According to the Municipal Directory of 1918, the Shire of Whittlesea comprised Arthur’s Creek, Bruce’s Creek, Bundoora, Doreen, Eden Park, Epping (population 625), Mernda, South Yan Yean (700), Merriang, Morang (South, 725), Nutfield, Scrubby Creek, Tanck’s Corner, Thomastown (283), Whittlesea (800), Woollert, Woodstock (275) and Yan Yean.
All of the place names today remain with the exception of possibly the best – the inhabitants of Scrubby Creek took themselves a little too seriously in 1925 and decided to change the name to Humevale.
All of the townships mentioned in the Directory were described in some form as related to farming – “agricultural”, “dairying”, “pastoral”, and to the east “fruit-growing” – very much prominent and reflecting the settlement of the district when from the 1840s the rich lands along the Plenty River provided Melbourne’s first “food bowl” and much of the timber used in early construction. The other prominent landmark was of course the Yan Yean Reservoir which was still the major supply of water to most of metropolitan Melbourne following its construction in the 1850s.
One other town not mentioned in the Directory but which had close physical and community ties to Whittlesea was Glenvale, particularly important as it hosted a senior cadet camp which had the facility to accept local enlistments.
Population-wise, Whittlesea was one of the smaller in the state, but it was significantly higher than at the start of the war.
On the outbreak of War, the Shires of Whittlesea and Epping functioned independently, but were in financial difficulties and on 1 October, 1915, the existing Shire of Epping was abolished and the area that it covered was merged into Whittlesea, viz., Eden Park, Epping, Merriang, Thomastown, Woollert and Woodstock.
Epping’s civic leaders had fought hard against the proposed merger when it was mooted in May; but deputations to the Minister of Public Works proved fruitless and an Order-In Council was passed to unite the Shires on the basis that Epping’s rate revenue to 30 September, 1914 had been less than the £1500 required for the status of a Shire.
The Shire Secretary, James Ryan ordered a new valuation in the hope that the striking of a fresh rate would raise another £500-600, but the move was too late and Epping’s fate was sealed on 11 September.
Epping was originally declared a District on 25 July, 1864, became part of Darebin Shire on 7 October, 1870 and renamed as Epping 22 March, 1894. Before the amalgamation with Whittlesea, the area covered 81 square miles and boasted a total of 315 dwellings and a population of 1315 people.
Whittlesea was declared a District on 12 December, 1862, a Shire in 1870 and with the boundaries redefined on 31 May, 1897.
In 1918 and after the inclusion of Epping and its environs, the new Greater Shire of Whittlesea covered 215 square miles, had 822 dwellings and population of 3,280 (compared with Eltham, 200 square miles, 810 dwellings and a population estimated at 3,500). The Municipal Directory of 1915 before the merger with Epping shows the townships within Whittlesea had a total population of 1,950.
