Warrnambool, Victoria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Warrnambool Victoria |
|
 Location of Warrnambool in Victoria (red) |
|
| Population: | 32,000 (2004) (46th) |
| Established: | 1855 |
| Time zone:
• Summer (DST) |
AEST (UTC+10) |
| Location: | 265 km from Melbourne |
| LGA: | City of Warrnambool |
| State District: | South-West Coast |
| Federal Division: | Wannon |
Warrnambool is a regional city of around 32,000 people on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia, located in the municipality City of Warrnambool. It is at the western end of the Great Ocean Road, but is more quickly reached along the Princes Highway, 265 kilometres and 3 hours from Melbourne by road or rail.
Contents |
[edit] History
The word Warrnambool comes from the local Aboriginal name for a nearby Volcanic cone. It has been interpreted to mean many things including “water between two rivers”, "two swamps" or "ample water".
The treacherous coast near the city is known as the "Shipwreck Coast" and evidence suggests the first ships to arrive were among the earliest international explorers. The legend of the Mahogany Ship is strongly linked to the city.
Many believe the first Europeans to discover the area were Portuguese sailors, who surveyed the coastline nearby and possibly marooned near the site of the present town as early as the 1500s, however this is currently unproven. French explorer Nicholas Baudin recorded coastal landmarks in 1802. The area was frequented by whalers early in the 19th century. Matthew Flinders sailed the coast in the Investigator, and Lieutenant James Grant in the Lady Nelson also explored the area.
The first settlers arrived in the 1840s in the Lady Bay area, which was a natural harbour. The area was first surveyed in 1846.
During the Victorian Gold Rush, Warrnambool became an important port and grew quickly in the 1850s, benefiting from the private ownership of nearby Port Fairy.
It was gazetted as a municipality in 1855; became a borough in 1863. Warrnambool was declared a town in 1883, and a city in 1918.
[edit] Industry
Warrnambool is a popular tourist destination and a comprehensive regional service centre. Major industries and services include retail, education, health, dairy, meat processing, clothing manufacture, and construction.
The Fletcher Jones clothing company opened in 1948 and still has its national headquarters here.
The City's main education centres include Deakin University (Warrnambool Campus), the South West Institute of TAFE, government and private primary and secondary schools, and pre-school centres. As well as the spectacular views from the Great Ocean Road, there are several beaches nearby, some of which are used for surfing. In the winter months, Southern Right whales are regularly seen in the waters near the city at the Logan's Beach nursery, and boats offer whale-watching tours.
[edit] Features
The Warrnambool Botanic Gardens feature wide curving paths, rare trees, a lily pond with ducks, a fernery, a band rotunda, and was designed by notable landscape architect, William Guilfoyle.
The post office and lighthouse date back to the early days of settlement.
There are eight 'suburbs' of Warrnambool: North, South, East and West Warrnambool, Merrivale, Brierly, Dennington and Sherwood Park.
Warrnambool's War Memorial is fondly referred to as the "Dirty Angel", due to the fact that, from certain vantage points, the statue appears to have an erection.
Warrnambool hosts a plethora of pubs including the Seanchai, Warrnambool Hotel, The Whaler's Inn, The Criterion, The Royal, The Western, The Cally, Mac's, Rafferty's Tavern, The Gallery, The Loft, The Victoria, and, just out of town, The Junction Hotel.
Warrnambool is linked to Melbourne and Geelong by rail and bus services. Trains call at Warrnambool's two stations (Warrnambool in the city and Sherwood Park in the city's outer east at Deakin University) and operate seven days a week. Local buses cover Warrnambool's city and suburbs and extend to the nearby towns of Port Fairy and Koroit. V/Line buses connect Warrnambool with Portland, Mt Gambier, Ballarat and Adelaide.
[edit] Events & Culture
The city is the finishing point of one of the oldest and longest one day bicycle endurance races in the world: the Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic road bicycle race, held every October since 1895.
Warrnambool is also the home of the Grand Annual steeplechase, which has more jumps (33) than any other horse race, and is one of the longest steeplechases in the world. It is held on the first Thursday in May each year as part of a 3 day racing festival, and attracts many people from across Australia.
Warrnambool is also home to the Wunta festival every February.
Warrnambool is home to the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic which is the most prestigious race outside the Australia Sprintcar Championship being that drivers from overseas come to compete in the race.
[edit] Notable people from Warrnambool
- Members of rock band Airbourne
- Jonathan Brown (Australian rules football player)
- Leon Cameron (former Australian rules football player)
- Geoff Clark (former ATSIC chairman)
- Paul Couch (former Australian rules football player)
- Michelle Ferris (Olympic track cyclist)
- Dave Hughes (comedian)
- Jordan Lewis (Australian rules football player)
- Wayne Schwass (former Australian rules football player)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
 |
Cities of Victoria |
|---|---|
| Capital: | |
| Cities: |
Ararat | Ballarat | Benalla | Bendigo | Geelong | Latrobe City | Mildura | Portland | Shepparton | Swan Hill | Wangaratta | Warrnambool | Wodonga |
