After launching Heathmont Recollections in 2006, the Ringwood Historical Society has followed up with the history of Ringwood East through organising a Historical Weekend to promote the history of the Ringwood’s oldest established areas.

On Saturday the society provided two bus tours of Ringwood East, both of which were completely booked out. I attended the morning tour which included thirteen stops discussing the history of Ringwood East, from its antimony mining and brick manufacturing origins, to the extensive orchards and streams that used to cover the area. Other stops included the former schools and churches within the district as well as Ringwood East station and the Army Barracks which were formed in the late 1950s.

The tour provided an interactive history of Ringwood East demonstrating how significantly the area has changed since the discovery of antimony in the late 1860s. Today, the industry and orchards that dominated the early history of Ringwood East have become residential homes and the bridge that gave Burnt Bridge its namesake has been long replaced by sealed roads.

It was great to see such a strong attendance for the bus tours and a growing appreciation for the history of Ringwood and Maroondah.