Drummies Bridge

Why is it called Drummies Bridge? We’re standing here at Drummies Bridge. You might be surprised to know that this unassuming bridge has a connection to early settlers in the Mulgrave area. Names like Jell’s Park and Wheelers Hill, and yes, even Drummies Bridge Reserve, all harken back to those pioneering days. You see, in 1848, two fellas named John Drummie and Patrick Brennan bought a sizable chunk of land just north of here. This land was close to what would eventually become High Street Road. Back then, this whole area was a wild mix of swampy grasslands and dense Stringybark forests. High Street Road? It was just a line on a map then! It wasn’t until the late 1800s that it became a proper road. So how did people get around? Well, they took a route that went past Drummie’s bridge, cutting across the land to reach the main road leading to the Dandenong Mountains. That road is what we know as Burwood Highway today. Now, here’s the funny part: even though High Street Road was initially called “Drummie’s bridge track,” there’s no solid proof that a bridge actually existed here at the crossing point! Maybe it was a simple wooden structure or maybe just a natural ford. Whatever it was, the name stuck, and that’s how Drummies Bridge earned its place in the history of this area.