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Beechworth
Victoria

Panorama of Beechworth town centre
Population: 3227 (2006)[1]
Postcode: 3747
Elevation: 580 m (1,903 ft)
Location:
LGA: Shire of Indigo
State District: Benambra
Federal Division: Indi
Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp Rainfall
25. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Postcodes are used in Australia for the purposes of sorting and directing Mail. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Wangaratta is a cathedral city of about 15685 people in the northeast of Victoria Australia, about 230 km (150 mi from Melbourne along the There are 79 Local Government Areas in the Australian state of Victoria. The Shire of Indigo is a Local Government Area in Victoria Australia. State Electoral District is a term used to refer to an electorate within the Lower House or Legislative The Electoral district of Benambra is an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. The Australian House of Representatives is elected from 150 single-member districts called Divisions. The Division of Indi (ɪnˈdаɪ is an electoral division in the Australian House of Representatives. 1 °C
77 °F		 11. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 6 °C
53 °F		 949. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 4 mm
37. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International 4 in

Beechworth (36°21′S, 146°41′E) is a well-preserved historical town located in the north-east of Victoria, Australia, famous for its major growth during the gold rush days of the mid-1850s. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Victorian Gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria, Australia approximately between 1851 and the late 1860s At the 2006 census, Beechworth had a population of 3227. The Australian census is administered by the Australian Bureau of Statistics every five years

Beechworth's many historical buildings are well preserved and the town has re-invented itself and evolved into a popular tourist destination and growing wine-producing centre.

Contents

History

Originally used for grazing by the settler David Reid, the area was known as Mayday Hills until 1853, when it was renamed Beechworth.

Gold

In its golden heyday from 1852-1857, this was a fabulous gold region and centre of government; but its power, wealth and influence were short lived. At its wildest moments of gold discoveries, Woods related how an early party of prospectors retrieved a pan of gold weighing 14 lb (about 7 kg). (p. 10. ) Another lucky party, said Woods, cleared some 50lb (approx. 25 kg) of gold in a week. (p. 16. ) And so began a rush into this remote region. During the first election campaign in 1855, one candidate, Daniel Cameron, rode a horse shod with solid gold horseshoes. The extravagance of this event is still commemorated as the logo for Beechworth is a golden horseshoe.

At the time, Beechworth was far removed from the centre of colonial administration in Melbourne both in distance and time taken to travel. The local debates around the potential railway into Beechworth encompassed a broad gauge (5ft 3ins) option or a narrow gauge (2ft 6ins) system, between Wangaratta and Beechworth and these debates and options appeared in the Ovens and Murray Advertiser newspaper. Ironically, in the 1890s a narrow gauge system did eventuate nearby, running from Wangaratta to Whitfield. Finally,a railway, the broad gauge, arrived at Beechworth in September 1876, but by that stage the town and its gold production was waning. Unfortunately the rail line was closed in 1977 and dismantled, after 101 years of service.

During its boom times, Beechworth town boasted a range of industries including, a tannery, jewellers, boot makers, a brewery, blacksmiths, livestock sale yards. It had schools, a convent, hotels, a prison with imposing stone walls, a hospital, a mental hospital, court house, police barracks, stage coach companies and a powder magazine.

In its golden days, men and women arrived from, the USA, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and China. At its peak, Beechworth town had some 3,100 residents. Surrounding areas and mining camps sprang up as thousands of miners rushed into areas such as Spring Creek, Reedy Creek, Silver Creek, the Nine Mile Creek and the Woolshed. The Chinese were not allowed live in Beechworth town and resided on the outskirts. Numerous controls and enforced regulations and licence checks existed against the Chinese miners. (see: Woods; also McWaters; also O'Brien; and Cronin). Beechworth Cemetery has a large preserved section of early Chinese miners/pioneers. The presence of the Chinese goldminers around Beechworth and throughout northeastern region created social unrest and these are recorded in a variety of the book references below.

