Wyndham’s population has now overtaken that of the Greater Geelong municipality, making it the second-largest city in the state, but back in the 1920s the shire of Werribee was home to only a few thousand people.
According to the Victorian Municipal Directory and Gazetteer: Melbourne of 1927, about 7500 people lived in the shire area during the early ‘20s.
Nowadays, Wyndham’s population has topped 250,186 residents, according to population experts .id Consulting.
Watton Street of the 1920s is a far cry from the bustling main street it is today. Imagine ambling down the street in your horse-drawn buggy or T-model Ford. Businesses at the time included Douglas’ Cafe, Lowman’s Fruit and Confectionery Mart or L.J. Jelliss’ paint store.
You can take a walk down memory lane and get a snapshot of Wyndham’s past thanks to the State Library Victoria online digital archive. It features hundreds of historical photos of Werribee and Point Cook.
■ Step back in time: Pages 18-19
