Camperdown, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Camperdown is an historically significant rural town in southwestern Victoria, Australia
, 194 kilometres (120.5 mi) south west of the state capital, Melbourne
. At the 2006 census
, Camperdown had a population of 3,165.
people are the traditional aboriginal people of the Camperdown area, who had lived in the area for thousands of years as a semi-nomadic hunter gatherer society.
The first British settlers arrived in the area from Van Diemen's Land
(Tasmania
) after 1835 to establish sheep runs. Although settlement was met with resistance by some of the local aborigines, the town's history also records remarkable instances of mutual assistance and friendship between native and settler peoples. Notable on this account is the family of David Fenton, the Scottish Presbyterian shepherd and drover who built the first house in Camperdown in 1853.
In 1883 Wombeetch Puuyuun (also known as Camperdown George) died at the age of 43 and was buried in a bog outside the bounds of Camperdown Cemetery. His friend, James Dawson was shocked at this burial upon his return from a trip to Scotland, and personally reburied Wombeetch in Camperdown Cemetery. He appealed for money to raise a monument, but with little public support, primarily funded the monument himself. The 7 metre obelisk was erected as a memorial to Wombeetch Puuyuun and the aborigines of the district, and has been described as being still inspiring today.
The town was surveyed in 1851 and named Camperdown after the Scottish naval hero Lord Viscount Adam Duncan the Earl of Camperdown
. The first dwelling was erected on the site of the present Commercial Hotel in 1853 and the Post Office opened on January 1, 1854 replacing an earlier one in the area named Timboon
.
It became the service centre for the vast pastoral empires of the region. The Port Fairy railway line was opened in 1883, and later extended as part of the line to the southwest of the state.
By the mid 20th century Camperdown had emerged as a more diverse centre for dairy farming which drew on its rich volcanic soil, for woolgrowing and for produce processing industries. By the late 20th century the town had become a major centre for tourism because of its unspoiled 19th century architecture and as a gateway to the southern tourist attractions of the Otway Ranges, the Great Ocean Road
and the 'Shipwreck Coast
'.
Camperdown lies within the 'Lakes and Craters' region, sitting at the foot of Mount Leura
which together with nearby Mount Sugarloaf are part of a large extinct volcanic complex known as the "Leura Maar
". To the immediate west are the deep volcanic crater lake
s Bullen-Merri and Gnotuk while to the east is the crater lake Purrumbete
popular for its Trout
and Chinook Salmon
fishing.
It is the starting point of the Crater to Coast Rail Trail
which, when completed, will reach Port Campbell
. It currently terminates in Timboon
.
Central is the 103 feet (31.4 m) high Gothic
Manifold Clock Tower, built 1897, which sits in a wide Elm
lined median between the dual carriageways of Manifold Street, named in honour of one of the pioneer pastoralists. Tower, avenue, Boer War
memorial, Soldiers' memorial, memorial cross and JC Manifold statue are all listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
.
Among the many other classic buildings are the 1886-7 two storey Georgian
style Court House, the 1863 two storey bluestone (granite
) Post Office, Theatre Royal (1890) and Masonic Hall (1867–68).
, which was incorporated in 1857. On 9 September 1952, Camperdown severed and incorporated as a separate borough
. It became a town on 21 January 1959. See Town of Camperdown
.
On 23 September 1994, the Town was abolished, and merged with Shire of Hampden
, most of Shire of Heytesbury
and parts of Colac
, Mortlake
and the area around Princetown
on the Great Ocean Road
into the Corangamite Shire
.
The Town of Camperdown
was not subdivided into wards, and the nine councillors represented the entire area
(A1), which is the main through road and also the main street
(Manifold Street). A dual carriageway with a large central reservation
and secondary service street runs through the centre of town. The highway runs west to Terang
and beyond to Warrnambool and east to Colac
and beyond to Geelong. Secondary roads include the Camperdown-Lismore Road which heads north to Lismore
and the Camperdown-Cobden Road (C164) which heads south to Cobden
. Just west at Gnotuk is the Darlington Road (C173) which leads north to Darlington.
Road coaches (buses) provide links within Camperdown, to neighbouring towns and nearby cities (mainly V/Line
) and these services include Cobden, Timboon, Simpson and the city of Ballarat.
The town's railway station
is served by V/Line
passenger services on the Warrnambool line linking it to the cities of Warrnambool, Geelong and beyond to Melbourne
.
The town has an Australian Rules football team playing in the Hampden Football League.
Camperdown has a horse racing club, the Camperdown Turf Club, which holds one race meetings a year, the Camperdown Cup meeting in January.
