This place snapshot provides a summary of future development in the Woodstock area for current and future residents, business owners, investors and community groups.
For snapshots of development in other areas, see Place snapshots: a guide to development in your area.
Woodstock sits within an area of our municipality known as the rural north. Other suburbs of the City of Whittlesea's rural north include:
- Donnybrook
- Eden Park
- Humevale
- the northern part of Wollert
- the non-urban part of Whittlesea township
- the City of Whittlesea parts of Beveridge and Kinglake West
- most of the City of Whittlesea part of Yan Yean.
In 1841 John Hunter Patterson bought a property 30 km north of Melbourne and named it Woodstock. Woodstock is an Anglo-Saxon word meaning ‘a clearing in the wood’.
Patterson was one of the earliest European settlers in the area, having arrived in Port Phillip from Van Diemen’s Land in 1836. Situated around the intersection of the Epping and Donnybrook–Yan Yean roads, Woodstock was the site of:
- a denominational school (1853)
- the Sir Henry Barkly Hotel (1855)
- a post office and coach house with a daily coach to Melbourne (1858)
- a Catholic school (1875-1929)
- Mechanics Institute and Free Library (1911).
After the railway opened at nearby Donnybrook, demand for daily coaches declined. The hotel closed during World War I and was demolished in 1948. The remaining buildings were destroyed in the bushfires of January 1968 leaving only the post office, which closed in 1971.
This rural area is part of an ancient red gum woodland.
The rural north includes the rural balance of the City of Whittlesea, including some rural-residential areas.
The non-urban areas are characterised by:
- forest
- cattle grazing
- farming
- poultry
- horse and dog breeding.
Density and growth
The 2011 population for the rural north was 3,317 with a population density of 0.10 persons per hectare.
The 2016 population forecast for the rural north was 3,248 and is forecast to grow to 3,808 by 2036.
The number of dwellings in the rural north was forecast to grow from 1,123 in 2011 to 1,276 by 2026. The average household size was forecast to fall from 2.96 to 2.92 people by 2026.
Demographics
The rural north had a lower proportion of pre-school aged residents and a higher proportion of people at post retirement age than the City of Whittlesea in 2011.
There were 26 people over the age of 85 living in the rural north in 2011, with the largest age group being 50–54 year olds.
Diversity
In the rural north, 15% of people spoke a language other than English at home in 2011.
In the same year, 11% of people in the area came from countries where English was not their first language.
The three largest ancestries of residents in 2011 were Australian, English and Italian.
Employment
Of the residents living in the rural north in 2011, 1,718 of them were employed, with 60% working full time and 36% working part time.
More residents worked in construction than any other industry in 2011. There were more technicians and trades workers than any other occupation.
Voluntary work was being carried out by 17% of the population in 2011, which is higher than the City of Whittlesea average of 9.7%.
Families and households
Couples with children made up 45% of households in 2011.
Those purchasing or fully owning their home made up 83% of households, with 11.2% being privately rented and no residents in social housing.
Car use
Analysis of car ownership in 2011 indicated 81% of households in the area had access to two or more motor vehicles, compared to 61% across the City of Whittlesea.
By 2021 this had declined to 68% of households in the rural north having access to two or more motor vehicles.
Green Wedge Management Plan
The Green Wedge Management Plan identifies a vision and recommends actions for the sustainable use of Whittlesea’s rural land.
In 2010 the Victorian Government extended the urban growth boundary to allow additional urban development to take place in Melbourne’s outer suburbs.
Precinct Structure Plans
Precinct Structure Plans (PSP) are high-level master plans for whole communities.
They lay out roads, retail hubs, schools, parks, housing, employment, connections to transport and address biodiversity, cultural heritage, infrastructure provision and funding through the development contributions plan.
The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) is the statutory authority responsible for overseeing the preparation of all PSPs in Melbourne’s growth areas and advising the Minister for Planning on their approval. The VPA is working in partnership with growth area councils, which includes the City of Whittlesea, to complete the planning for Melbourne's growth areas.
In the City of Whittlesea, the extension of the urban growth boundary has created several future growth areas. These will be planned and developed over the next 5–30 years.
The VPA, in partnership with Council, has currently prepared the Donnybrook and Woodstock Precinct Structure Plan.
Yan Yean reservoir park
Managed by Melbourne Water, the reservoir supplies the northern and central suburbs of Melbourne.
Location
40 Recreation Road
Yan Yean
Park facilities include:
- walking tracks
- picnic facilities
- public toilets
- car parking
- lookout views
- interpretive facilities.
Toorourrong reservoir park (Whittlesea)
Managed by Parks Victoria, Toorourrong reservoir park was completely destroyed by the 2009 bushfires. The Victorian Government spent $5.1 million rebuilding the park, which reopened to the public in late 2015. It is also home to the Whittlesea Bushfire Memorial.
Location
120 Jacks Creek Road
Humevale
Facilities at this park include:
- walking tracks
- picnic facilities
- public toilets
- car parking
- lookout views.
Kinglake National Park
This park has:
- 23,210ha of tall forests, fern gullies and rolling hills
- an extensive network of walking tracks
- multiple vantage points offering scenic views.
Protected within this area are:
- almost 600 native plant species
- over 40 native mammal species
- 90 native bird species.
Find more information at Parks Victoria
Growling Frog Golf Course (Yan Yean)
The golf course has first class facilities, including:
- a restaurant and cafe
- dedicated driving range
- putting green
- chipping green
- practice bunker.
The creation of a dedicated water supply has ensured the course has plenty of water to keep it maintained at the highest standard throughout the year.
Visit the Growling Frog website
T H Hurrey recreation reserve (Yan Yean)
Location
1925A Plenty Road
Yan Yean
Facilities at this 4ha park include:
- four asphalt tennis courts
- a pavilion
- change rooms
- barbecues and picnic facilities
- public toilet.
For further details, contact the Parks Administration department on 03 9217 2170 or at info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au
Tuttle recreation reserve (Wollert)
Location
523–525 Epping Road
Wollert
Facilities at this 2.16ha reserve include:
- two synthetic grass public access tennis courts
- a pavilion
- club rooms
- barbecues and picnic facilities
- public toilets.
For further details please contact the Parks Administration department on 03 9217 2170 or at info@whittlesea.vic.gov.au.