Rosebud is a seaside town on the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, approximately south of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula local government area. Rosebud recorded a population of 14,381 at the 2021 census.
Rosebud is wedged between the lower slopes of Arthurs Seat, the shores of Port Phillip and the plains of Boneo. It is a popular tourist resort with families who appreciate its sandy beaches and shallow waters.
History
On 2 June 1855, the cargo vessel Rosebud, owned by one of the colony's best known pastoralists Edward Hobson, was washed over the large sandbars and onto the beach. The burgeoning community made off with the cargo of damask and household goods, but the wreck remained for many years as the locals slowly stripped its hull to use in the construction of houses. It became commonplace to call the area "The Rosebud" in reference to the ship, which was shortened to "Rosebud" as the last vestiges of the ship disappeared.
Officially the term Rosebud referred only to Rosebud Village, the blocks on the foreshore west of Eeling Creek (now an underground drain between Tom Salt Park and the camping ground). Land on the south side of "the road to Portsea" was described as being in Wannaeue; this was the name of the parish that extended south to Limestone Road. Today the name is recalled by a small street between Rosebud Parade and Ninth Avenue. The parish went from The Avenue to Government Road in Rye, but also included the Arthurs Seat pre-emptive right (now McCrae and Arthurs Seat). Peter Wilson gives much detail about the buyers of Rosebud Village allotments. Lime Land Leisure mentions a "Mr Gomm, of whom little is known." Ray Gibb's books about the Gomms (pioneers of Hobart, St Kilda, Mentone, Rosebud, Dromana, Hastings and Somerville) and the Adams family will be available from the Dromana Historical Society by the end of 2011.
Allotment 20, between The Avenue and Parkmore Road, was not "settled" at the same time as the rest of the land to Boneo Road. This was supposedly due to an arrangement with Captain Henry Everest Adams, because he had been carrying convicts between Van Diemen's Land and Melbourne. This transport was probably provided in 1840 when there was a drastic labour shortage in Melbourne. Isaac White who purchased allotment 19 (west to Adams Avenue), knew Adams and probably cared for the Captain's wife while he was away at sea. He probably settled lot 19 on behalf of the Captain, who owned it by 1864. In the Argus of 12 March 1883, the Government advertised land in the village of Wannaeue on allotment 20, Wannaeue. No parish map has made mention of this village. The Adams family had a guest house, Hopetoun House, named after the Governor (a frequent guest), on the site of the car wash near McCrae Plaza. It was later renamed Merlyn Lodge. Robert Adams sold allotment 19 and the part north of Rosemore Road was subdivided but the ownership of the rest reverted to him in the Bust. Parkmore was built in 1896 by Albert Holloway and bought by the Clemengers in 1908.
The rest of the land to Boneo Road was granted to speculators. Allotment 18 (west to Jetty Road) became the property of Charles BLAKEY and then Robert White, after 18 February 1874, when the 152.5 acre allotment was advertised in the Argus. It was pointed out that a block, 66 x 330 feet, fronting the beach road, had been sold. As this was the only block separately owned for decades, it had to be Lot 86, which William Edwards mortgaged to Captain Adams in August 1878. As the land was of little value, it is strange that it was considered to provide enough security. Edwards borrowed 128 pounds and nine shillings, to be repaid with interest on 30 June 1880. McCrae was called Dromana until about 70 years ago, as the steamers had made Dromana's location well known. Isobel Moresby said that Jack Jones had built a store on the corner in about 1900 but it was built about a decade earlier just after the Lake v Jones case.
Allotment 17 (west to Norm Clark Walk) came into the ownership of the Woolcotts. William Gomm was farming it in 1876 but returned to fishing when subdivision began. George and Susan Peatey were among the first buyers and the site for the state school was bought a few years later. Later residents were the McDowells after whom a street was named.