closed in 2016, but it played a major role in the local economy for decades. Today, Broadmeadows is a diverse community with a rich history. The suburb continues to grow and evolve, with new developments and projects underway. It is a testament to its resilience and its ability to adapt to change. The Broadmeadows, a suburb with a rich past and an exciting future.