The Djab wurrung people lived in this region to the south and east of the Grampians for over 4,000 years prior to the arrival of the Europeans. The first pastoralists took up properties in the late 1830s and there was a decade of sometimes violent clashes with the Djab wurrung. A small township developed which was initially known as Mount Sturgeon, after the European name for the mount behind the town. A post office of that name opened on 1 July 1852 (Dunkeld from 1 January 1854);[2] but, as the early settlers were predominantly Scottish, it was renamed Dunkeld after a Scottish town which was the principal locality of the Caledonian picts in Roman times.[3]
At a strategic point south of the Grampians for road traffic and surrounded by fine wool producing country, Dunkeld thrived in the mid-19th century. The Robertson's Woolpack Inn was the first building to be erected in 1845, followed by five other hotels - the Shamrock and the Western, the Royal Mail, the Collins Railway Hotel and the Family Inn. Road traffic declined with the opening of the railway (1877 to Hamilton and Ararat, with another short-lived line going south to Penshurst). Louis Buvelot, Eugene von Guerard and Nicholas Chevalier all made paintings of the district, where Mt Murdadjoog (Mt Abrupt) and Mt Wurgarri (Mt Sturgeon) provide a backdrop.
In January 1944, fires destroyed one-third of Dunkeld's houses and only the Royal Mail Hotel remains from the five original establishments.[4] Today Dunkeld contains two upmarket restaurants and ample accommodation. There is also a general store, bakery with accommodation, five cafes, post office, art gallery, bookshop, gift shop, petrol station (under reconstruction 2019), pharmacy, primary school, childcare centre, local museum, bookshop, (sandstone) stonemason and a hardware store, tourist information centre and 2 churches. Residents access most other services they need in Hamilton but the railway line has been closed for some years. Wool and hay production continues on the surrounding farms. The timber industry has now ceased, but there is at least one local vineyard. There is a caravan park with campsites and a variety of other tourist accommodation, and tourism is now the main employer. A 40-ha property, "Heathlands", was owned by naturalist Graham Pizzey, author of A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia.[5]
Dunkeld has a horse racing club, the Dunkeld Racing Club, which runs the Dunkeld Cup meeting in November.[6] The town, in conjunction with nearby township Glenthompson, has an Australian rules football team, called Glenthompson-Dunkeld, competing in the Mininera & District Football League. The team won the league's premiership in 2010. Golfers play at the Grampians Golf Club on Victoria Valley Road.[7]
^Phoenix Auctions History, Post Office List, retrieved 6 March 2021
^"Dunkeld - Victoria - Australia - Travel - smh.com.au". www.smh.com.au. Retrieved 19 May 2008.
^"Devastation at Dunkeld". The Horsham Times. No. 8738. Victoria, Australia. 18 January 1944. p. 2. Retrieved 7 December 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
Media related to Dunkeld, Victoria at Wikimedia Commons
Official Tourism Victoria website
Royal Mail Hotel website
August 22, 2023
dunkeld, victoria, dunkeld, town, victoria, australia, southern, grampians, national, park, shire, southern, grampians, approx, west, melbourne, glenelg, highway, town, population, holding, steady, ageing, 2016, census, dunkeld, population, dunkeld, victoriaro. Dunkeld is a town in Victoria Australia at the southern end of the Grampians National Park in the Shire of Southern Grampians It is approx 283 km west of Melbourne on the Glenelg Highway The town s population is holding steady but ageing At the 2016 census Dunkeld had a population of 678 1 Dunkeld VictoriaRoyal Mail Hotel with the Grampians in the backgroundDunkeldCoordinates37 39 0 S 142 21 0 E 37 65000 S 142 35000 E 37 65000 142 35000Population678 2016 census 1 Postcode s 3294Location283 km 176 mi W of Melbourne147 km 91 mi W of Ballarat76 km 47 mi SW of Ararat33 km 21 mi NE of HamiltonLGA s Shire of Southern GrampiansState electorate s LowanFederal division s WannonThe Djab wurrung people lived in this region to the south and east of the Grampians for over 4 000 years prior to the arrival of the Europeans The first pastoralists took up properties in the late 1830s and there was a decade of sometimes violent clashes with the Djab wurrung A small township developed which was initially known as Mount Sturgeon after the European name for the mount behind the town A post office of that name opened on 1 July 1852 Dunkeld from 1 January 1854 2 but as the early settlers were predominantly Scottish it was renamed Dunkeld after a Scottish town which was the principal locality of the Caledonian picts in Roman times 3 At a strategic point south of the Grampians for road traffic and surrounded by fine wool producing country Dunkeld thrived in the mid 19th century The Robertson s Woolpack Inn was the first building to be erected in 1845 followed by five other hotels the Shamrock and the Western the Royal Mail the Collins Railway Hotel and the Family Inn Road traffic declined with the opening of the railway 1877 to Hamilton and Ararat with another short lived line going south to Penshurst Louis Buvelot Eugene von Guerard and Nicholas Chevalier all made paintings of the district where Mt Murdadjoog Mt Abrupt and Mt Wurgarri Mt Sturgeon provide a backdrop In January 1944 fires destroyed one third of Dunkeld s houses and only the Royal Mail Hotel remains from the five original establishments 4 Today Dunkeld contains two upmarket restaurants and ample accommodation There is also a general store bakery with accommodation five cafes post office art gallery bookshop gift shop petrol station under reconstruction 2019 pharmacy primary school childcare centre local museum bookshop sandstone stonemason and a hardware store tourist information centre and 2 churches Residents access most other services they need in Hamilton but the railway line has been closed for some years Wool and hay production continues on the surrounding farms The timber industry has now ceased but there is at least one local vineyard There is a caravan park with campsites and a variety of other tourist accommodation and tourism is now the main employer A 40 ha property Heathlands was owned by naturalist Graham Pizzey author of A Field Guide to the Birds of Australia 5 Dunkeld has a horse racing club the Dunkeld Racing Club which runs the Dunkeld Cup meeting in November 6 The town in conjunction with nearby township Glenthompson has an Australian rules football team called Glenthompson Dunkeld competing in the Mininera amp District Football League The team won the league s premiership in 2010 Golfers play at the Grampians Golf Club on Victoria Valley Road 7 References Edit a b Australian Bureau of Statistics 27 June 2017 Dunkeld State Suburb 2016 Census QuickStats Retrieved 7 July 2017 Phoenix Auctions History Post Office List retrieved 6 March 2021 Dunkeld Victoria Australia Travel smh com au www smh com au Retrieved 19 May 2008 Devastation at Dunkeld The Horsham Times No 8738 Victoria Australia 18 January 1944 p 2 Retrieved 7 December 2017 via National Library of Australia Pizzey Graham Graham Martin 1930 2001 Trove 2008 retrieved 6 December 2017 Country Racing Victoria Dunkeld Racing Club archived from the original on 28 July 2008 retrieved 7 May 2009 Golf Select Grampians retrieved 11 May 2009External links Edit Media related to Dunkeld Victoria at Wikimedia Commons Official Tourism Victoria website Royal Mail Hotel website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dunkeld Victoria amp oldid 1154247046, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
