Rowville, Victoria



Rowville is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 27 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Knox local government area. Rowville recorded a population of 33,571 at the 2021 census. Rowville is one of the largest suburbs south-east of Melbourne.

It houses the Rowville branch of the Eastern Regional Library, adjacent to the Rowville Community Centre under the Clock Tower. The Stringybark Festival is held at the centre on the third weekend of every October and attracts over 25,000 visitors. The event is organised by the Knox Council, and is one of Australia's longest running sustainability events. There are three golf courses within Rowville. Stud Park is currently being expanded.

Rowville is at the intersection of many local government areas with the suburb connecting to suburbs within the Yarra Ranges Shire, City of Monash, City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey and City of Knox.

History
Rowville is named after the Row family, whose property Stamford Park was established in 1882. The Stamford Park homestead has been restored in recent years by Knox Council.

Rowville Post Office opened on 20 December 1905 and closed in 1987. In 1989 it reopened in the new Stud Park (formerly Darryl Park) Shopping Centre.

Rowville developed rapidly throughout the 1980s and 1990s, especially in terms of housing and light industrial activities. Development has included the construction of the Wellington Village shopping centre on Wellington Road, complementing the Rowville Lakes shopping centre on Kelletts Road. Rowville has many estates including the prestigious Sovereign Crest Estate and the older Timbertop Estate. Sovereign Crest Estate is a medium-sized estate which includes homes located on parts of Karoo Road, in particular 130–above.

Education
Rowville has one dual-campus high school, Rowville Secondary College, with an Eastern Campus (7–12) and a Western Campus (7–12). Students from the Eastern Campus used to move to the Western Campus to complete their VCE. But now they can complete VCE at the eastern campus as well.

There are 4 government primary schools, Rowville Primary, Karoo Primary School, Heany Park Primary and Park Ridge Primary, and one Catholic Primary School, St. Simons the Apostle Primary School. When Lysterfield Primary School was relocated to its present site, it was in Rowville, however the boundary between the suburbs has changed and Lysterfield Primary is once again in Lysterfield.

St. Simons Primary School celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2007.

Karoo Primary School celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2012.

Rowville Primary celebrated its 40th Birthday in 2013.

Karoo Primary School celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2022

Transport
Rowville is currently a heavily car-dependent community, with many families having at least two cars. This is unlikely to change, without the addition of significant improvements to public transport serving the area, such as greater bus frequencies and coverage. The Rowville railway line, has long been called for, but lacks political commitment.

The current State Government has proposed that the public transport problems will be resolved by the SmartBus system, which includes special bus lanes on major traffic routes.

Commerce
Rowville's main centre of commerce is Stud Park Shopping Centre which opened in 1989 and is the largest shopping centre in the suburb. It contains a Coles, Woolworths, Kmart, and over 60 specialty stores including two hairdressers, a pharmacy, two travel agents, banks, a vet and assorted food outlets. It has approximately 1500 car park spaces and is serviced regularly by bus services.

Wellington Village, located at 1100 Wellington Road, is Rowville's second largest shopping centre.

Rowville Lakes is a third, smaller shopping centre on Kelletts Road.

Home to manufacturing and distribution of major Australian Corporations of Parmalat, Sigma Pharmaceuticals, Jeld Wen, Regal Senoit Australia, Twinings, Darrel Lea Chocolates, Matthews, Australia Post stamp printing, Callaway Golf, D4J, Johnson Controls, Brilliant Lighting, Cold Xpress and Eaton.

Sport

 * Rowville Football Club in the Eastern Football League
 * Rowville Knights Community Football Club in the Eastern Football League
 * Lysterfield Junior Football Club in the Eastern Football League
 * Rowville Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
 * Eildon Park Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
 * Lysterfield Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
 * Rowville Eagles Soccer Club
 * Knox United Soccer Club
 * Knox Churches Soccer Club
 * Blue Park
 * Eildon Park Tennis Club
 * Rowville Tennis Club
 * Rowville Netball Club
 * Aston Athletic FC
 * Rowville Little Athletics Club
 * Rowville Lakes Little Athletics Club
 * Rowville Rockets Basketball Club
 * Lysterfield Netball Club
 * Omega Trampoline Sports Club

Golfers play at the course of the Kingston Links on Corporate Avenue, at the course of the Tirhatuan Park Golf Club on Police and Stud Roads or at the course of the Waverley Golf Club on Bergins Road.

Community service groups
Rowville is supported by local community groups; including the 1st Rowville Scout Group since 1972, being based in an architectural marvel of its Scout Hall since 1991.

Heany Park Scout Group has been a part of the Rowville community since 1965, starting as 3rd Knox Scout Group. Later moving to Heany Park in 2001 where the name was changed to Heany Park Scout Group. Heany Park provides 23 acres of natural bushland surrounding the Heany Park Scout Hall.

Federal
Rowville is in the Federal Division of Aston which is held by Mary Doyle of the Australian Labor Party

State
Rowville is in the State Lower House seat of Rowville which is held by Kim Wells of the Liberal Party.

Local
Rowville is part of the City of Knox and has three ward councillors representing it.