Long before Warburton became a township, the Upper Yarra Valley was cared for by the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people. European settlement accelerated after the gold rush of the 1850s, but timber soon became the industry that shaped the town. Following the railway’s arrival in 1901, more than 60 sawmills and an extensive network of timber tramways operated throughout the surrounding forests.

Millhands, sawyers, timber cutters and tramway workers became the backbone of the growing community. Dating from around 1905, Millhands Cottage recalls this formative period and the modest homes occupied by workers and their families.

Although the mills eventually closed, their legacy remains in Warburton’s cottages, rail trail and surrounding forests—tangible reminders of a town built through timber, hard work and community. Further historical detail on Warburton here.

Black and white photo of three men wearing hats and suits, standing on a wooden wagon with large wheels, outdoors with trees in the background.
People dressed in early 20th-century clothing pose on a tramway track in a wooded area near Old Warburton, with a tram rail stored on a rack in the background.
A rural landscape featuring grassy fields, dirt roads crossing the area, and several small white houses. Large trees are scattered throughout, with a mountain or hillside in the background. In the foreground, there's a fence and a mailbox beside a railroad track.