Point Cook Melbourne, Victoria
A street of newly built houses in Point Cook in October 2006
Population:	14,162 (2006) [1]
Postcode:	3030
Area:	9.3 km² (3.6 sq mi)
Property Value:	AUD $403,395 [2]
Location:	25 km (16 mi) from Melbourne
LGA:	City of Wyndham
State District:	Altona
Federal Division:	Lalor
Suburbs around Point Cook: Hoppers Crossing Laverton Altona Meadows Werribee South Point Cook Port Phillip

Point Cook is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 25 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Wyndham. At the 2006 Census, Point Cook had a population of 14,162.

Point Cook is the home of RAAF Base Williams, Point Cook, the birthplace of the Royal Australian Air Force, and is the current home of the RAAF Museum.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early settlers 1.2 Today 2 Facilities 2.1 Housing Estates 2.2 Education 2.3 RAAF Base 2.4 Shopping 2.5 Marina 3 Transport 4 Sporting Clubs 5 Tourism 6 Notable residents 7 References 8 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Early settlers

Point Cook was originally spelt Point Cooke, and named in 1836. Almost all references dropped the "e", however in the early 2000s the point itself was officially renamed "Point Cooke". Point Cook was named after John M. Cooke, mate of His Majesty's Vessel "Rattlesnake'. Commanded by Captain Hobson, the ship charted part of Port Phillip Bay in 1836.

William Drayton Taylor leased the land around Point Cook promontory in 1849. The following year in 1850 Taylor transferred his licence to Alexander Irvine. By March 1852, a six room weatherboard cottage, had been erected.

In 1853 the pastoralist Thomas Chirnside added the farmlands of Point Cook to his holdings. He built the famous Point Cook Homestead of twenty-five rooms in 1857. Initially Point Cook was an important segment of the expanding pastoral empire established by Thomas and his brother Andrew. As their extensive land holdings were developed substantial homesteads were later constructed at Werribee Park, Carranballac, Mount Williams and Curnong.

Due to the Chirnside brothers' deep interest in hunting, deer & foxes were introduced to Point Cook in the 1850s. As early as 1859 members of the Melbourne Hunt Club and the Geelong & District Hunt Club were invited to hunt at Point Cook. In the early 1860s Thomas Chirnside imported valuable horses for the breeding at Point Cook. The property was said to have three racetracks. The Chirnsides became one of Victoria's prominent pastoral families, entertaining the colonial gentry and organising sporting functions for their guests at Point Cook.

In 1873 the Chirnside brothers began construction of the elaborate mansion at Werribee Park. By 1877 the Werribee Park Mansion had been completed and it largely displaced the Point Cook homestead as their families focus.

[edit] Today

In 1996, Point Cook was basically a rural community, with the RAAF Williams Base. Point Cook’s population in 1996 was approximately 580, of whom 552 lived on the RAAF base. By 2001, Point Cook’s population had increased to 1737, and by August 2006 the population of Point Cook was 14,162 as per the 2006 Australian Census. Today Point Cook is one of the major growth regions in Melbourne's western suburbs.

It is predicted that the population of Point Cook will increase to 29,263 by 2011 & 41,474 by 2016.^[3] When taking into account the Melbourne 2030 Plan's current urban growth boundary, it is believed that Point Cook’s population will peak at approximately 52,000 by the late 2020’s.

[edit] Facilities

[edit] Housing Estates

Point Cook is now the home of many new housing estates including Greg Norman designed Sanctuary Lakes golfing estate.

1. Featherbrook[1]
2. THIRTY 30 ESTATE Point Cook[2]
3. Boardwalk Estate
4. Innisfail[3]
5. Newminster
6. Point Cook Gardens
7. Lincoln Heath
8. Waterhaven[4]
9. The Greens
10. Willow Green
11. Monterey Central
12. Homestead Run
13. Sanctuary Lakes
14. Seabrook
15. Alamanda Estate[5]
16. Hacketts Rise
17. Saltwater Coast

New Housing estates due to start in 2009;

1. Karinya

Lack of Broadband continues to be an issue, as much as 50% of these new areas have no access to ADSL services.

