Nhill, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Nhill is a town in the Wimmera
, in western Victoria
, Australia
. Nhill is located on the Western Highway
, half-way between Adelaide
and Melbourne
. At the 2006 census
Nhill had a population of 1915.
Cobb and Co
coaches serviced Nhill from 1883.
The name Nhill is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘early morning mist rising over water’.
Nhill Post Office opened on 1 January 1881. An earlier rural office (1861) was replaced by Lawloit Post Office
Nhill was the first Victorian town after the state capital, Melbourne
, to be supplied with electricity. Electric lighting was installed by 1892.
The Little Desert Hotel of Kiata, 12 km east of Nhill,was rebuilt in 1902 after a fire destroyed the original building.
On 27 October 2008 it was the first stop for Hamish and Andy's Caravan of Courage II.
Lowan Whole Foods closed operations in March 2009. It has been reopened as Midwest Milling in 2010.
The release of the film Road to Nhill
in 1997 briefly placed Nhill in the national spotlight.
Nhill was the birthplace of Masters Australian football
(Superules).
Nhill is recognised by the transport industry as the halfway point by road between Melbourne and Adelaide. Transport companies use Nhill as their 'changeover' point.
Primary School and a P-12 public school
.
.
Nhill has a caravan park and a number of motels.
Every year Nhill host its "Duck & Jazz Festival" in mid February.
The Nhill Show is held each year on the second Thursday of October It includes rides, farm animals, rural Australian farm machinery, horse riding show, art competitions, cooking competitions, photo competitions and at the closing of the Show there is a fireworks display.
.
Nhill is also the base of the Cricket
competition known as the West Wimmera Cricket Association.
Nhill & Districts sporting club which includes football, Netball, Hockey and Cricket. Also it has a Tennis club and Pony Club.
Nhill has a golf course at the Nhill Golf Club on Netherby Road.
The horse racing club, the Wimmera Racing Club, holds the Nhill Cup meeting on Boxing day
(26 December).
player Jason McCartney, who suffered severe injuries during the 2002 Bali terrorist bombing, and later recovered enough to make a comeback to the sport.
Nhill is also the birthplace of Janet Powell
, leader of the Australian Democrats
between 1990 and 1991; and Senator for Victoria between 1986 and 1993.
Nhill is the residence of Steve Ward, 52, who defeated Tiger Woods in the 2009 Xbox 360 Live Gillette EA Sports World Championship of Gaming, in Orlando Florida, in February 2009.
, without specifically commemorating the town.
Wimmera
The Wimmera is a region in the west of the Australian state of Victoria.It covers the dryland farming area south of the range of Mallee scrub, east of the South Australia border and north of the Great Dividing Range...
, in western Victoria
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...
. Nhill is located on the Western Highway
Western Highway
Western Highway may refer to:*Western Highway, Victoria in Australia*Western Highway...
, half-way between Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. At the 2006 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,...
Nhill had a population of 1915.
History
The area has been home to the Wotjobaluk Aboriginal people for thousands of years and was first visited by Europeans in 1845. Brothers Frank and John Oliver decided to build a sawmill on Crown land beside the Dimboola-Lawloit road, the township of Nhill grew from there.Cobb and Co
Cobb and Co
Cobb and Co is the name of a transportation company in Australia. It was prominent in the late 19th century when it operated stagecoaches to many areas in the outback and at one point in several other countries, as well....
coaches serviced Nhill from 1883.
The name Nhill is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘early morning mist rising over water’.
Nhill Post Office opened on 1 January 1881. An earlier rural office (1861) was replaced by Lawloit Post Office
Nhill was the first Victorian town after the state capital, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, to be supplied with electricity. Electric lighting was installed by 1892.
The Little Desert Hotel of Kiata, 12 km east of Nhill,was rebuilt in 1902 after a fire destroyed the original building.
On 27 October 2008 it was the first stop for Hamish and Andy's Caravan of Courage II.
Lowan Whole Foods closed operations in March 2009. It has been reopened as Midwest Milling in 2010.