Golfers play at the Camperdown Golf Club on Lake Bullen Merri Road.
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...
, 194 kilometres (120.5 mi) south west of 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,...
, Camperdown had a population of 3,165.
History
The Djargurd WurrungDjargurd Wurrung
The Djargurd wurrung are Indigenous Australian people who traditionally occupied the territory between Mount Emu Creek and Lake Corangamite, extending to Mount Emu and Cressy in the North, and to Cobden and Swan Marsh in the South in central Victoria and are still represented in the region. The...
people are the traditional aboriginal people of the Camperdown area, who had lived in the area for thousands of years as a semi-nomadic hunter gatherer society.
The first British settlers arrived in the area from Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the original name used by most Europeans for the island of Tasmania, now part of Australia. The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to land on the shores of Tasmania...
(Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
) after 1835 to establish sheep runs. Although settlement was met with resistance by some of the local aborigines, the town's history also records remarkable instances of mutual assistance and friendship between native and settler peoples. Notable on this account is the family of David Fenton, the Scottish Presbyterian shepherd and drover who built the first house in Camperdown in 1853.
In 1883 Wombeetch Puuyuun (also known as Camperdown George) died at the age of 43 and was buried in a bog outside the bounds of Camperdown Cemetery. His friend, James Dawson was shocked at this burial upon his return from a trip to Scotland, and personally reburied Wombeetch in Camperdown Cemetery. He appealed for money to raise a monument, but with little public support, primarily funded the monument himself. The 7 metre obelisk was erected as a memorial to Wombeetch Puuyuun and the aborigines of the district, and has been described as being still inspiring today.
The town was surveyed in 1851 and named Camperdown after the Scottish naval hero Lord Viscount Adam Duncan the Earl of Camperdown
Earl of Camperdown
Earl of Camperdown, of Lundie in the County of Forfar and of Gleneagles in the County of Perth, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1831 for Robert Haldane-Duncan, 2nd Viscount Duncan...
. The first dwelling was erected on the site of the present Commercial Hotel in 1853 and the Post Office opened on January 1, 1854 replacing an earlier one in the area named Timboon
Timboon, Victoria
Timboon is a town in Victoria, Australia approximately south-west of Melbourne. The main industries are dairying, forestry, and the production of lime.At the 2001 census, Timboon had a population of 787...
.
It became the service centre for the vast pastoral empires of the region. The Port Fairy railway line was opened in 1883, and later extended as part of the line to the southwest of the state.
By the mid 20th century Camperdown had emerged as a more diverse centre for dairy farming which drew on its rich volcanic soil, for woolgrowing and for produce processing industries. By the late 20th century the town had become a major centre for tourism because of its unspoiled 19th century architecture and as a gateway to the southern tourist attractions of the Otway Ranges, the Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is a stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, and is the world's largest war memorial; dedicated to casualties of World War I...
and the 'Shipwreck Coast
Shipwreck Coast
The Shipwreck Coast of Victoria, Australia stretches from Moonlight Head to Cape Otway, a distance of approximately 130km. This coastline is accessible via the Great Ocean Road, and is home to the limestone formations called The Twelve Apostles....
'.
Geography
Mount Leura
Mount Leura is a 313 metre scoria cone surrounding a dry crater 100 m deep and is the central and most obvious component of a larger volcanic complex southeast of the town of Camperdown located in western Victoria, Australia, 194 kilometres km south west of the state capital, Melbourne...
which together with nearby Mount Sugarloaf are part of a large extinct volcanic complex known as the "Leura Maar
Maar
A maar is a broad, low-relief volcanic crater that is caused by a phreatomagmatic eruption, an explosion caused by groundwater coming into contact with hot lava or magma. A maar characteristically fills with water to form a relatively shallow crater lake. The name comes from the local Moselle...
". To the immediate west are the deep volcanic crater lake
Crater lake
A crater lake is a lake that forms in a volcanic crater or caldera, such as a maar; less commonly and with lower association to the term a lake may form in an impact crater caused by a meteorite. Sometimes lakes which form inside calderas are called caldera lakes, but often this distinction is not...
s Bullen-Merri and Gnotuk while to the east is the crater lake Purrumbete
Lake Purrumbete
Lake Purrumbete is a volcanic lake located in the Western District of Victoria . Lake Purrumbete is approximately 15 km east of the town of Camperdown.The lake is a popular trout fishing spot and is a wildlife sanctuary....
popular for its Trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and Chinook Salmon
Chinook salmon
The Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species in the pacific salmon family. Other commonly used names for the species include King salmon, Quinnat salmon, Spring salmon and Tyee salmon...
fishing.
