Tohme Lawyers – a stone’s throw from both Keilor Park and Keilor East
Tohme Lawyers is a vibrant legal practice based in Essendon Fields, just 7km from Keilor East and 6km from Keilor Park.
If you are looking for a lawyer in Keilor East and Keilor Park, consider Tohme Lawyers—we are conveniently located nearby, just across the Calder Freeway.
Tohme Lawyers recognizes and values the history, development and landmarks of both Keilor East and Keilor Park.
Indigenous History
Keilor East and Keilor Park are located on Wurundjeri Country, where the Maribyrnong River and Steele Creek played a crucial role in sustaining Indigenous communities for thousands of years.
The Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation used these waterways for fishing, hunting, and as travel routes. Archaeological finds, such as silcrete quarry sites and ancient remains near the Keilor archaeological site, confirm continuous habitation dating back over 30,000 years.
The name Maribyrnong itself is derived from Woiwurrung words, possibly meaning “running water” or “I can hear a ringtail possum.” European settlement in the 1830s led to dispossession and significant population decline among the Wurundjeri, but their cultural legacy remains embedded in the region’s landscape and place names.
European Settlement and Early Land Use
Both Keilor East and Keilor Park were initially part of the broader rural outskirts of Keilor. In the mid-19th century, large pastoral estates, such as Overnewton, dominated the landscape.
Owned by William Taylor, Overnewton Estate spanned over 11,000 acres before being subdivided in the early 1900s to accommodate smaller farms.
Keilor Road became a significant route connecting Melbourne to Keilor, attracting travellers heading to the goldfields.
Many early settlers, particularly Irish families, farmed the fertile volcanic soil. A notable landowner was Thomas Napier, after whom Napier Street is named.
Meanwhile, Keilor Park remained primarily agricultural, with market gardens and dairy farms thriving along the Maribyrnong River.
One of its most significant early features was Solomon’s Ford, a natural river crossing used by both Indigenous Australians and European settlers, which later became an important site for livestock movement.
In 1927, architect Walter Burley Griffin designed Milleara Estate, envisioning a planned “garden suburb” for what would become parts of Keilor East and Avondale Heights.
While his full vision was never realized, remnants of his design, such as Tuppal Reserve, still exist.
However, both suburbs remained largely undeveloped farmland until after World War II.
Tohme Lawyers – expert lawyers near me in Keilor Park and Keilor West
Close to Keilor Park and Keilor West is Tohme Lawyers, a professional legal firm with a broad range of services, including commercial law, conveyancing, contracts, family law, litigation, employment law, and more!
If you are looking for a Keilor Park lawyer and Keilor West lawyer (aka solicitor), look no further!
Post-War Development and Suburban Growth
Keilor East and Keilor Park experienced significant transformation after World War II. Melbourne’s post-war housing shortage saw rapid suburbanization, particularly in Keilor East, where new estates replaced farmland.
The area’s first Post Office opened in 1947, and by the early 1960s, it had developed into a fully-fledged residential suburb.
Many homes from this period were simple weatherboard or brick veneer constructions.
Keilor Park’s suburbanization began slightly later, in the late 1960s, as Keilor’s population expanded.
By 1971, with the opening of Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) to the north, Keilor Park became a distinct suburb.
Affordable land and improved transport access, including the construction of Keilor Park Drive, attracted young families and immigrants.
The suburb also developed light industrial zones while retaining pockets of residential housing.
The establishment of major transport links, including the Calder Freeway and Western Ring Road, further integrated both suburbs into Melbourne’s growing metropolitan area.
Milleara Shopping Centre, East Keilor Leisure Centre, and various schools were built to serve the expanding population.
Landmarks and Heritage
Despite their suburban nature, Keilor East and Keilor Park retain significant historical sites.
Spring Gully Reserve and the Maribyrnong River parklands preserve the natural environment once utilized by the Wurundjeri.
Afton Street Conservation Reserve, across the river in Essendon West, offers trails and remnants of past sand mining activities.
Essendon Airport, which borders Keilor East, played a major role in the suburb’s growth.
Its Art Deco terminal and control tower, built in the mid-20th century, remain heritage-listed.
The Lincolnshire Arms Hotel, operating since the 1850s, is another historical landmark reflecting the area’s early days as a traveller’s stop.
Keilor Park is home to Brimbank Park, a major environmental and recreational reserve created in 1976, preserving Indigenous heritage and riverbank landscapes.
The nearby Maribyrnong River Viaduct, a striking railway trestle bridge from 1929, symbolizes early 20th-century infrastructure development.
St. Augustine’s Church (1858), just across the freeway in Keilor, is another reminder of the area’s early European settlement.
Modern Identity
Today, Keilor East and Keilor Park balance history with modern suburban living. The legacy of market gardens, aviation landmarks, and transport developments continues to shape their evolving identity.
Both suburbs remain vibrant residential areas, reflecting Melbourne’s broader story of Indigenous heritage, colonial expansion, and post-war urbanisation.
Contact Keilor East and Keilor Park Lawyer (or Keilor Park Solicitor) – Tohme Lawyers
For expert, professional legal advice, contact Tohme Lawyers, who are close to both Keilor East and Keilor Park in Essendon Fields.
