Pakenham

Pakenham is a satellite suburb of Melbourne on the edge of the West Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia, 53 km (33 mi) south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shire of Cardinia local government area.

Pakenham is a satellite suburb of Melbourne on the edge of the West Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia, 53 km (33 mi) south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shire of Cardinia local government area. Pakenham recorded a population of 46,421 at the 2016 Census.

Pakenham has become a major growth area in south-eastern Melbourne as new housing developments have boosted its population and infrastructure, as exemplified in the development of the Lakeside, Heritage Springs & Cardinia Lakes estates.

Pakenham is situated in the Kulin nation traditional Aboriginal country. The Boon Wurrung people are local custodians within the Kulin nation.Pakenham was named after Sir Edward Pakenham (19 March 1778 – 8 January 1815), a British Major General who fought in the Peninsular War. On 8 January 1815, Pakenham was killed in action while leading his men at the Battle of New Orleans. The Neville and Bourke families arrived in Sydney on the Alquis in 1837, sponsored by the Governor George Gipps to migrate and settle in Melbourne. They arrived in Melbourne on the John Barry in 1839 and selected 5 miles by 5 miles of land now known as the area of Upper Pakenham.

The original Pakenham Post Office opened on 1 February 1859, was renamed Pakenham West on 1 October 1971, and was closed on 15 January 1974.

The existing Pakenham Post Office was opened on 11 June 1888 as Pakenham Railway Station Post Office, was renamed Pakenham East in 1908, and further renamed Pakenham on 1 October 1971.

The railway station was opened on 8 October 1877 and was a part of the east link connecting Melbourne to Pakenham and other eastern towns.In Pakenham there is the Cardinia Civic Concert Band Hall. The band originally started out as a brass band in the late 1880s. In the 1970s the band became a concert band and now has 60 members of all ages, abilities and instrumentations. The band currently performs at various events around the Cardinia Shire.