Epping: Population, history, sights, shopping, fashion and crime

Once home to dairy farms, Epping is now one of Melbourne’s fastest growing suburbs. Check out the history of postcode 3076.

Smith's Epping Garage, on the corner of Cooper St and High St, in 1976. Picture: Major Road Projects Victoria

Once a small town, Epping is now one of Melbourne’s fastest growing suburbs.

The family friendly suburb is home to a number of new housing estates, with more in the works, as well as the Northern Hospital, Epping Plaza shopping centre and Melbourne Wholesale Fruit Vegetable & Flower Market.

Named in 1853 after Epping Forest in Essex England, land in Epping was originally used for farming, in particular dairy farming, until the 1900s.

According to Whittlesea Council, Epping remained a township until the late 20th century, with the majority of settlement and development contained to the historic township area north of Cooper St flanking High St.

People from many different cultures and backgrounds call Epping home.

According to the council, about 40 per cent of people living in the suburb speak a language other than English at home — including Macedonian, Italian and Arabic.

Development of the new Epping Plaza in 1995.

The 31,600sq m Epping Plaza shopping complex opened in 1996, and has grown to include more than 230 stores, including Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, plus Big W, Best & Less, Target and Harris Scarfe.

Its entertainment precinct includes 15 restaurants and Reading Cinemas.

Now officially called Pacific Epping, most locals still refer to it as ‘The Plaza’.

The outdoor dining precinct and cinemas at Epping Plaza.

Supermarket giant Costco opened in Epping in 2018, with some eye-catching items for sale including a $170,000 diamond pendant and wine glass the size of a sink.

The $70 million Northern Hospital opened in Cooper St in February, 1998, with a 24-hour emergency department, critical-care unit, acute surgical and medical units, a children’s unit, maternity unit with special-care nursery, psychiatric unit, radiology, pathology and outpatient clinics.

The Northern Health services area was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular Northern Hospital where many patients were hospitalised.

Several staff members also battled the virus.

Nurses at the Northern Hospital urged people to stay home to stop the spread of coronavirus. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Northern Health also became the first public health service in Australia to launch a virtual emergency department (ED) triage service this year at the Northern Hospital.

It allows patients to connect virtually with the hospital’s emergency nurses and doctors for medical advice, without having to physically present to the ED.

Epping also hit the headlines this year for tragic reasons, with 35 residents dying from COVID-19, and 102 residents infected at Epping Gardens Aged Care.

In August, it was revealed a new medical precinct next door to the Northern Hospital, that could include a private hospital, is a step closer to becoming a “city within the suburbs”.

The $2b plan to redevelop a 51ha former bluestone quarry in Epping includes private medical facilities between six and 12 stories high and could feature a skybridge linking them to the public hospital next door.

The site of the proposed New Epping redevelopment.

Riverlee development director David Lee told the Herald Sun he was hopeful a private hospital would be part of the mixed-use project, named New Epping, as well as up to 80,000sq m in office space and 2500 homes.

The former Epping clay quarry. Picture: State Library Victoria

The population of nearby Epping North is expected to grow with the completion of Aurora estate, a masterplanned community set to eventually be home to 25,000 people across 3100 new homes.

A huge chunk of the estate was sold by the State Government to Lend Lease for $126.7 million in 2014.

Aurora Village shopping centre includes Coles and Aldi supermarkets, Anytime Fitness,

and Epping Medical Centre.

Aurora Village shopping centre.

The Melbourne Wholesale Fruit Vegetable & Flower Market opened at its new 70ha Epping site in 2015, after more than 10 years of planning and five years of construction.

The market, which shifted to Epping from its previous home in West Melbourne, is Victoria’s wholesale fruit, vegetable and cut flower trading centre.

The busy Melbourne Wholesale Fruit Vegetable & Flower Market.

Kangaroos are a common sight in the city of Whittlesea and Epping hit the headlines in 2017 when a group of activists interrupted a government operation to cull 400 roos in the suburb.

The Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources exterminated 22 kangaroos on land between the Hume Freeway and Cooper St.

But the department was forced to abandon plans to cull as many 400 kangaroos on the night, after activists arrived.

Kangaroos in Epping. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Locals schools in the area include St Monica’s College, Mill Park Secondary College, Epping Primary School and Epping Secondary College.

Epping Secondary students Jamie 14, Mayah 14 and Mitch 13, were excited to head back to school after months of remote learning. Picture: David Caird

If you’re looking to head outdoors, Darebin Creek Parklands and the dairy-themed playground at Edgars Creek Reserve are popular with locals.

Epping also has a proud sporting history.

The Epping Football Club, formed in 1895, competes in the Northern Football League.

The Mighty Pingers began playing social matches before joining the Whittlesea and District Football Association in 1904.