Plenty Local History

The Beginnings Of Plenty

Plenty is apart of greater Melbourne and is located 21 km North-East of Melbournes CBD. The name Plenty comes from the Plenty River which was named by Joseph Tice Gellibrand, a member of the Port Phillip Association, in 1835. The river was named the Plenty River due to the promising features of the surrounding lands.

Plenty is still considered a semi-rural area due to it consisiting of many large lots, many being several acres in size. However, due to an increase in urbanisation and population there are many larger lots being subdivided especially near the Plenty Greensbourough border. To the east of Yan Yean Road Plenty becomes part of the green wedge limiting the potential for subdivision.

Plenty was opened for selection in the 1850’s. However the subdivisions establishing the township began in 1913.

A few years prior to this Miss Meglin, the owner of a large farm with pasture, orchards and gardens donated her property to be used by Miss Selina Sutherland as a home for neglected children. The Sutherland Homes School opened in 1912 and served the Plenty community until 1922 when it become too overcrowded. The school moved about 1km Northwards to a new school at the Plenty Village. The Sutherland Homes school became Meglin Special School in 1969.

Throughout the 1920’s Plenty established a post office, a church, a community hall and a social club. It was known as the fruit-growing district due to it’s number of flourishing orchards.

In 1933 the population of Plenty was 221 people, today it is over 2000.

The original general store has become a take away cafe, the community hall has been extended and the original church relocated to the Plenty Heritage Park near the community hall. Plenty has seen a large development of its sporting facilities in recent years with the cricket oval also hosting Diamond Creek Womens Football Club in addition to the Plenty Cricket Club. The tennis courts have expanded and Greensborough Hockey Club have 2 pitches and have just opened a beautiful new club house (2021). The CFA are constructing a new fire station complex (2021). Within the 3090 postcode area and to the south of the village a small shopping strip, an aged care facility and two large churches have been established.

The Sutherland Homes were incorporated with the Berry Street Child and Family Care Centre, East Melbourne, in 1994 and transferred to Eltham in 2002.