The suburb of Doveton was named in September 1954, after Captain John Doveton. Captain Doveton and his wife Margaret, owned land in the area from the 1890s. Doveton was established by the Housing Commission to provide housing for the employees of the 'Big Three' Industrial companies, International Harvestor Company, H.J Heinz and General Motors Holden. The Housing Commission had purchased the 267 hectare (660 acres) site in 1954 and the first houses were occupied in December 1955. A tight knit community soon developed and by 1960 there were two state schools and a Catholic school, shops, Scout groups, a Fire Brigade. Other community facilities followed. Maria Harding has written a book Doveton : a brief history, outlining the early days of the new town. It can be purchased at Doveton Library for the modest price of $3.00.
Syd Pargeter represented the people of Doveton, from 1963-1994, as a Councillor with the Shire of Berwick, City of Berwick and City of Casey. Syd has written an eclectic book The Money miracle that paid for a "new town" and created Australia's best new city. It tells of his life of a Councillor and the fight for facilities, such as the Doveton Library and the Doveton Swimming pool, and rate reform which would see the 'Big Three' pay a more equitable share of the rates. These two books tell the story of the development of Doveton from the vacant paddocks in the 1950s to the community that it is today.
These photos are from Maria Harding's book Doveton: a brief history. The top photo is 'Looking west form Doveton Avenue in 1954' and the bottom photo is 'looking west in 1956' - clearly showing the development in the past two years.
