Harrietville is a town in Victoria, 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...

, located on the Great Alpine Road

Great Alpine Road

The Great Alpine Road is a country tourist road in Victoria, Australia, running from Wangaratta in the north to Bairnsdale in the east, and passing through the Australian Alps...

, in the Alpine Shire

Alpine Shire

Alpine Shire is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the north-eastern part of the state. It includes the towns of Bright, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford. It has an area of 4,885 square kilometres. In 2001 it had a population of 17,581 and still growing. There are two...

. 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,...

, Harrietville and the surrounding area had a population of 278.

The town began as a goldmining settlement during the Victorian Gold Rush

Victorian 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...

, the Post Office opening on 5 July 1865.
Alluvial gold was mined initially. Many of the early miners were Chinese. Later, the mining shifted to deep reefs accessed via shafts. A large dredge, known as the Tronoh Monster, also worked extracting alluvial gold from the Ovens River flats. The dredge extracted gravel and created the hole it floated in, dumping the tailings behind it. It made slow progress along the river flats, eventually stopping when rock reefs were contacted at the base of the surrounding mountains. Three large and deep lakes remain near Harrietville where dredging operations ceased.

Harrietville today provides some accommodation for skiers visiting nearby Mount Hotham

Mount Hotham

Mount Hotham is a mountain in Victoria, Australia. It is home to Hotham Alpine Resort. The mountain is located approximately north east of Melbourne, from Sydney, and from Adelaide by road. Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of above sea level...

. The town hosts a bush market in January and on Easter Sunday. Also in January are a European classical music competition, and a lawn mower grand prix

Lawn mower racing

Lawnmower racing is a form of motorsport in which competitors race modified lawnmowers, usually of the ride-on or self-propelled variety. The original mower engines are retained, but blades are removed for safety...

. In June the annual Harry T Ville and the Boys Blues Band concert is held at the old Chinese Hotel. In November, the town hosts an annual Bluegrass

Bluegrass music

Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...

convention, attracting some hundreds of performers and aficionados.