Cranbourne () is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 43 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Casey local government area. Cranbourne recorded a population of 21,281 at the 2021 census.
The ever expanding greater Cranbourne area consists of Cranbourne, Cranbourne North, Cranbourne East, Cranbourne South, Victoria and Cranbourne West.
History
Prior to European settlement the Cranbourne area is thought to have been occupied by the Boonwurrung Aboriginal people. The first white settlers, the Ruffy brothers, arrived in 1836. They later opened the Cranbourne Inn.
The area was greatly opened up by settlers from the 1860s. Cranbourne Post Office had opened on 1 August 1857.
Progress in developing the land around Cranbourne was hampered by the Koo Wee Rup swampland. However William Lyall (who bought land in the swamp area) assisted in coordinating the draining of the swamp to make it usable as farmland.
Cranbourne was, from 1860 until 1994, the administrative centre of the Shire of Cranbourne, (known for most of 1994 as the City of Cranbourne). The council building is still in existence, and is now used as a health care centre known as 'The Cranbourne Integrated Care Centre'. Prior to 1978, Council met at the Old Shire Offices, on the corner of Sladen Street and South Gippsland Highway.
Population
At the 2006 census Cranbourne had a population of 14,750. At the 2016 census, Cranbourne had a population of 20,094.
62.3% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were India 5.4%, England 3.3%, New Zealand 3.1%, Afghanistan 1.9% and Philippines 1.4%. 68.5% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Punjabi 2.6%, Hazaraghi 1.2%, Samoan 1.2%, Hindi 1.2% and Dari 1.1%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 28.8%, Catholic 21.3% and Anglican 10.2%.
Places
In the south of Cranbourne is the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, and the Cranbourne Racecourse & Recreation Reserve. Cranbourne also contains the Cranbourne Golf Club, the Amstel Golf Club, the Ranfurlie Golf Club and an indoor swimming pool. The Casey Complex was opened in December 1994 by the former City of Cranbourne. It is located off Berwick Cranbourne Road, and features a wide variety of community facilities, including The Shed (an indoor skating facility), the Cranbourne Indoor Sports Centre (basketball, netball, and indoor soccer), the Cranbourne Branch of the Casey-Cardinia Library Corporation. It also is home to YMCA Casey Race, the local swimming pool for Cranbourne which contains two 50m lap pools, children's recreational pool, heated rehabilitation pool, spa, sauna, steam room, full gym and weights room as well as two water slides. The Factory – Rehearsal Centre for the Arts (Cranbourne, Caseyville (traffic school) and Bowland (a ten-pin bowling complex) 24 lanes. The new Cranbourne Multicultural Community Centre is set to open in early 2007. Contractors, on behalf of Casey City Council are currently building a new indoor swimming complex which will open in mid-2009. It will include a new wave pool, main lap pool (50m), slides and a hydrotherapy pool. This will be based next to the Casey Complex. Along Berwick-Cranbourne Road is the new Casey Fields Complex
Schools
Some schools are: Alkira Secondary College (formerly known as Casey Central Secondary College), Casey Fields Primary School Cranbourne Carlisle Primary School St. Peter's College (West and East campus) St. Agatha's Catholic School, St. Therese's Catholic Primary School, Cranbourne Secondary College, Lyndhurst Secondary College (formerly known as Cranbourne Meadows Technical School), Casey Grammar School (formerly known as Cranbourne Christian College), Cranbourne Primary School, Cranbourne North East Primary School, Cranbourne East Primary School, Cranbourne East Secondary College, Lyndhurst Primary School, Marnebek School, Hillsmeade Primary School, Cranbourne Park Primary School, Cranbourne West Primary School, Cranbourne West Secondary College, Rangebank Primary School, Courtenay Gardens Primary School, Cranbourne Specialist School. Chisholm Institute of TAFE also has a campus in Cranbourne. To cater for the growth in Cranbourne several primary schools have been proposed.