Colourful characters

Like many Australian country towns associated with the early goldfields, Beechworth had its share of colourful characters and villains. Among the infamous during the 1870s was, the one time, Livery Stable owner, later the 'Dog Officer', at some other time the 'Pound Officer' and another time shire revenue officer; John Phelan. (O'Brien, 'Awaiting Ned Kelly' & Jones, The Friendship, p. 29. ) Phelan was a continual litigant, correspondent to the newspapers and advertiser. His official and officious escapades were mockingly reported in the local paper. (O'Brien)

Robert O'Hara Burke

Robert O'Hara Burke, leader of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition was stationed in Beechworth as Senior Inspector of Police from 1854 to 1857. Robert O'Hara Burke ( 6 May, 1820 or 1821 – c 28 June 1861) was an Irish soldier and police officer who achieved fame In 1860-61 Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills led an expedition of 19 men with the intention of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south to Year 1854 ( MDCCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the ([1]. Policeman John Sadleir one of the Kelly Gang pursuers was also stationed in Beechworth during its early days. (Harvey)

The Burke Museum is located in Loch Street and holds a rich source of primary materials on Beechworth and the surrounding districts golden past. Source materials include newspapers, photos, artefacts, clothings, paintings, exhibitions, published local histories and unpublished theses on the district and displays dating back to the gold discoveries, early Chinese miners and workings of the 1850s. For family and academic researchers this museum is a gold mine.

Ned Kelly

The outlaw Ned Kelly had many links to Beechworth - he spent time in HM Prison Beechworth and fought a famous boxing bout with Isaiah 'Wild" Wright in the back of a local hotel [2]. Edward "Ned" Kelly (3 June 1855 &ndash 11 November 1880 was an Australian Bushranger, and to some a Folk hero for his defiance of the colonial Notable prisoners Ned Kelly, bushranger See also The Age article about closure Aaron Sherritt and Joe Byrne of the Kelly Gang came from the Woolshed goldmining camp, outside of Beechworth town. It was in Beechworth gaol that twenty-one men, suspected Kelly Gang supporters, relatives and other sympathersiers were held without trial or evidence for over 3 months, by the Chief Commissioner of Police Captain Standish, under the Outlawry Act. [Jones, pp. 177-178]

George B. Kerferd

George B. Kerferd (1836-1889) a long time resident of Beechworth became a Premier of Victoria and was a major participant in ensuring Beechworth had a railway connection to Melbourne. George Briscoe Kerferd ( 21 January 1831 - 31 December 1889) Australian colonial politician was the 10th Premier of Victoria See Premiers of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Premier

John Buckley Castieau

Castieau (1831-1885)was the Prison Governor at Beechworth from 1856 to 1869. The prison, famous for its huge granite walls was known as Castieau's castle. As the Governor of the Melbourne gaol in 1880 he was an official witness to the hanging of Ned Kelly. His diaries were later published (2004) as The Difficulties of My Position. In this book a drawing from the Australian Sketcher, 14 August 1880 shows Castieau sitting with Ned Kelly during his remand (p. Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year 278) and also a photo of his signature as one of the witnesses to the Kelly hanging (p. viii).

Newspapers

In its golden heyday Beechworth boasted two influential newspapers: The Ovens and Murray Advertiser and The Constitution and Mining Intelligencer. These papers engaged in fierce competition and for a while were daily issues. The papers circulated far and wide throughout the district and the colony of Victoria. (O'Brien) Both papers represented the views of their respective readerships sometimes to the exclusion of all others. (O'Brien) Even today, these old papers are an important historical research tool, as most editions from the early 1850 survive and are micro-filmed and are available at the Burke Museum, and most state and National libraries throughout Australia. These two local papers provide rich primary sources for many historians of Beechworth and its surrounds, plus the Kelly Gang historians. (See: Woods (1985); McMahon (2000); Lane (1978); McQuilton (1979); Jones (1995); McWaters (2002); O'Brien (2005); and Wild & McMahon (2006))

The Ovens and Murray Advertiser still survives as a local paper.

Tourism

Beechworth is a popular tourist destination. Attractions include Ned Kelly themed displays at the old court house, Burke Museum, waterfalls, Gun Powder Magazine, Newtown Bridge (Stone Bridge), Tail Race (Mining Race), Spring Creek Water Falls, Spring Creek Gorge, lakes, historic buildings, goldfields, walks, the Beechworth Bakery, brewery, the Beechworth lolly shop and night tours. The town is one end point of the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail. The Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail is a cycling and walking Rail trail in northern Victoria, Australia

Books on Beechworth

Considering the present nature of the town, a surprising range and variety of books exist on Beechworth town, its adjoining goldfield camps, its surrounds and its heady goldfield days. These include numerous histories, a treasure of local histories, theses, material on bushrangers, police, Chinese, riots, the coming and going of the railway and fictional novels set in the district.

Histories

Local Histories

Unpublished theses

Biography

Fictional novel set in part around Beechworth

Food

Rail

Chinese goldminers in the region

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). The Australian Bureau of Statistics ( ABS) is Australia 's national statistical agency. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Trentham (State Suburb). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2007-10-01. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela.

External links

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