the western side of the town 1989. St Mark's Anglican Church was built in 1866, followed by St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in 1869. St Rose of Lima Catholic Church was constructed in 1875. In 1866, a site was selected for a Mechanic's Institute. The building was opened in 1875. Rosedale was proclaimed a Road District in February 1869. Two years later, it became the Rosedale Shire Council. It had four areas – Rosedale, Toongabbie, Denison and Traralgon. In 1879, Traralgon became a separate shire. The Rosedale Railway Station was opened on 1 June 1877, as part of the Morwell to Sale line. It was not until 1879 that the remaining sections from Melbourne to Sale were all completed. The area was once part of the Holey Plain grazing run, owned by the Curlewis brothers. Edward Crooke, who emigrated to Australia in 1837 and purchased a station at Omeo in the early 1840s, used the run as a holding station for the livestock which he drove to Port Albert for shipment to Van Diemen's Land. He later leased the property and his son built an impressive homestead with a four-tiered tower on the site in 1889. Crooke's descendants still live in the district. Other notable homesteads are Snake's Ridge (now known as The Ridge) on the northern bank of the LaTrobe River, and Nambrok about eight kilometres to the east along the Princes Highway. A pyneboard factory was opened in 1964 by the Premier of Victoria, Mr Henry Bolte. It operated for some 15 years. The plant was used subsequently as a leather tanning works. The Rosedale Magistrates' Court closed on 1 July 1981, not having been visited by a Magistrate since 1972. Sport The town has a football club in the North Gippsland Football Netball League, previously the North Gippsland Football League. The Club won the Firsts Premiership in 1965, 2001 and 2015. The club previously played the Sale Cowwarr Football League, where the Firsts were Premiers in 1958, 1961 and 1962. The Rosedale Recreation Reserve comprises two ovals and two netball courts. It is the home of the Rosedale Football Club, the Rosedale Netball Club, the Rosedale Kilmany Cricket Club, the Rosedale Junior Football Club and the Rosedale Badminton Club. The town also has a bowls club, a golf club, a tennis club and a rifle range. Thoroughbred horse racing was conducted at Rosedale for over a century, with