What we love about Sunbury: family-friendly, rural lifestyle with urban convenience and rich history
FAMOUS as the birth place of the Ashes and for hosting Australia’s answer to Woodstock in the ’70s, Sunbury has come a long way. These days it’s more a wine mecca than a hippie haven.
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LIFE in Sunbury is all about the cruisy pace, enjoying the rural charms of the country with the urban convenience of a bustling town centre often likened to the cafe vibe in Melbourne’s north.
There’s gorgeous parklands, a swimming hole and markets at the Village Green, with busts of cricketing greats dotted around to fill its locals with pride, 40kms northwest of Melbourne.
Stunning art murals in laneways, commissioned by the Hume City Council, have stayed long past summer and locals clearly rapt with the nod to their ‘burb’s historical past.
If you didn’t already know, Sunbury — and just a 45-minute drive, or an hour by train — is the place where cricket’s The Ashes rivalry began.
Sunbury is home to Melbourne’s oldest and closest wine region which is well-regarded for its award-winning shiraz — with four amazing wineries in the suburb alone, with many others nearby.
The area is well-recognised as hosting platypus populations in numbers that have buoyed animal researchers.
Back track for a minute though, and imagine a time when Sunbury was filled with happy hippies and mighty folk rock... Sunbury in the ‘70s was Australia’s answer to Woodstock.
Memories were made and lost as the rock’n’roll blared across a huge paddock, leaving a permanent mark on the picturesque surrounds.
Sunbury locals are this year celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Sunbury Pop Festival — but it’s not the reason they have for kicking up their heels.
Sunbury’s median house price is less than half that of Melbourne at $375,000.
A great selection of schools are also on offer, with eight primary schools, three high schools and a special school.
Take a stroll down the main drag — O’Shanessy Street with its north Melbourne cafe vibe and historic elm trees — and you’ll find older couples and families of all ages.
Spend your weekends teeing off at Goonawarra Golf Club, dipping in and out of cellar doors or trotting along picturesque heritage trails.
Pop into the Sunbury Aquatic and Leisure Centre, or if it’s warm enough; take a dip at The Nook, the area’s much-loved swimming hole.
If you fancy a cultural fix, you can’t go past the beautifully restored Old Sunbury Courthouse (circa 1885) and finish the day by indulging in a night of theatre at the impressive historic Boilerhouse Community Arts Centre.
For the rest of the week, visit Sunbury Central and Sunbury Terrace for all your major stores as well as cinemas and a range of restaurants.
Here’s more about what we lvoe about Sunbury:
A LIFESTYLE TO ENVY
BRICKS AND MORTAR
If you’re looking to make the move to find a rural home with picturesque surrounds, be prepared to get savvy, as homebuyers outnumber the homes for sale.
Families have set up camp in the developing residential area, and stayed thanks to affordable homes surrounded by greenery and room to move.
Some of the architectural eras represented in Sunbury include older family homes with a charming cottage vibe, classic brick veneer family pads, period weatherboards with established gardens, neat units for downsizers and newer, sleeker houses on recently developed estates.
A stunning period gem in Macedon St was passed in at auction last weekend, described by one real estate agent as “the best presented home I have seen on the market in Sunbury”.
A RICH HISTORY
SUNBURY POP FESTIVAL
Audiences of 40,000 visited Sunbury to see performances by Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs, Skyhooks, Daddy Cool and Sherbet, as well as international acts such as Queen and Deep Purple.
The first of four music festivals was held on the Australia Day long weekend in 1972 at a 620-acre farm on the outskirts of Sunbury.
The festivals, which ran from 1972-75 were among the first large-scale outdoor music events in the country.
Often labelled Australia’s answer to Woodstock, the infamous Sunbury Pop Festival was financially successful and documented on film and audio, and often given credit for being the turning point in the end of the hippy movement, and the start of the pub rock reign.
It was the late singer/songwriter Billy Thorpe’s most famous gig, and a plaque — which has been stolen multiple times — was dedicated to him at the site of the outdoor concerts.
Memories live on these days on the Sunbury Pop/Rock Festival 1972-1975 Facebook page.
BIRTHPLACE OF THE ASHES AND RUPERTSWOOD MANSION
At the end of a long winding drive, nestled among mature trees, stands magnificent Rupertswood Mansion.
Balls, hunt meets and weekend house parties were the order of the day at the historic homestead, a remarkable architectural expression of the Victorian era.
One of the largest manors built in the state, the mansion is also well-known as the birthplace of The Ashes.
