Silverleaves is a small town on Phillip Island situated east of Cowes, Victoria. At the 2016 census, Silverleaves had a population of 211.[1] Its name “Silverleaves” is believed to derive from the silvery-grey leaves of the Coast Banksia trees abundant in the area’s dunes and foreshore.[2][3] In 1950, the area, then basically scrubby, unfarmed sand dunes east of Cowes, was subdivided into housing allotments for holiday homes .[4] About 250 lots were created between 1955 and 1962 as part of this Silverleaves estate, at the eastern end of Cowes’ foreshore.[5] The subdivision was marketed to families from Melbourne and elsewhere as a peaceful seaside holiday retreat. Unlike some neighbouring townships, Silverleaves was not a farming village or fishing port. It grew specifically as a holiday hamlet. Many buyers built simple fibro cottages or beach shacks among the banksias and tea-trees. By the late 1950s and 1960s, Silverleaves had a reputation as a tranquil hideaway, “off the beaten track” compared to busier Cowes.
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