Bethanga, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Bethanga is a town in north eastern Victoria
, Australia
. The town is located in the Shire of Towong Local Government Area, 390 kilometres (242 mi) from the state capital, Melbourne
. At the 2006 census
, Bethanga had a population of 589.
. Gold
was first reported in the Bethanga area in 1852, but it was not until 1876 that the discovery of a reef
led to the development of the Bethanga goldfields. The Post Office opened on 22 July 1876, was renamed Granya
in 1879 when a new office named Bethanga opened nearby which closed in 1952. The Bethanga Lower office was renamed Bethanga in 1984.
Due to the nature of the gold bearing quartz reef, the gold was difficult to extract and the discovery of copper
led to a change in focus. It was not until the early 1890s that an efficient technique for extracting the gold from the ore was discovered, and once again gold became the primary focus, with copper a by-product. Bethanga was removed from the list of goldfields in 1912, however some mining activity has taken place since.
, attracting both retired people and commuters to nearby Albury-Wodonga
. Facilities in Bethanga include a general store, primary school and three churches.
Golfers play at the Bethanga and District Golf Club on Bethanga-Tallangatta Road.
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...
. The town is located in the Shire of Towong Local Government Area, 390 kilometres (242 mi) from 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...
. 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,...
, Bethanga had a population of 589.
History
Bethanga was established as a result of the discovery of goldVictorian 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...
. Gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was first reported in the Bethanga area in 1852, but it was not until 1876 that the discovery of a reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
led to the development of the Bethanga goldfields. The Post Office opened on 22 July 1876, was renamed Granya
Granya, Victoria
Granya is a town in north eastern Victoria, Australia. The town is located on the Murray arm of Lake Hume in the Towong Shire local government area, north west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Granya and the surrounding area had a population of 150.The town was established in...
in 1879 when a new office named Bethanga opened nearby which closed in 1952. The Bethanga Lower office was renamed Bethanga in 1984.
Due to the nature of the gold bearing quartz reef, the gold was difficult to extract and the discovery of copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
led to a change in focus. It was not until the early 1890s that an efficient technique for extracting the gold from the ore was discovered, and once again gold became the primary focus, with copper a by-product. Bethanga was removed from the list of goldfields in 1912, however some mining activity has taken place since.
The Town today
The town is located close to Lake HumeLake Hume
Lake Hume is an artificial lake in Australia formed by the Hume Weir east of Albury-Wodonga on the Murray River just downstream of its junction with the Mitta River. The small towns of Tallangatta, Bonegilla and Bellbridge are located on the shores of Lake Hume...
, attracting both retired people and commuters to nearby Albury-Wodonga
Albury-Wodonga
Albury-Wodonga is the broad settlement incorporating the twin Australian cities of Albury and Wodonga, which are separated geographically by the Murray River and politically by a state border: Albury on the north of the river is part of New South Wales while Wodonga on the south bank is in...
. Facilities in Bethanga include a general store, primary school and three churches.
Golfers play at the Bethanga and District Golf Club on Bethanga-Tallangatta Road.