It is the starting point of the Crater to Coast Rail Trail
Crater to Coast Rail Trail
The Crater to Coast Rail Trail or Camperdown - Timboon Rail Trail is a rail trail running from Camperdown to Timboon in Victoria's southwest. As of March 2009, the 22 km section to Timboon is complete, and eventual completion to Port Campbell is expected....
which, when completed, will reach Port Campbell
Port Campbell, Victoria
Port Campbell is a coastal town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Ocean Road, west of the Twelve Apostles, in the Corangamite Shire.-History:...
. It currently terminates in Timboon
Timboon, Victoria
Timboon is a town in Victoria, Australia approximately south-west of Melbourne. The main industries are dairying, forestry, and the production of lime.At the 2001 census, Timboon had a population of 787...
.
Features
The town is renowned for its classic historical buildings.Central is the 103 feet (31.4 m) high Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
Manifold Clock Tower, built 1897, which sits in a wide Elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
lined median between the dual carriageways of Manifold Street, named in honour of one of the pioneer pastoralists. Tower, avenue, Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
memorial, Soldiers' memorial, memorial cross and JC Manifold statue are all listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
.
Among the many other classic buildings are the 1886-7 two storey Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style Court House, the 1863 two storey bluestone (granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
) Post Office, Theatre Royal (1890) and Masonic Hall (1867–68).
Local government
Originally, Camperdown was part of the East Riding of the Shire of HampdenShire of Hampden
The Shire of Hampden was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1857 until 1994.-History:...
, which was incorporated in 1857. On 9 September 1952, Camperdown severed and incorporated as a separate borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
. It became a town on 21 January 1959. See Town of Camperdown
Town of Camperdown
The Town of Camperdown was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia, centred on Camperdown. The town covered an area of , and existed from 1952 until 1994...
.
On 23 September 1994, the Town was abolished, and merged with Shire of Hampden
Shire of Hampden
The Shire of Hampden was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1857 until 1994.-History:...
, most of Shire of Heytesbury
Shire of Heytesbury
The Shire of Heytesbury was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1895 until 1994.-History:...
and parts of Colac
Shire of Colac
The Shire of Colac was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1859 until 1994.-History:...
, Mortlake
Shire of Mortlake
The Shire of Mortlake was a Local Government Area located about west of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1860 until 1994.-History:...
and the area around Princetown
Princetown, Victoria
Princetown is a coastal village in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Ocean Road, east of the Twelve Apostles, in the Corangamite Shire.-General:...
on the Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is a stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, and is the world's largest war memorial; dedicated to casualties of World War I...
into the Corangamite Shire
Corangamite Shire
Corangamite Shire is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the south-western part of the state. Its largest towns, in order of size, are Camperdown, Terang, Cobden, Timboon, Port Campbell and Skipton. It has an area of 4,425 square kilometres. In 2006 it had a population...
.
The Town of Camperdown
Town of Camperdown
The Town of Camperdown was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia, centred on Camperdown. The town covered an area of , and existed from 1952 until 1994...
was not subdivided into wards, and the nine councillors represented the entire area
Transport
Camperdown is situated on the Princes HighwayPrinces Highway
The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway ....
(A1), which is the main through road and also the main street
Main Street
Main Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
(Manifold Street). A dual carriageway with a large central reservation
Central reservation
On divided roads, such as divided highways or freeways/motorways, the central reservation , median, parkway , median strip or central nature strip is the area which separates opposing lanes of traffic...
and secondary service street runs through the centre of town. The highway runs west to Terang
Terang, Victoria
Terang is a small Australian town situated in Corangamite Shire in the Western District of Victoria, Australia, on the Princes Highway 212 km south-west of the state's capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Terang had a population of 2256...
and beyond to Warrnambool and east to Colac
Colac, Victoria
Colac is a small city located in the Western District of Victoria, Australia, situated approximately 150 kilometres south-west of Melbourne on the southern shore of Lake Colac and the surrounding volcanic plains, approximately 40 km inland from Bass Strait. Colac is the largest city in and...
and beyond to Geelong. Secondary roads include the Camperdown-Lismore Road which heads north to Lismore
Lismore, Victoria
Lismore is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Hamilton Highway west of Melbourne. It is part of the Corangamite Shire local government area.The town is located at a point equidistant from Geelong and Warrnambool....
and the Camperdown-Cobden Road (C164) which heads south to Cobden
Cobden, Victoria
Cobden is a town located 210 kilometres southwest of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia named in honour of Richard Cobden. At the 2006 census, Cobden had a population of 1813. At the 2001 census, Cobden had a population of 1419.- History :...