Rupertswood was built in the 1870s for Sir William Clark, a member of the Legislative Council and a prominent figure in the colony of Victoria, as well as a land owner and pastoralist.
The infamous rivalry for cricket’s greatest trophy began when in 1882 Sir William and his wife, Lady Janet Clarke, hosted the English cricket team for Christmas during their tour against Australia.
The next year they again hosted the English team after they beat Australia 2-1 in a series of test matches in Melbourne and Sydney.
It was at Rupertswood during this second visit that the English were humorously presented with the Ashes urn, a small terracotta vessel — possibly a perfume jar — believed to contain the burnt remnants of a cricket bail.
The urn, which is on display at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, is the symbolic trophy for test cricket series played between the two nations.
Rupertswood Mansion was restored and operated as a hotel and wedding venue until a few years ago.
Sadly, it’s also infamous for the child sex scandal that occurred while it was run as a Catholic boarding school.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT
FESTIVALS
Sunbury is awash with great festivals — think SunFest in March, the Sunbury Region Wine & Food Festival in October, and the Streetlife Festival, as well as Sunbury Agricultural Show both in November.
The Sunbury region has a strong reputation for its performing arts and a diverse array of performance schools and clubs.
SunFest this year celebrated its 40th anniversary with its annual three-day festival and grand street parade “run by the community for the community”.
There’s carnival rides, and a big stage that sees more than 400 performances from schools, sporting groups and individuals.
Talented youngsters vie for their chance to win Sunbury Idol and Sunbury Can Dance, and there’s even a Battle Of the School Choirs.
The first SunFest — these days recognised as the best community run festival in the state — kicked off in 1977 following the original Sunbury Pop/Rock Festivals.
A group of Sunbury volunteers decided they wanted to bring back the music festivals and provide an old-fashioned free community fair. The rest is history, and now the festival is recognised as the best community run one in Victoria.
THE LITTLE FOOD GARDEN
Eco-friendly organisation The Little Food Garden, based in Macedon St, aims to inspire locals about how to reconnect with the food system, by showing them how to grow their own veggies.
They run free day workshops and longer paid 6-week ‘Learn to Grow’ courses at ‘The Patch’ in Rupertswood Mansion, and are behind the edible gardens along the main strip for the Hume City Council’s Grow and Eat O’Shanassy Street.
The raised garden beds dotted through the alfresco strip will be available for the community and surrounding businesses to grow fresh produce.
You can find the edible garden beds outside Just Planet Fair Trade Gift Shop & Cafe, The Spotted Owl, and District 3429.
They also sell organic produce bags brimming with seasonal organics. Details on the Facebook page.
THINGS TO DO
FOOD & WINE
If eating is your thing, get excited. O’Shannesy St with its organic shops and cafes has the kudos of Melbourne’s inner northern burbs.
The strip recently underwent a $2.1 million redevelopment — adding fairy lights and removing brick garden beds — thanks to Hume City Council in a bid to make it one of the state’s top alfresco dining strips.
Old brick garden beds have been replaced by freshly-planted community planter boxes filled with winter vegetables as part of a community program called Grow & Eat O’Shanassy Street, which allows residents to be able to chomp on delightful edible plants.
There’s also a plethora of dine in and take away options in addition to its latest walk and pick options.
Diehard burger fans have been known to drive direct to Sunbury from afar to satisfy an intense craving at well-known eatery, The Best Burger Bar - Build A Burger.
Other great options recommended on Zomato include: Sunanta’s Thai, Roquette Bar & Grill, Ma’s Thai, Bombay Masala, Sapore Nostro, Macs Lounge, Vic’s Cucina, Sunanta’s Thai, the Olive Tree Hotel and Bombay Masala Indian.
But if it’s just coffee and cake you’re after the Spotted Owl cafe is rated the best in Sunbury, according to Tripadvisor, while Roquette Bar and Grill takes the crown for the best restaurant.
There are many things that make living in Sunbury very appealing, and its thriving winery scene is top of the list for many thanks to its award-winning shiraz and remarkable chardonnays.
Billed as Melbourne’s closest cellar door, the Sunbury Wine Region is also one of the oldest wine regions in Victoria, producing cool climate wines since the 1860s.
“Boasting “elegant wines of intense varietal character” there are four wineries belonging to Sunbury alone, with others in surrounding neighbourhoods.
Fancy taking a tour?
