SASSAFRAS

Sassafras is a locality and township within Greater Melbourne, beyond the Melbourne metropolitan area Urban Growth Boundary, 43 km east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Knox and Shire of Yarra Ranges local government areas. Sassafras recorded a population of 970 at the 2021 census.

The Sassafras village is located at an altitude of approximately 500 metres, in a saddle on the top of the ridgeline of the Dandenong Ranges, a few kilometres south of the highest peak of Mount Dandenong. The locality of Sassafras extends from Hilton Road in the south, to just north of the village. In the east, it extends down the Sassafras Gully, whilst to the West much of the locality is within the Dandenong Ranges National Park.

The area was named Sassafras Gully, after the sassafras trees which grow in gully along Sassafras Creek. The land was opened to small scale farming in 1893 and a small township developed. The Post Office opened on 1 June 1901 and has always been known as Sassafras Gully. Today Sassafras is a tourist destination with several boutique stores including Devonshire tea outlets, cafés, toy shops, antique shops and nurseries.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SASSAFRAS TEAROOM

Sassafras is a locality and township within Greater Melbourne beyond the Melbourne metropolitan area Urban Growth Boundary, 43 km east of Melbourne's central business district. Its local government area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges. At the 2006 Census, Sassafras had a population of 968. It is located at an altitude of approximately 500 metres, near the top of the ridgeline of the Dandenong Ranges, a few kilometres south of the highest peak of Mount Dandenong.

The area was named Sassafras Gully, after the trees which grew in the area. The land was opened to small scale farming in 1893 and a small township developed. The Post Office opened on 1 June 1901 and has always been known as Sassafras Gully. In the early 1900s tourism began to increase and the township consequently grew. Today Sassafras is a tourist destination with several boutique stores including Devonshire tea outlets, antique shops and nurseries.

Drawing inspiration from Agatha Christie’s classic character, Miss Marple’s Tea Room (382 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road) features an intriguing gallery full of memorabilia. The quaint, cottage style café offers a menu of traditional English fare such as cottage pies and Devonshire Tea. Unfortunately, the milieu is not good enough to make up for the shortfall in the menu - ranging from the rather ordinary, uninspired, to the much less than average food. For example, the "scones" are really a bready, cake-like concoction and the savoury dishes completely lacklustre. Still, I guess it's OK if the company is compatible, in which case, who cares about the food...

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

SASSAFRAS, DANDENONGS

Sassafras is a locality and township within Greater Melbourne beyond the Melbourne metropolitan area Urban Growth Boundary, 43 km east from Melbourne’s central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges. At the 2006 Census, Sassafras had a population of 968. It is located at an altitude of approximately 500 metres, near the top of the ridgeline of the Dandenong Ranges, a few kilometres south of the highest peak of Mount Dandenong.

The area was named Sassafras Gully, after the trees, which grew abundantly in the area. The land was opened to small scale farming in 1893 and a small township developed. The Post Office opened on 1 June 1901 and has always been known as Sassafras Gully. In the early 1900s tourism began to increase and the township consequently grew.

Today Sassafras is a tourist destination with several boutique stores including Devonshire tea outlets, antique shops and nurseries. Sassafras is home to an alternative school, Sherbrooke Community School. The area has had a history of bushfires, and areas near the town are known to have been burned out since the 1850s. Numerous small cottages are found in amongst the lush forest and several larger houses have been converted to Bed and Breakfast establishments.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme.