Brief History The 1950’s orchardist cottage and some adjoining land was purchased by Lillydale Council in 1978 to extend the recreation reserve. In February 1980 a meeting of interested local residents formed a management committee and the Cottage was used as a meeting place and for skill sharing. It is a credit to the community spirit of the dedicated volunteers that the cottage was operating for ten years without a paid co-ordinator. The Cottage became an incorporated body in 1993. With amalgamations in 1995 Wonga Park became part of the City of Manningham. The area changed from a quiet semi-rural area of orchardists to an increasingly busy, largely residential community, demanding increased services. Manningham City Council refurbished and extended the existing buildings to create an integrated facility encompassing the Wonga Park Community Cottage and Occasional Child Care, the Burch Memorial Preschool, Wonga Park Playgroup and the Maternal and Child Health Service. The new centre opened in 2005. This enabled the community to have increased access to the cottage courses and activities, providing the cottage with the opportunity to expand and meet their ever changing needs.