Did you know that Avonsleigh started as East Emerald? That’s right, the name Avonsleigh came from a guest house called “Avonsleigh” owned by J.W. Wright. It was close to the Wright stopping place on the Belgrave to Gembrook railway line. That line was named after the “Puffing Billy” train that used to travel there. Avonsleigh has been a place with an interesting history. It was originally a gold mining town but the gold eventually dried up. So, the early settlers turned to farming instead. They grew different crops and raised livestock. It was a truly remarkable place with a community that thrived. There was even a school and a Church of Christ built in the 1870s. By the 1900s, however, more people moved to the neighboring town of Emerald and the Avonsleigh school was forced to close in 1909. The town still exists today and is a small but vibrant community.
Kororoit Creek
Is this where the river meets the sea? This is Kororoit Creek. It flows right here through Melbourne’s western suburbs