Diamond Creek, Victoria


Diamond Creek is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 23 km north-east of Melbourne's Central Business District. Its local government area is the Shire of Nillumbik. At the 2016 Census, Diamond Creek had a population of 11,733.
In the postwar years, population increased dramatically in Diamond Creek and its neighbouring areas. The Diamond Valley Shire was created out of the northern part of the Shire of Heidelberg in 1964. Further population growth occurred throughout the 1970s.
There are two ideas about where Diamond Creek got its name. Victoria's Register of Geographic Names says that it was because of the way the stones glistened in the creek water. Local legend says it's because of a bull who was trying to cross a creek. The bull had a diamond shaped white patch on its head and found difficulty crossing the creek. Thus the Bullocky decided to name the town after the bull with the diamond shape on its head and the creek it drowned in.
From 1894 - 1969 there were a number of bushfires. In 1894 houses and stock were destroyed.
The early twentieth century saw a decline in the orchard industry, as orchards in Melbourne's eastern townships such as Doncaster and Nunawading, fell into favour due to better marketing. Diamond Creek remained relatively untouched during the boom in recreational travel that followed the popularity of the motor car.

Diamond Creek Gold Mine

Gold was first discovered in Diamond Creek in 1863 by Messrs, Peers, Haley and Wilson.
The Diamond Creek mine was opened some years after gold was first discovered and dug 700 feet vertical and 300 feet underlay.
The value of gold taken from the mine is reported to be between £1,000,000 and £2,000,000 Australian at the time.

Geography

The Diamond Creek Shopping Centre and railway station are located on the banks of Diamond Creek, and the Hurstbridge railway line follows the course of Diamond Creek northwards from Eltham to its terminus at Hurstbridge.

Schools

Schools in Diamond Creek include Diamond Valley College, Plenty Valley International Montessori School, Sacred Heart Primary School, , Diamond Creek East Primary School. The Diamond Creek East Primary School opened in 1970.

Community

The Diamond Creek Community Centre is jointly administered by the Shire of Nillumbik and the YMCA, and provides a venue for basketball, gymnasium and group fitness classes, child care, community classes and public and private functions. The centre also houses Nillumbik's Maternal & Child Health Service. The Community Centre served as an evacuation point, providing emergency accommodation, first aid and government relief to local residents affected by the February 2009 Victorian bushfires.
A prominent building in Diamond Creek is St John's Anglican church, located at the top of Main Road.
On the other side of St John's is the Ashton Manor, previously known as The Abbey. It was a reception centre and very popular for weddings and other celebrations until it changed hands and is now a tasteful funeral parlour.
Diamond Creek has two football clubs, Diamond Creek Football Club and Diamond Creek Womens football club playing in the Northern Football League.
The Rotary Club of Diamond Creek organise the annual Diamond Creek Town Fair, a community event held in September. It commences with a parade which features local schools, scouting groups, child care centres and community groups. The fair offers food, crafts and fairground attractions, rides, wood chopping, local community stallholders, and entertainment. It traditionally concludes with an evening torchlight parade by the local CFA units and a fireworks display.
Diamond Creek was home to a Donkey Shelter from 1997-2012, which provided accommodation and care for neglected donkeys from all around the state of Victoria. In 2012, this moved to Tongala.
Diamond Creek Little Athletics Club is one of the eight clubs competing weekly at the Diamond Valley Little Athletics Centre at Willinda Park Greensborough.
Diamond Creek also has a busy CFA volunteer fire brigade, which attends to over 230 emergency calls annually. The brigade was established in 1942. In 2005, a new emergency services centre was built on the Main Hurstbridge Rd, which includes CFA, Metropolitan Ambulance Service and Police facilities. The Diamond Creek CFA brigade has approximately 60 members, one pumper, two tankers, a slip on ute and a Toyota Hilux FCV, as well as an extensive collection of modern, advanced firefighting equipment and training facilities.
Diamond Creek is serviced by the Diamond Valley Division of St John Ambulance Australia. St John Ambulance provides emergency pre-hospital care to local events in Diamond Creek, such as the Town Fair, Pet Expo, Fun Runs and many other local events. The Diamond Valley division is based in Greensborough.
Diamond Creek is serviced by the Yarra Plenty Regional Library's Mobile Library truck.
Many retailers get into the community spirit such as AD Ryan's Restaurant holding their regular fundraising events for many different causes. Janine, Tracey and Vince sold AD Ryan's in November 2014 and was re-opened in 2015 by new owners under the name The Windy Mile, in reference to a nearby section of 'Diamond Creek Road', locally known as 'The Windy Mile'. On 31 March 2019, The Windy Mile closed.

Retailers

Diamond Creek has many large retailers, including a Coles Supermarket and a Mitre 10 Home & Trade.
Diamond Creek's shopping centres have developed over the years.a Foodland grocery store operated for some years. A Tuckerbag was built as the first shopping centre ; that supermarket later became a Ritchies Supa IGA. A chicken-and-chips shop called Mr Rooster. a range of shops trades in the Diamond Creek Plaza: Tattersalls, Bakers Delight, IGA Liquor, Priceline Pharmacy. There are also several pizza shops and a chinese restaurant named Ying's noodle cafe.
In 2001 a large modern shopping centre called the Diamond Creek Shopping Station was built across the road featuring a Bi-Lo, Harvest Café, a deli, an Amcal and a range of other specialty stores
The Diamond Creek Shopping Station has been extended three times, with a BWS and more stores to come. A fitness centre and a wheelchair-accessible Bendigo Bank, relocating from the IGA side of the Main Hurstbridge road.
The first of the extensions were to the south of the centre, featuring a large ANZ Bank, a travel agent, a 'Local Doctor' health centre and a drop-in massage shop.
A second extension doubled the size of Coles and added a Liquorland.
In 2001 a McDonald's was added beside Diamond Creek Station and near to Diamond Creek Tavern and Sacred Heart Primary School.
In December 2018, UberEATS announced they would start delivering to Diamond Creek and surrounding areas.

Notable residents