“Look towards the rising sun.” That’s the Aboriginal expression “karr-din-yarr”. It’s from this that Cardinia got its name. The place known as Cardinia sits 55 km south-east of central Melbourne.
Cardinia has seen many changes. It was once known as South Pakenham. This lasted until at least 1879. Cattle runs dominated the area from 1838. Later, the land was divided in the 1850s.
Let’s talk about Cardinia’s early days. The first school in the district was built in 1874. It was known as Pakenham South. In 1881, the school’s name changed to Cardinia Creek. It shared its time with Officer until it closed in 1906. The school and a hall were on Cardinia Road. That’s about 2 km north of today’s village. The village is at the intersection of Cardinia and Ballarto Roads. A second school opened in 1911. It was named Ballarto State School. In 1912, it became Cardinia.
The Cardinia hall came first. It was constructed in 1880. Then the post office arrived in 1881. Dairying was the main industry back then. The Australian handbook described Cardinia Creek in 1903. It noted the rich soil. Potato growing became popular from the 1900s to the 1930s. The Presbyterian church was erected in 1915.
The Cardinia Creek runs between the old and new Cardinia villages. Its source is near Menzies Creek in the Dandenong Ranges. The creek often flooded the land around Cardinia with silt. A Cardinia flood protection board then carried out drainage works. New farm settlers arrived around 1915. In the 1930s, a large outfall drain was built to Western Port Bay. This replaced the meandering creek.
Cardinia’s garage served the community from 1948. It closed in the mid-1970s. The Cardinia post office closed in 1970. Now, Clyde handles the mail service.
Today, Cardinia offers a general store. It also has a recreation reserve and two churches. In 2014, the primary school had 279 students. Cardinia is also the name of a reservoir built in 1973. The reservoir sits on the creek’s headwaters. Plus, Cardinia is the name of a shire. It extends from Menzies Creek to Western Port Bay. The shire was established in 1994.
Cardinia’s population has varied over the years. In 1911, it was 63. By 1933, it had grown to 171. The population was 178 in 1961. It jumped to 727 in 1996. In 2011, it was 449. At the 2021 census, Cardinia recorded a population of 342.
Cardinia is part of the ROC Football Club. ROC stands for Rythdale, Officer, Cardinia. The club competes in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League.
Cardinia has a unique history. It reflects the changes in the south-eastern fringe of Melbourne. From its Aboriginal roots to its agricultural past and present-day community Cardinia remains a distinctive place.