Heritage Sites
The region’s heritage
The history of the region dates back tens of thousands of years. The Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people were the first residents, and much has changed since the first European settlers arrived.
Gold was discovered in Clunes in 1851, and for the rest of the decade, Victoria produced more than a third of the world’s precious metal. Grand buildings and wide streets in towns from Woodend to Castlemaine are the legacy of those times.
Head to Dunnolly, where the Welcome Stranger – at 66 kilograms, the largest alluvial gold nugget in the world – was discovered nearby. Today, the Dunnolly Museum charts the history of the town, with a large collection of relics.
In fact, many towns – Daylesford, Kyneton, Clunes, Creswick and Castlemaine – have their own museums, with interesting displays of memorabilia, historical records and photographs, artworks and First Nations artefacts.
Another important group of people to arrive during the gold rush were Swiss-Italian migrants. Their ongoing presence gives the area a European atmosphere. Spend a few hours at Lavandula Farm, where the fields of lavender bloom between January and late autumn. The Swiss Italian Festa, which celebrates the region’s European history, is held in October.
Fans of heritage architecture should visit Maryborough Railway Station, with its imposing clock tower. When built in 1890, it was larger than Spencer Street Station!
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