A photograph of the Vallance and Edney Store in Longwarry c1895.

At about the same time that the railway line was completed in 1878, so was a rough road that started at Sale Rd and ran south to cross the railway line at Longwarry. This is still where the rail crossing is today.
Called the Yannathan Rd, it still exists today but is named Sand Rd and Princes Ave.
The road and rail crossing attracted a settlement of sorts. It consisted of men who were working as sleeper cutters or firewood cutters and they built bark huts on what was Crown land.
To have some security on their huts, they took out miner's rights. Although, it is doubtful that even one hole was dug.
When Donald Fraser moved his sawmill to the area in 1883, the Crown threatened to sue him. The situation didn't suit Fraser either. Without any planning, he could lose access to the rail siding at any time, so he petitioned the government to have a land survey conducted and lots sold off.
By 1886, a survey had been completed and 182 blocks of land were created for the what is now the township of Longwarry.
From this survey, records show 46 blocks were sold to just 26 people. Fraser and his wife bought five, which guaranteed continued access to the rail siding. Another buyer was T. L. Pemberton who bought nine blocks.
Pemberton came to the district as early as 1873. He had selected land to clear and farm south of the railway line before purchasing blocks in the town.
With the availability of blocks, businesses also began to set up.
A railway station opened in 1886 and a post office, run by the station master's wife, was situated on the station platform.
Perkins and Harborn set up a firewood mill in the rail yards so they could easily load onto the waiting wagons.
A Mechanics' Institute, or public hall, was erected in the early 1890s on the site of the current hall.
It was not long before there were blacksmiths, farriers, bakers, butchers, a newsagent, grocers and general produce stores in the town.
A Mrs Green provided the town's first milk supply from her heard of goats.
Chinese man Jimmy Ah Ling was a well known figure in the early life of the town. It is believed he arrived in Longwarry in the early 1890s and for many years supplied the people of Longwarry with quality vegetables from his market garden on the eastern end of Bennett St near Edgars Rd.
On what is now the corner of Drouin-Longwarry Rd and Mackey St, Stone and Calvert set up a butcher's shop and this later became a general store.
This store eventually passed to J. Edney and his business partner Mr Vallance.
Vallance was a very well-known man in the town and district. Apart from selling groceries and hardware, he had a photography studio out the back of the store and sold refreshments in the café. He often drove throughout the district in a horse and jinker recording peoples' activities with a heavy wooden camera.
There have been two hotels in Longwarry at the same time, almost opposite each other.
One on the current site and the other on the corner of Flinders Rd and Kennedy St, which burnt down and was replaced by Hoople's store.
The sites of many of these early businesses remain as business sites today.Photograph and information courtesy of Longwarry and District History Group.
The Longwarry and District History Group is dedicated to preserving the history of the 3816 postcode, including Labertouche, Longwarry North and Modella.
To join, offer support or for further information, visit longwarryhistory.org