Elephant Rock

 

Image credits: Department of Crown Land and Surveys (24/2/2019)

A unique natural landform and a community hub, Elephant Rock has served the local community for decades, with records dating back to the 1970s. The huge granite rock, shaped like the animal whom it is named after, is located on Beaconsfield – Emerald Road, Dewhurst. Regularly painted by professional painters and muralists including the likes of Ted VanGo and Katherine Brandenberger, as well as members of the public, the rock is sure to change with every drive by.

Announcements for births, deaths, marriages and other events allow the community to come together and celebrate the important moments in life, as well as the memories of loved ones.

    Louise Quinn-Watson, administrator for the Elephant Rock Facebook page, believes “Elephant Rock has been an important landmark of the area for many years. Most everyone has a memory or a story about it even if they’ve not painted it themselves.”

    The site allowed Louise and her family to commemorate and share their story with the community. “When my baby goddaughter [Ruby May Simmonds] passed away in 2017, my family and I painted the rock with Ruby’s name as a way of sharing her name with the world around us.”

Image credits: Elephant Rock Facebook Group (2/10/2021)

    During the Reservoir construction from 1970 to 1973, the original road to Emerald was to be abandoned, and the newly proposed road would run through where Elephant Rock was located, on the Bimbimbe property. At the time, construction workers believed the rock to be a fraction of the size. Upon digging, they discovered the rock would be far to difficult to remove. This lead to a problem; the new road would need to run right through the site. It was decided the rock would remain, and the road was constructed around it. Now a permanent fixture in many local lives, the rock is easily accessible via a public car park, offering views overlooking the Cardinia Reservoir. 

Image credits: Elephant Rock Facebook Group (24/2/2019)

    If you would like to follow the announcements made at Elephant Rock, follow Elephant Rock’s Facebook page.

 

Written by Brooke Pickering

References:

Jenny Pritchard, J. (2022, June), Landscaping at Elephant Rock. Upper Beaconsfield Village Bell. https://www.upperbeaconsfield.org.au/wp-content/uploads/upperbeac/Village-Bell-2022-228-Jun.pdf

Quinn-Watson, L. [@ElephantRock]. (2022, August 8), Elephant Rock [Facebook], https://www.facebook.com/TheElephantRock/

Pave Festival (2021), Elephant Rock Painting. Pave Festival. https://www.pavefestival.org.au/elephant-rock-painting/

Upper Beaconsfield History. (2022). History of Upper Beaconsfield. https://upperbeaconsfieldhistory.au 

Images:

Department of Crown Lands and Survey. (1971). Elephant Rock [Photograph]. Provided by Upper Beaconsfield History. Department of Crown Lands and Survey. (1971). Elephant Rock [Photograph]. Provided by Upper Beaconsfield History. Residents of Upper Beaconsfield and surrounding areas - Main Page (upperbeaconsfieldhistory.org.au)

Elephant Rock. [@ElephantRock]. (2011, 2 October). Elephant Rock [Photo]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/TheElephantRock/

Elephant Rock. [@ElephantRock]. (2019, 24 February). Elephant Rock [Photo]. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/TheElephantRock/