This free guide and map will help you navigate your next delightful cellar door experience, but start by looking checking the opening days with these gorgeous Sunbury wineries:
- Craiglee Vineyard / craiglee.com.au
- Goona Warra Vineyard / goonawarra.com.au
- Longview Creek vineyard / longviewcreek.com.au
- Pitruzzello Estate Olive Grove and Vineyard / pitruzzelloestate.com.au
NATURE & PARKLANDS
The Nook: Three things to do here: stroll, walk or picnic at the original swimming hole of Sunbury, located at the end of Vaughan Street.
Emu Botton Wetlands and Platypus Ponds on Jacksons Creek: Not only can you see the growing platypus population swimming around, there’s plenty of room inside the 32-hectare park to ride a horse, or walk the pooch and marvel at the glorious water birds. Racecourse Rd.
Spavin Drive Lake: If you’re looking for more water bird sporring, this dam is the place to be. There’s muddy flats, small islands and nesting boxes to boot.
Spavin Drive, off Riddell Rd
TAKE A HISTORYTOUR
Sunbury Heritage Walks
Take a self-guided stroll and knock everything on your list. Collect a Sunbury heritage walks brochure from the Visitor Information Centre at 43 Macedon Street.
Sunbury Historical Tours
Historical Guided Walking Tours of a former Industrial School for Children, Lunatic Asylum and Women’s Refractory Prison. Discover what Institutional living was really like around the turn of the century for patients who had been incarcerated behind these walls one hundred years ago. Tours run for two hours and operate on weekends only. Bookings essential via sunburyhistoricaltours@gmail.com or via the Facebook page.
Sunbury Historic Bluestone Bridges
- The Macedon Street bridge, built in 1859, is the first road over rail bridge in Victoria and can be seen from near the gatehouse at Rupertswood Mansion.
- The Railway Viaduct, built in 1859, is a large five arch bluestone railway bridge that can be seen from near Rupertswood lake.
- The twin arch bluestone Jacksons Creek bridge, built in 1870, can be viewed along Macedon Street or from Apex Park.
Emu Bottom Homestead
Today it’s used as a reception centre run by The Epicurean Group but it started out Victoria’s first homestead in 1836. Built by George Evans, one of Victoria’s founders, the site was picked because it was three miles down a stream in a valley frequented by emus.
Old Sunbury Courthouse (c. 1885) served the community for 103 years before it was closed in 1989. Following restoration it reopened as the home of Sunbury Visitor Information Centre.
Get a free cuppa while your plan your day. 43 Macedon Street.
Aitken’s Gap Gaol
Originally built in 1857 near the Calder Highway (known then as The Gap) during the gold rush era. In 1989 the gaol was transported brick by brick to its present location and represents as a tribute to the police who worked in the area. 43 Macedon Street.
The Old Sunbury Asylum
Built in 1860s, originally as an Industrial School (orphanage) and then becoming the Sunbury Hospital for the Insane before being renamed “Caloola”. For a self-guided tour of the old buildings and beautiful views pick up brochure from the Visitor Centre. Circular Drive, Jacksons Hill.
George Evans Museum
Check out the permanent local history displays, and touring exhibitions from other museums including the State Library of Victoria. Enter through Sunbury Library, open during library hours, Macedon St.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Sunbury was first settled in 1836 by George Evans and William Jackson. It was Jackson
and his brother, Samuel, who named the township Sunbury after Sunbury-on-Thames, in Surrey, England when it was established in 1857.
- Who lives in Sunbury? The suburb is home to lots of UK and New Zealand immigrants. Some 15.1 per cent of Sunbury residents were born overseas: United Kingdom (5.3 per cent), New Zealand (1.5 per cent), India (0.8 per cent) represent the highest percentage.
- In Sunbury, just 7 per cent of people speak a language other than English at home with Italian (1.2 per cent), Maltese (0.5 per cent), Greek (0.4 per cent) representing the highest percentage.
- 39 per cent of households are couples with children, 12.4 per cent are single parents with children.
- The population is expected to double in the next 25 years from approximately 36,000 in 2011 to around 73,000 in 2036.
- A plaque at the Sunbury Pop Festival site honouring the musical contribution of late rocker Billy Thorpe — once considered the King of Rock in Australia — has been stolen multiple times.
- Sunbury Rock Festivals 1972-75 were inducted into the Victoria Hall Of Music Awards in 2015
- Sunbury residents are highly ‘car dependent’ but the birth of the Sunbury Metro line three and a half years ago made train commuting a sinch — apart from Metro delays.
- Researchers last year found the largest male platypus in the Melbourne area, in Sunbury’s The Nook.
- Kirstan.Ross@news.com.au and @KirstanRoss
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