[edit] Education

Schools in the Suburb of Point Cook:

1. Carranballac Prep - Year 9 College - Jamieson Way Campus
2. Carranballac Prep - Year 9 College - Boardwalk Campus
3. Point Cook Primary School
4. Point Cook West Catholic Primary School - (Stella Maris Catholic Primary School)
5. Point Cook Catholic Primary School - (Lumen Christi School)
6. Seabrook Primary School
7. Point Cook Senior Secondary College Year 10 - Year 12
8. Emmanuel College: Notre Dame Campus at Point Cook (Co-educational Catholic Secondary School Year 7-12)

[edit] RAAF Base

The RAAF base contains a museum for visitors, most of what is left are prohibited and restricted areas. The RAAF Williams Base contains a Horizon Tank (a diving tank, not an armoured fighting vehicle), one of only three in the world. It was used in the television series Moby Dick and Noah's Ark.

[edit] Shopping

A new Point Cook town centre has been constructed on the corner of Dunnings Road and Boardwalk Boulevard, with the development to include a main street retail and commercial town centre, up to 135 specialty shops, as well as Coles, Aldi , Target, Harris Scarfe, Dick Smith Electronics, Growers Fresh, Pharmacy Select and Reject-Shop outlets. Stage 1 had a grand opening on August 21, 2008.

see also Williams Landing

Separate to this, in the neighbouring suburb is the Williams Landing development. Williams Landing will be developed into a Transit-oriented development, major activity centre and employment node. Williams Landing will be built on land that was, up until the 1980s the airfield & runway of the RAAF Base Laverton, which is situated on the northern edge of Point Cook. Williams landing will be next to the planned and approved future Williams Landing Railway Station (Point Cook railway station), just across Princes Freeway and for residents of Point Cook will be accessed via Palmers Road. Construction of Williams Landing is due to commence in early 2008 & is due to be completed by 2025.

[edit] Marina

Directly south west of Point Cook will be the new development of Wyndham Harbour Marina^[4]. Wyndham Harbour marina, a $440 million project, will be the only waterfront development of its kind - just 25 minutes drive from Melbourne’s Central Business District and right next to Point Cook. The new marina at Wyndam Harbour will have 1000 wet berths from 10-35 metres including 6 super yacht berths. There will also be a 300 berth dry stack. In addition there will be a new beach built on the Point Cook side of the Marina along with 12 hectares of public recreational space & wetlands. The development will also incorporate water/marina front restaurants & cafes. This development is due to start in early 2010.

[edit] Transport

Point Cook is located to the south of the Princes Freeway, and is served by the Point Cook Road and Forsyth Road exits. A Palmers Road offramp opened in March 2008, as an alternate route onto the freeway from Point Cook Road.^[5] (Palmers Road is now open as of 27 May 2008.)

The nearest railway stations are at Laverton and Aircraft on the Werribee line. Point Cook railway station (To be renamed Williams Landing railway station) on the Werribee line is proposed to start construction in 2010, on the corner of Palmers Road and the Princes Freeway.^[6]

[edit] Sporting Clubs

1. Point Cook Football Club (PCFC)
2. Point Cook Cricket club (PCCC)

Golfers play at the course of the Sanctuary Lakes Club on Point Cook Road.^[7]

[edit] Tourism

Tourist attractions in Point Cook include:.

1. Point Cook Homestead
2. Point Cook Coastal Park
3. Point Cook RAAF Museum

Tourist attractions neighbouring Point Cook include:.

1. Werribee Open Range Zoo - African safari world
2. Werribee Park Mansion

[edit] Notable residents

1. Anthony Callea - Anthony Callea spent his teenage & early adult years living with his parents in Point Cook.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Point Cook, Victoria is at coordinates 37°54′40″S 144°45′18″E / 37.911°S 144.755°E / -37.911; 144.755Coordinates: 37°54′40″S 144°45′18″E / 37.911°S 144.755°E / -37.911; 144.755

v • d • e Suburbs of the City of Wyndham | Melbourne | Victoria Cocoroc · Eynesbury · Hoppers Crossing · Laverton · Laverton North · Little River · Mambourin · Mount Cottrell · Point Cook · Quandong · Tarneit · Truganina · Werribee · Werribee South · Williams Landing · Wyndham Vale