Werribee

The name Werribee is an aboriginal name meaning backbone or spine. It is thought that this name was given as the shape of the Werribee River valley in the landscape looks like a backbone. The Werribee River seems to have provided a boundary between the territories of the Woiwurong aborigines to the north east and the Wothowurong to the south west.Farmland around Werribee was subdivided to form new suburbs, mostly north of the railway line. The oldest of these areas is between Market and Tarneit Roads. Houses are mostly privately built and may be timber or brick.Werribee today remains a more self-contained city compared with outer suburbs of Melbourne. With a full range of good quality schools, community facilities and shops (including the ever-expanding werribee plaza shopping centre) its residents seldom need to travel more than 3 or 4 kilometres except possibly for work. The old Werribee town centre located in Watton Street continues to thrive and has recently been nominated by the Victorian State Government as a major activity centre under the Melbourne 2030 urban plan.