Terang, Victoria
Encyclopedia
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. At the 2001 census
, Terang had a population of 1859.
clans originally inhabited the area between Mt Emu Creek and the Hopkins River, and much of their language was recorded by a Scottish squatter
, James Dawson.
The first dwelling in the township area was built in 1840 by Donald McNicol, and consisted of a slab hut on the east bank of Lake Terang
. The township was developed in the late 1850s, the post office opening on March 1, 1859.
The railway though the town was opened in 1887. From 1890 it was extended as part of Victoria's south-western line. The Mortlake line once branched from the town, opened in 1893 and closed in 1978. The local railway station is served by V/Line
passenger services on the Warrnambool line.
Magnificent avenues of trees were later planted and several of these are now under the protection of the National Trust
. Other features of Terang include a Heritage Trail walk which points out the historic trees and many of the historic buildings and sights of the town.
Features to see are the historic post office with its clock tower
(1903-4), the war memorial
, the rose gardens with the band rotunda, and the town's first church (Thomson Memorial Presbyterian
). There is also a beautiful 18-hole golf course
at the western entrance to the town.
To the south of the town centre is a large peat
bed unique to the region. In 1933, while dry, the peat bed began burning but became a shallow lake by the 1940s. The lake is now dry and the land is used by the cricket club, golf club, pony club and croquet club.
Terang has a horse racing club, the Terang & District Racing Club, which schedules around eight race meetings a year including the Terang Cup meeting in October.
Terang Harness Racing
Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the town.
Golfers play at the course of the Terang Golf Club on High Street.
is a school, established in 1848 as Terang Primary School. It educates over 400 students from Prep to Year 12. It has two campuses, one located on the Eastern (Warrnambool
) side of the town while the other is located on the Cobden Road. The Southern campus houses years Prep to Grade 4 while the Cobden
Road Campus years Years 5 - 12.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
situated in 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...
in the Western District of Victoria
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, on the Princes Highway
Princes 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 ....
212 km south-west of the state's 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,...
, Terang had a population of 2256. At the 2001 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,...
, Terang had a population of 1859.
History
The semi-nomadic Kirrae WuurongGirai wurrung
The Girai wurrung are Indigenous Australian people who traditionally occupied the territory between Mount Emu Creek and the Hopkins River up to Mount Hamilton, and the Western Otways from the Gellibrand River to the Hopkins River...
clans originally inhabited the area between Mt Emu Creek and the Hopkins River, and much of their language was recorded by a Scottish squatter
Squatting (pastoral)
In Australian history, a squatter was one who occupied a large tract of Crown land in order to graze livestock. Initially often having no legal rights to the land, they gained its usage by being the first Europeans in the area....
, James Dawson.
The first dwelling in the township area was built in 1840 by Donald McNicol, and consisted of a slab hut on the east bank of Lake Terang
Lake Terang
Lake Terang was a lake near Terang, Victoria. Following European settlement of the area surrounding the lake in the 19th century the lake began to dry out...
. The township was developed in the late 1850s, the post office opening on March 1, 1859.
The railway though the town was opened in 1887. From 1890 it was extended as part of Victoria's south-western line. The Mortlake line once branched from the town, opened in 1893 and closed in 1978. The local railway station 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.
Magnificent avenues of trees were later planted and several of these are now under the protection of the National Trust
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
. Other features of Terang include a Heritage Trail walk which points out the historic trees and many of the historic buildings and sights of the town.
Features to see are the historic post office with its clock tower
Clock tower
A clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
(1903-4), the war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
, the rose gardens with the band rotunda, and the town's first church (Thomson Memorial Presbyterian
Presbyterian Church of Australia
The Presbyterian Church of Australia is the largest Presbyterian denomination in Australia. .-Beginnings:...
). There is also a beautiful 18-hole golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
at the western entrance to the town.
To the south of the town centre is a large peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
bed unique to the region. In 1933, while dry, the peat bed began burning but became a shallow lake by the 1940s. The lake is now dry and the land is used by the cricket club, golf club, pony club and croquet club.
Sport
The town has an Australian Rules football team Terang-Mortlake playing in the Hampden Football League.Terang has a horse racing club, the Terang & District Racing Club, which schedules around eight race meetings a year including the Terang Cup meeting in October.
Terang Harness Racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the town.
Golfers play at the course of the Terang Golf Club on High Street.
Education
Terang CollegeTerang College
Terang College is a government school located in Terang, Victoria, Australia. The school was established in 1848 as Terang Primary School.The school educates over 400 students from preparatory to year 12 on two campuses. The primary campus is located on the Southern side of the town and houses...
is a school, established in 1848 as Terang Primary School. It educates over 400 students from Prep to Year 12. It has two campuses, one located on the Eastern (Warrnambool
Warrnambool, Victoria
-Cityscape:The original City of Warrnambool was a 4x8 grid, with boundaries of Lava Street , Japan Street , Merri Street and Henna Street . In the nineteenth century, it was intended that Fairy Street – with its proximity to the Warrnambool Railway Station – would be the main street of...
) side of the town while the other is located on the Cobden Road. The Southern campus houses years Prep to Grade 4 while the 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 :...
Road Campus years Years 5 - 12.
Notable citizens
- John Robertson DuiganJohn Robertson DuiganJohn Robertson Duigan MC was an Australian pioneer aviator who built and flew the first Australian-made aircraft. Duigan was born in Terang, Victoria, and grew up in Melbourne attending Brighton Grammar School...
MCMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, the pioneer aviator who built and flew the first Australian-made aircraft, was born in Terang in 1882. - The Australian immunologist and Nobel laureate Frank Macfarlane BurnetFrank Macfarlane BurnetSir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, , usually known as Macfarlane or Mac Burnet, was an Australian virologist best known for his contributions to immunology....
grew up in Terang, whilst his father was a bank manager.