Beaufort, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Beaufort is a town in Victoria
, Australia
. It is located on the Western Highway
midway between Ararat
and Ballarat
, in the Pyrenees Shire
local government area. It is 387 metres above sea level. At the 2001 census
, Beaufort had a population of 987. The town takes its name either from Rear-Admiral Francis Beaufort
or a Welsh village in Monmouthshire
.
The area was once occupied by the Jajowarrung Aborigines
who called the area 'Peerick' or 'Yarram-yarram'.
Thomas Mitchell passed through the district on his expedition of 1836
. Early settlers in the area were the Kirkland Brothers and a Mr. Hamilton; the latter took up Trawalla Station in 1838
. The station
was taken over by Adolphus Goldsmith in 1841 and he developed the property into a rich grazing enterprise. Lake Goldsmith was named after him. Gold was discovered in 1852
, with another gold rush
from 1854
at nearby Fiery Creek. The Fiery Creek diggings
supported four townships — Beaufort, Yam Holes Creek, View Point and Southern Cross — during the 1850s. The population on the fields reportedly reached approximately 100,000 people at its height in the late 1850s and produced 450,000 ounces of gold over a two-year period, 1855–1856. The town was surveyed in 1857
and town allotments were sold from 1858
. By 1860
, Beaufort had become a small but strong agricultural, pastoral and timber district. Beaufort's Court House was built in 1863
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~adhs/190Mar01.htm http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/pages/pdfs/RaglanBeaufort.pdf and the Post Office renamed as Beaufort the same year (since 1855 having been known as Fiery Creek, Fiery Creek Pyrenees Gold Field, and Raglan).
Beaufort has been home to an all-ages, five-day (rave
) music and arts festival called Rainbow Serpent Festival
since 1998.
The town has its own railway station
on the Ararat railway line.
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Central Highlands Football League
.
The town has various successful businesses including Michael Unwin Wines, Epping Timber, McVilly's Timber and a school camp called Cave Hill Creek. The town also has a supermarket, chemist, newsagency, its own newspaper (Pyrenees Advocate) two pubs and cafes.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is located on the Western Highway
Western Highway
Western Highway may refer to:*Western Highway, Victoria in Australia*Western Highway...
midway between Ararat
Ararat, Victoria
Ararat is a city in south-west Victoria, Australia, about west of Melbourne, on the Western Highway on the eastern slopes of the Ararat Hills and Cemetery Creek valley between Victoria's Western District and the Wimmera...
and Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
, in the Pyrenees Shire
Pyrenees Shire
Pyrenees Shire is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the western part of the state. It includes the towns of Avoca and Beaufort. It was formed in 1994 from the merger of the Shire of Avoca, Shire of Lexton and Shire of Ripon...
local government area. It is 387 metres above sea level. At the 2001 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Beaufort had a population of 987. The town takes its name either from Rear-Admiral Francis Beaufort
Francis Beaufort
Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, FRS, FRGS was an Irish hydrographer and officer in Britain's Royal Navy...
or a Welsh village in Monmouthshire
Beaufort, Ebbw Vale
Beaufort is a village located in the historic county of Brecknockshire and the preserved county of Gwent. It currently lies on the northern edge of the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in Wales....
.
The area was once occupied by the Jajowarrung Aborigines
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
who called the area 'Peerick' or 'Yarram-yarram'.
Thomas Mitchell passed through the district on his expedition of 1836
1836 in Australia
See also:1835 in Australia,other events of 1836,1837 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.-Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales - Major-General Sir Richard Bourke...
. Early settlers in the area were the Kirkland Brothers and a Mr. Hamilton; the latter took up Trawalla Station in 1838
1838 in Australia
See also:1837 in Australia,other events of 1838,1839 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.- Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales - Sir George Gipps...
. The station
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
was taken over by Adolphus Goldsmith in 1841 and he developed the property into a rich grazing enterprise. Lake Goldsmith was named after him. Gold was discovered in 1852
1852 in Australia
See also:1851 in Australia,other events of 1852,1853 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.- Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales - Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy...
, with another gold rush
Victorian gold rush
The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s. In 10 years the Australian population nearly tripled.- Overview :During this era Victoria dominated the world's gold output...
from 1854
1854 in Australia
See also:1853 in Australia,other events of 1854,1855 in Australia, and theTimeline of Australian history.- Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales - Sir Charles Augustus FitzRoy...
at nearby Fiery Creek. The Fiery Creek diggings
Diggings
The Diggings was a colloquial term used to describe the gold rush locations in Australia during the 1850s. Gold miners - the diggers - would describe their journey "to the diggings" and say they were "at the diggings"...
supported four townships — Beaufort, Yam Holes Creek, View Point and Southern Cross — during the 1850s. The population on the fields reportedly reached approximately 100,000 people at its height in the late 1850s and produced 450,000 ounces of gold over a two-year period, 1855–1856. The town was surveyed in 1857
1857 in Australia
See also:1856 in Australia,other events of 1857,1858 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.- Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales - Sir William Denison...
and town allotments were sold from 1858
1858 in Australia
See also:1857 in Australia,other events of 1858,1859 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.- Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales – Sir William Denison...
. By 1860
1860 in Australia
See also:1859 in Australia,other events of 1860,1861 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.- Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales - Sir William Dennison*Governor of Queensland - Sir George Bowen...
, Beaufort had become a small but strong agricultural, pastoral and timber district. Beaufort's Court House was built in 1863
1863 in Australia
See also:1862 in Australia,other events of 1863,1864 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.-Governors:Governors of the Australian colonies:*Governor of New South Wales — John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar*Governor of Queensland — Sir George Bowen...
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~adhs/190Mar01.htm http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au/pages/pdfs/RaglanBeaufort.pdf and the Post Office renamed as Beaufort the same year (since 1855 having been known as Fiery Creek, Fiery Creek Pyrenees Gold Field, and Raglan).
Beaufort has been home to an all-ages, five-day (rave
Rave music
Rave music may either refer the late 1980s genre or any genre of electronic dance music that may be played at an electronic dance party such as a rave. Very rarely, the term is used to refer to less electronic related genres glam, powerpop, psychedelic rock and dub music parties...
) music and arts festival called Rainbow Serpent Festival
Rainbow Serpent Festival
The Rainbow Serpent Festival is a large electronic music, art and lifestyle festival, located in Victoria, Australia. The festival is mainly known for Psychedelic trance and Minimal Techno music, but also features other genres of electronic music and non electronic music in the smaller stages...
since 1998.
The town has its own railway station
Beaufort railway station, Victoria
Beaufort is a railway station on the Ararat railway line in Beaufort, Victoria, Australia. It is 165 km from Southern Cross Station. The station has been re-opened since the re-opening of the Ararat line. Prior to Sunday 14 June 2009 when Wendouree station opened, Beaufort was the only station...
on the Ararat railway line.
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Central Highlands Football League
Central Highlands Football League
The Central Highlands Football League is an Australian Rules Football League in the Ballarat region. The league coordinates Senior, Reserve, Under 18 and Under 15 grades.-History:...
.
The town has various successful businesses including Michael Unwin Wines, Epping Timber, McVilly's Timber and a school camp called Cave Hill Creek. The town also has a supermarket, chemist, newsagency, its own newspaper (Pyrenees Advocate) two pubs and cafes.