Garfield, Victoria

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Garfield
state = vic


caption = Main street
lga = Shire of Cardinia
postcode = 3814
est =
pop = 1,401 (2006)
elevation=
maxtemp =
mintemp =
rainfall =
stategov = Bass
fedgov = McMillan
dist1 = 78
dir1 = SE
location1= Melbourne
dist2 = 21
dir2 = E
location2= Drouin
dist3 = 7
dir3 = E
location3= Bunyip
near-nw = Tynong North
near-n = Garfield North
near-ne = Garfield North
near-w = Tynong
near-e = Bunyip
near-sw = Cora Lynn
near-s = Iona
near-se = Iona

Garfield is a town in West Gippsland, Victoria, Australia situated in the Shire of Cardinia. At the 2006 census, Garfield had a population of 1,401Census 2006 AUS
id=SSC25629
name = Garfield (State Suburb)
accessdate=2007-09-15
quick=on] .

History

The area was originally called Cannibal Creek, but was renamed to Garfield in memory of the US President, James Garfield.

The Post Office opened as Cannibal Creek on 1 May 1886 and was renamed Garfield in 1887. Citation
last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&country= | accessdate = 2008-04-11 ]

Garfield Filmed

In the late '80s the appearance of the town was transformed for the cameras to look like the 1960s in a television mini series on aboriginal boxer, Lionel Rose, who was raised in the region in Jackson's Track, near Drouin. Some shop fronts were restored and the main street of the town was filled with old cars to recreate the era.

Garfield Today

Since the beginnings as a railway and timber town, and later a dairy and potato farming and orchard area, Garfield has always been a close community, with almost everybody knowing everyone else, and in some cases four generations of family staying in the (mainly), farming area. Recent growth has seen a doubling of residential building and the (2006), upgrading of the railway line from Melbourne to Traralgon with increases in frequency of services by upgraded modern trains, is an attraction to new residents. A new housing development currently nearing completion this year (2007), is for over-55's in a secure environment. Previously derelict shops on the main street are now reoccupied.

Garfield has a small primary school with approximately 100 students. There is a church at the top end of the schoolgrounds. Local businesses include a milk bar, ANZ bank, pub, an antique shop, and a bed and breakfast.

The town has an Australian Rules football team playing in the West Gippsland Latrobe Football League .Citation
last = Full Points Footy | title = Garfield | url = http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Garfield.htm | accessdate = 2008-07-25 ] Garfield has an attractive undulating golf course just out of town. A modern community swimming pool operates in the summer months within the recreation precinct where there is also the lawn-bowling club, tennis and netball courts, skateboarding site, along with the newly regenerated football oval alongside of which is the community hall and children's playground which many local groups utilise for a variety of functions. Garfield's picture theatre, although long closed, is being restored for future multi-entertainment uses, stands as a landmark in the quiet rural hillside town. A six-day-a-week operating post office, a bakery outlet, a pizza shop, milkbar & take-away shop, a combined-churches charity shop, an equestrian outfitter's, a craft and wooden toy shop, a country wares and antiques shop, a "mystic" shop, an automotive garage, a chemist, butcher, real estate office and newsagent and full-time ANZ Bank branch, a unisex hairdresser, plus the "Iona Hotel" make up the occupants on the main street which runs parallel with the railway that dissects the town with the station at its centre. A local architectural engineering firm has been operational since the 1950's. The farming land nearby has an influx of horse-owners in recent years and there is now an emu farm nearby open for emu-derived cosmetics sales and tourist visits.

Gallery

ee also

Garfield railway station

References