Noble Park Railway Station, 1918-1930s

The Oakleigh to Gippsland railway line had stations at Springvale and Dandenong and as land near the Springvale station underwent subdivision into small farm holdings, owners down the line subdivided their land. In 1909 several holdings in the area later to be known as Noble Park were cut up for market gardens. One of the vendors was Allan Buckley, who is chiefly recognised as the founder of Noble Park, as it is named after one of his six children, Noble Buckley.

His other children’s names were given to streets, including Douglas Street where the shopping centre is located. The Buckley family school was opened in 1911, an Anglican church in 1912 and a railway office/stopping place in 1913. A public hall was built in the same year, which under the management of locally elected trustees, has occupied a strong position in the community.

Until the years after World War II Noble Park was mainly a farming community concentrated on market gardens, dairying and poultry. Small amounts of industry were near the railway station, along with housing. The town had six shops in 1923, and the 1933 census recorded 1507 persons.

Until May 1955, Noble Park was in the Dandenong shire. Severance was warmly greeted by Noble Park residents who thought that Dandenong shire had neglected their needs, and the severed shire was named Springvale and Noble Park. When the municipality was made a city in 1961 it became City of Springvale.

The present station was opened in the late 1960s after the original buildings were destroyed by an arsonist. A row of shops now occupies the site of the first station, of which no trace remains today. As part of the EastLink project, minor upgrade works were carried out, including improved shelter, carpark upgrades, and a security upgrade including brighter lighting and better CCTV coverage.

In 2015 the Level Crossing Removal Authority announced the Grade separation of nearby Heatherton Road with construction scheduled to start in 2016. The proposal will see the new station being elevated and moved closer to where the public restrooms presently stand.

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