. Just west at Gnotuk is the Darlington Road (C173) which leads north to Darlington.
Road coaches (buses) provide links within Camperdown, to neighbouring towns and nearby cities (mainly V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
) and these services include Cobden, Timboon, Simpson and the city of Ballarat.
The town's railway station
Camperdown railway station, Victoria
Camperdown is a railway station on the Warrnambool railway line in the Camperdown, Victoria, Australia. Located at Pike and Longmore Streets, as many as three return V/Line passenger trains operate weekdays and Saturdays on the line between Melbourne Southern Cross - Camperdown - Warrnambool, with...
is served by V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
passenger services on the Warrnambool line linking it to the cities of Warrnambool, Geelong and beyond to 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...
.
Community
The town has many sporting clubs. Archery, badminton, cricket, cycling, golf, horse riding, lawn bowls, squash and tennis, water skiing and yachting have competitions in and around the town.The town has an Australian Rules football team playing in the Hampden Football League.
Camperdown has a horse racing club, the Camperdown Turf Club, which holds one race meetings a year, the Camperdown Cup meeting in January.
Golfers play at the Camperdown Golf Club on Lake Bullen Merri Road.
Notable citizens
- Norm SharpNorm SharpNorm Sharp is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the VFL during the 1950s.A ruckman, Sharp was a premiership player in his debut season in 1952 and won a best and fairest two years later. A knee injury caused him to retire prematurely at the age of just 23.-External...
- GeelongGeelong Football ClubThe Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
Premiership player 1952 - Paul BroderickPaul BroderickPaul Broderick is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL between 1988 and 1993 for the Fitzroy Football Club and then from 1994 until 2001 for the Richmond Football Club. He won the Richmond Best and Fairest award in 1996-External links:...
- FitzroyFitzroy Football ClubThe Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
and RichmondRichmond Football ClubThe Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,... - Scott LucasScott Lucas (footballer)Scott Lucas is a former Australian rules footballer for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League, and is noted as the other major forward for the Bombers, along with Matthew Lloyd...
- EssendonEssendon Football ClubThe Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
premiership player 2000 - Ross ThorntonRoss ThorntonRoss Thornton is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the VFL during the 1980s.Thornton originally arrived at Fitzroy in 1975 but was unable to make the seniors so joined VFA club Prahran...
- FitzroyFitzroy Football ClubThe Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897... - Sir Chester ManifoldChester ManifoldJames Chester Manifold was an Australian politician and philanthropist.-Early life:Manifold attended Geelong Grammar School, and went to England with his family in 1881; however, the northern climate did not agree with his health, so the family returned...
- First Chairman TAB 1961-68 - Adam CooteAdam CooteAdam Coote is an Australian rules football boundary umpire. He has umpired 141 games, including 5 grand finals, to the end of the 2010 season.Coote is from Pomberneit, near Camperdown in south-western Victoria....
- AFLAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
Boundary Umpire - Len White - AFLAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
GeelongGeelong Football ClubThe Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
1948 - Geoffrey WickhamGeoffrey WickhamGeoffrey Gordon Wickham AO MIIE was one of the pioneers of cardiac pacemaking, born at Camperdown, Victoria, Australia to dairy farmer parents on 28 October 1933.In 1963 he co-founded the medical instruments company Telectronics Pty Ltd in Sydney, and served as the company's Technical Director from...
AO cardiac pacemakerCardiac pacemakerright|thumb|350px|Image showing the cardiac pacemaker which is the SA nodeThe contraction of heart muscle in all animals with hearts is initiated by chemical impulses. The rate at which these impulses fire controls the heart rate...
pioneer - Bill RoycroftBill RoycroftJames William "Bill" George Roycroft OBE was an Olympic equestrian champion who competed for Australia in five consecutive Summer Olympic Games: 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976.He was born in Flowerdale, Victoria...
- Olympian - Sarah WallSarah WallSarah Wall is an Australian netball player in the ANZ Championship, playing for the Melbourne Vixens. In 2005 she played her first year of elite netball, for the Melbourne Phoenix in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. She played three years with the Phoenix until the competition was disbanded in 2007...
- ANZ Championship Netball player, Melbourne Vixens (2009, 2011); Queensland Firebirds (2010)
External links
- Camperdown - Official state government tourism organization
- Australian Places - Camperdown
- Corangamite Shire (local government) - Camperdown