Silverleaves

For other uses, see Silver leaf (disambiguation).

Silverleaves
Town
Silverleaves
Coordinates: 38°27′11″S 145°15′53″E
Country	Australia
State	Victoria
LGA	Bass Coast Shire
Location	149 km (93 mi) SE of Melbourne 50 km (31 mi) W of Wonthaggi 3 km (1.9 mi) W of Cowes
Government
• State electorate	Bass
• Federal division	Monash
Population
• Total	211 (2016 census)
Postcode	3922

Silverleaves is a small town on Phillip Island, situated east of Cowes. At the 2016 census, Silverleaves had a population of 211. The name “Silverleaves” is believed to derive from the silvery-grey leaves of the coast banksia trees abundant in the dunes and foreshore in the area.

In 1950, the area, then basically scrubby, unfarmed sand dunes east of Cowes, was subdivided into housing allotments for holiday homes . About 250 lots were created between 1955 and 1962 as part of the Silverleaves Estate. 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, and grew specifically as a holiday hamlet. Many buyers built simple fibro cottages or beach shacks among the banksias and tea-trees. In the late 1950s and 1960s, Silverleaves had a reputation as a tranquil hideaway “off the beaten track”, compared to busier Cowes.