Current description
Nhill is the administrative headquarters for Shire of Hindmarsh and its 1915 residents are mainly employed in either farming or food processing, most notably in grain and fowl. The major employer in the town is Luv-a-Duck (and associated businesses). Tourism is another local industry; Nhill services the highway traffic passing through. Most of the inhabitants are Lutheran, but Anglican, Catholic, Uniting and Presbyterian churches also operate in the town.The release of the film Road to Nhill
Road to Nhill
Road to Nhill is a 1997 Australian comedy-drama film directed by Sue Brooks. The film won the "Golden Alexander" for Best Feature-Length Film at The International Thessaloniki Film Festival .-Plot:...
in 1997 briefly placed Nhill in the national spotlight.
Nhill was the birthplace of Masters Australian football
Masters Australian Football
Masters Australian Football is a sport based on the game of Australian rules football for players aged 35 years and over. The sport first commenced officially on 21 September 1981, after being founded by John Hammer in 1980 in Nhill, Victoria.Modifications to the rules reduce the physical impact...
(Superules).
Nhill is recognised by the transport industry as the halfway point by road between Melbourne and Adelaide. Transport companies use Nhill as their 'changeover' point.
Education
Nhill has a Lutheran Primary school, A CatholicRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Primary School and a P-12 public school
Nhill College
Nhill College is a public P-12 College located in Nhill, Victoria, Australia. The College is the main source of education for Nhill and the surrounding district, especially for secondary education where the only other option for families is sending students to boarding schools at larger regional...
.
Transport
Nhill railway station is serviced by The Overland that stops thrice a week. Air services are at Nhill AirportNhill Airport
Nhill Airport is located at Nhill, Victoria, Australia, about four hours northwest of Melbourne.-World War II:The Royal Australian Air Force commandeered the airfield during World War II.-No. 1 Operational Training Unit:...
.
Attractions
Nhill has four hotels; the Little Desert Hotel, the Commercial Hotel, the Farmers Arms Hotel and the Union Hotel.Nhill has a caravan park and a number of motels.
Every year Nhill host its "Duck & Jazz Festival" in mid February.
The Nhill Show is held each year on the second Thursday of October It includes rides, farm animals, rural Australian farm machinery, horse riding show, art competitions, cooking competitions, photo competitions and at the closing of the Show there is a fireworks display.
Sport
Nhill has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Wimmera Football LeagueWimmera Football League
The Wimmera Football League is based in Western Victoria, with clubs located in towns in the Wimmera region. The regional centres along the Western Highway from Ararat to Nhill as well as Minyip-Murtoa and Warracknabeal.The league is a major country league....
.
Nhill is also the base of the Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
competition known as the West Wimmera Cricket Association.
Nhill & Districts sporting club which includes football, Netball, Hockey and Cricket. Also it has a Tennis club and Pony Club.
Nhill has a golf course at the Nhill Golf Club on Netherby Road.
The horse racing club, the Wimmera Racing Club, holds the Nhill Cup meeting on Boxing day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
(26 December).
Notable people
Nhill is the hometown of Australian rules footballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player Jason McCartney, who suffered severe injuries during the 2002 Bali terrorist bombing, and later recovered enough to make a comeback to the sport.
Nhill is also the birthplace of Janet Powell
Janet Powell
Janet Frances Powell in Nhill, Victoria, is an Australian politician.She was appointed a senator for Victoria, representing the Australian Democrats, upon the resignation of the party's founder, Don Chipp, in 1986. She was elected the following year. She became the third leader of the party, from...
, leader of the Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
between 1990 and 1991; and Senator for Victoria between 1986 and 1993.
- David FloodDavid FloodDavid Flood is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Victorian/Australian Football League ....
(Footballer, Essendon) - Dean WallisDean WallisDean Wallis is a former Australian rules footballer for the Essendon Football Club of the AFL.Originally from Nhill, due to his physical style of play Wallis became known as one of the leagues toughest players...
(Footballer, Essendon)
Nhill is the residence of Steve Ward, 52, who defeated Tiger Woods in the 2009 Xbox 360 Live Gillette EA Sports World Championship of Gaming, in Orlando Florida, in February 2009.
Mars
The name Nhill is used as a name for a crater on the planet MarsMars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, without specifically commemorating the town.