Brimbank contains natural features of national, state, regional and local significance. Plains Grassland Ecological Vegetation Community is one of the most significant and endangered vegetation communities in Victoria. Pre 1750 mapping shows that it once covered a vast majority of the Brimbank municipality.

St Albans has many of these characteristics beneath its urban form. Alfrieda Street is built over bluestone volcanic rocks and clay soil. It is important to bring these qualities to surface and make them part of the design material palette.

The Wurundjeri and Bunurong people are the custodians of the land in the Port Phillip Bay region, including parts of our current City of Brimbank, for over 60,000 years before European settlement.

The Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council determined the northern part of Brimbank as Wurundjeri Land and the southern part as Bunurong Land.

Sadly, there is little information around Indigenous history in western regions and their ways of living. What’s known is that the clans caring for the land in this area quickly disintegrated post European Settlement. The western regions were one of the first regions in Victoria to be taken over by the British settlers. The lush grasslands of the basalt plains were very attractive to the pastoralists.

The large number of artefacts and significant sites found within Brimbank highlights the area’s long and extensive occupation by Aboriginal People before Europeans arrived.

A number of Aboriginal archaeological places are located in Brimbank Park. The park’s Information Centre includes an Aboriginal cultural display. It also has maps of walking trails to help you discover the park's natural and cultural heritage.

The Master Plan aims to actively and meaningfully engage with the traditional owners to bring their stories of the country into the site.

When the first European settlers arrived in 1830s they found the land primed for agriculture as it contained very few trees and lush open grasslands. The pastoral settlers occupied the area in 1850s and they were the first migrants of St Albans. But the clay soil, dry climate, and lack of water made a harsh condition for the farmers.

The gold rush and the Selection Act in 1860s brought more European migrant settlers to the area.

The opening of new factories in Sunshine in early 20th century brought more British settlers to the area.

In 1887, St Albans became an “architect-designed” suburb of Brimbank when Cosmopolitan Land & Banking Company moved to the area as the result of the new train station.

At the time St Albans was described as ‘the healthiest suburb in Melbourne, only 22 minutes from Town, with splendid views.

The opening of Western Institute in 1986 in St Albans was an important development in the educational history of Brimbank area. St Albans itself had the first Mechanics’ Institute in the area which was established by local people in 1906. The Mechanics’ institute became a popular community venue for many years which held Shakespeare night, concerts and dances.

The community hubs were one of the very integral part of the migrant communities’ life in St Albans. The land of Errington Reserve located opposite the Tin Shed was donated by Alice Errington to the people of St Albans in 1930s. It became the place for many community fêtes and bazaars and has been the home for many clubs. The ‘Tin Shed’ has been a centre of local sports, arts and social life. With dances, concerts, classes and groups, involving thousands of young people since 1954.

The aim of the Master Plan is to bring back the architecturally designed healthy city.

The development of the Master Plan is an action in the

• Council Plan
• St Albans Precinct Structure Plan, and
• Go St Albans Action Plan.

These plans, policies and strategies are the foundation of this Master Plan.