View source for Rowville

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type      = suburb
| name      = Rowville
| city      = Melbourne
| state     = vic
| image     = Intersection_of_Stud_Road_and_Wellington_Road_looking_west,_Rowville.jpg
| caption   = Intersection of [[Dandenong Valley Highway|Stud]] and Wellington roads, Rowville, 2019
| lga       = City of Knox
| alternative_location_map = Australia Victoria metropolitan Melbourne
| coordinates = {{coord|37.937|S|145.229|E|display=inline,title}}
| postcode  = 3178
| pop       = 33,571
| pop_year  = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name=ABS2021>{{Census 2021 AUS | id = SAL22207 | name = Rowville (Suburbs and Localities) | accessdate = 14 July 2022 | quick = on}}</ref>
| elevation = 70
| area      = 19.5
| est       = 1882
| stategov  = [[Electoral district of Rowville|Rowville]]
| fedgov    = [[Division of Aston|Aston]]
| mintemp   = 
| maxtemp   = 
| rainfall  = 
| dist1     = 27
| location1 = [[Melbourne central business district|Melbourne]]
| dist2     = 7
| location2 = [[Dandenong]]
| near-nw   = [[Wheelers Hill, Victoria|Wheelers Hill]]
| near-n    = [[Scoresby, Victoria|Scoresby]]
| near-ne   = [[Ferntree Gully, Victoria|Ferntree Gully]]
| near-w    = [[Mulgrave, Victoria|Mulgrave]]
| near-e    = [[Lysterfield, Victoria|Lysterfield]]
| near-sw   = [[Dandenong North, Victoria|Dandenong North]]
| near-s    = [[Endeavour Hills, Victoria|Endeavour Hills]]
| near-se   = [[Lysterfield South, Victoria|Lysterfield South]]
| local_map = yes
| zoom      = 11
}}

[[Image:Tirhatuan Wetlands.PNG|thumbnail|right|Tirhatuan Wetlands, to the south of Rowville, 2014]]

'''Rowville''' is a suburb in [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], [[Australia]], {{Convert|27|km|abbr=on}} south-east of Melbourne's [[Melbourne central business district|Central Business District]], located within the [[City of Knox]] [[Local government areas of Victoria|local government area]]. Rowville recorded a population of 33,571 at the [[2021 Australian census|2021 census]].<ref name=ABS2021/> Rowville is one of the largest suburbs south-east of Melbourne.

The Rowville branch of [[Eastern Regional Libraries|Your Library]] (formerly Eastern Regional Libraries), adjacent to the Rowville Community Centre under the Clock Tower. The Stringybark Festival is held at the centre on the third weekend of every October and attracts over 25,000 visitors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.knox.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=197&h=0|title=Stringybark Suburban Sustainability Festival|website=Knox City Council|year=2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406125424/http://www.knox.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=197&h=0|archive-date=6 April 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref> The event is organised by the Knox Council, and is one of Australia's longest running sustainability events. There are three golf courses within Rowville. Stud Park is currently being expanded.

Rowville is at the intersection of many local government areas with the suburb connecting to suburbs within the [[Yarra Ranges Shire]], [[City of Monash]], [[City of Greater Dandenong]], [[City of Casey]] and [[City of Knox]].

==History==
Rowville is named after the Row family, whose property Stamford Park was established in 1882.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://victorianplaces.com.au/rowville|title=Rowville|website=Victorian Places|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref> The Stamford Park homestead has been restored in recent years by Knox Council.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/eating-out/stamford-park-homestead-has-been-restored-for-high-times-and-high-tea-20190308-h1c5f2.html|work=[[Vogue Australia]]|author=Sassall, Yeong|date=9 May 2019|title=A heritage Victorian homestead reimagined as a stunning restaurant and event space|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/eating-out/stamford-park-homestead-has-been-restored-for-high-times-and-high-tea-20190308-h1c5f2.html|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald|Sydney Morning Herald]]|title=Stamford Park Homestead has been restored for high times and high tea|date=8 March 2019|author=Cody, Gemima|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref>

Rowville Post Office opened on 20 December 1905 and closed in 1987. In 1989, it reopened in the new Stud Park (formerly Darryl Park) Shopping Centre.<ref name = "a">{{Cite web| website = Phoenix Auctions History | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Rowville* | access-date = 31 March 2021}}</ref>

Rowville developed rapidly throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with housing and light industrial premises being built.{{cb|date=January 2024}} Rowville has many suburban subdivisions, the more recent ones including the Sovereign Crest Estate and the Timbertop Estate. Sovereign Crest Estate is a medium-sized estate located on parts of Karoo Road. The development included the construction of the Wellington Village shopping centre on Wellington Road, complementing the Rowville Lakes shopping centre on Kelletts Road. 

