Wesburn stretches along several kilometres of the Highway between Yarra Junction and Millgrove, and includes the historic localities of Britannia Creek and Old Warburton. In 1894, after passing the Village Settlement Act two years before, the State Government subdivided 325 hectares of land along the Warburton Road into about 40 farm lots. It was named the Warburton Village Settlement, later West Warburton and finally Wesburn (1925), an abbreviation of the previous name.

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The railway line from Lilydale to Warburton opened in 1901, but ran north of the village settlement.  Wesburn is situated on relatively undulating land, with forested ranges immediately eastwards. Upwards of twenty sawmills operated in the Wesburn area since the first one had opened in 1903. 

 

A thriving tourist destination until the 1950s, Wesburn at one stage had twelve named guesthouses plus several others. At its peak, Wesburn’s Main Street had at least twelve shops, plus a blacksmith, two churches and the school.  Both the Baptist church and Wesburn Primary School  have celebrated their centenaries.

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Upper Yarra Cemetery has splendid mountain views of Ben Cairn, Mt. Little Joe, Mt. Tugwell and Mt. Bride. This picturesque country cemetery has served the community since 1893. Why not stop in at the cemetery at Wesburn, right on the highway! Stunning surrounds to see and fascinating local history to be learned from the grave stones. The new perimeter walking track offers a scenic, gentle stroll for visitors (you are even allowed to bring your dog on a leash).

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Source:

‘Wesburn’, Victorian Places, 2014, accessed on 6/3/2023

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Further reading:

Jan Miller and Isabell Buckland, Warburton village settlement, the authors, 1987

Val Smith, Wesburn (West Warburton): a pictorial history, the author, 1989