==Education==
Rowville has one dual-campus high school, [[Rowville Secondary College]], with an Eastern Campus (7–12) and a Western Campus (7–12). Students from the Eastern Campus used to move to the Western Campus to complete their VCE. But now they can complete VCE at the eastern campus as well.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025|reason=Source for Eastern campus students needing to complete VCE at the Western Campus, and when it changed}}

Rowville is served by four public primary schools:

* Rowville Primary School (established 1973)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://rlcnews.com.au/articles/schools/|title=Schools|work=Rowville-Lysterfield Community News|date=March 1996|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref>
* Park Ridge Primary (established 1990)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vic.gov.au/park-ridge-primary-school-number-5281|title=Park Ridge Primary School - Number 5281|website=Victorian Schools Directory|publisher=Government of Victoria|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref>
* Karoo Primary School (established 1992)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vic.gov.au/karoo-primary-school-number-5295|website=Victorian Schools Directory|publisher=Government of Victoria|access-date=6 July 2025|title=Karoo Primary School - Number 5295}}</ref>
* Heany Park Primary (established 1993)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vic.gov.au/heany-park-primary-school-number-5345|title=Heany Park Primary School - Number 5345|website=Victorian Schools Directory|publisher=Government of Victoria|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref>

It is also served by a Catholic primary school, St. Simon the Apostle School, which was established in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.macs.vic.edu.au/SchoolInformation.aspx?School_ENumber=E1323|title=St Simon's School, Rowville|website=Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref> 

When Lysterfield Primary School moved to its present site in the 1990s, it was based in Rowville, however the boundary between the suburbs has changed and Lysterfield Primary is once again in Lysterfield.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}

==Commerce==

Rowville's main centre of commerce is Stud Park Shopping Centre which opened in 1989<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://rlcnews.com.au/pdf/?magazinemonth=August-1989|work=Rowville-Lysterfield Community News|date=August 1989|issue=86|title=Thanks for the welcome! Stud Park Shopping Centre now open|page=11|access-date=6 July 2025}}</ref> and is the largest shopping centre in the suburb. It houses Coles, Woolworths and Kmart stores, and over 60 specialty stores including two hairdressers, a pharmacy, two travel agents, banks, a vet and assorted food outlets. It has approximately 1500 car park spaces and is serviced regularly by bus services.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.studparksc.com.au/ |title=Stud Park |website=www.studparksc.com.au |access-date=18 March 2012}}</ref>

Wellington Village, in Wellington Road, is Rowville's second-largest shopping centre. Rowville Lakes is a third, smaller shopping centre on Kelletts Road.

==Sport==
* Rowville Football Club in the [[Eastern Football League (Australia)|Eastern Football League]]
* Rowville Knights Community Football Club in the Eastern Football League<ref name="test">[http://www.stsimonsknights.org.au St. Simons Football Club]. Retrieved 1 June 2010.</ref>
* [[Lysterfield]] Junior Football Club in the Eastern Football League
* Rowville Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
* Eildon Park Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
* Lysterfield Cricket Club in the Ferntree Gully District Cricket Association
* Rowville Eagles Soccer Club
* Knox United Soccer Club
* Knox Churches Soccer Club
* Blue Park
* Eildon Park Tennis Club
* Rowville Tennis Club
* Rowville Netball Club
* Aston Athletic FC
* Rowville Little Athletics Club
* Rowville Lakes Little Athletics Club
* Rowville Rockets Basketball Club  
* Lysterfield Netball Club
*Omega Trampoline Sports Club

Golfers play at the Kingston Links on Corporate Avenue,<ref name="golf">{{Citation  | author= Golf Select | title = Kingston Links | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=366 | access-date = 11 May 2009}}</ref> at the course of the Tirhatuan Park Golf Club on Police and Stud Roads<ref name="golf2">{{Citation  | author= Golf Select | title = Tirhatuan Park | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=691 | access-date = 11 May 2009}}</ref> or at the course of the Waverley Golf Club on Bergins Road.<ref name="golf3">{{Citation  | author= Golf Select | title = Waverley | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=334 | access-date = 11 May 2009}}</ref>

==Community service groups==
Rowville is supported by local community groups, including the 1st Rowville Scout Group since 1972 and based in its Scout Hall since 1991.

Heany Park Scout Group has been a part of the Rowville community since 1965, starting as 3rd Knox Scout Group. It later moved to Heany Park in 2001 and its name was changed to Heany Park Scout Group. Surrounding the Heany Park Scout Hall is Heany Park, which comprises {{convert|23|acre|order=flip|0}} of natural bushland .

==Governance==
Rowville is in the federal [[Division of Aston]], which is held by [[Mary Doyle]] of the [[Australian Labor Party]]

Rowville is in the state [[Victorian Legislative Assembly|Legislative Assembly]] seat of [[Electoral district of Rowville|Rowville]], which is held by [[Kim Wells (Victoria politician)|Kim Wells]] of the Liberal Party.

Rowville is part of the [[City of Knox]] and is represented by three ward councillors.

==See also==
*[[2012 Rowville Rail Study]]
*[[Rowville Training Camp]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{City of Knox suburbs}}

[[Category:Suburbs of Melbourne]]
[[Category:Suburbs of the City of Knox]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1882]]