Casterton, Victoria

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Casterton is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Glenelg Highway, 42 kilometres east of the South Australian border, in the Shire of Glenelg. It has a population of 1962. The Glenelg River passes through the town. Casterton derives its name for the Roman word meaning 'walled city', due to the lush green hills which surround the town.

[edit] History

Major Thomas Mitchell was the first European to explore the Casterton region in 1836. Mitchell was enthralled with the captivating beauty and the prized grazing lands of the countryside and he named the district ‘Australia Felix’, meaning ‘Fortunate Land’. The Henty brothers moved into the region in 1837, taking up huge pastoral runs along the rivers. The town site was surveyed in 1840 and the first hotel, The Glenelg, was built in 1846. A Post Office opened as The Glenelg on July 1, 1847 (Casterton from January 1, 1854) ^[2]. Many other settlers followed and by 1852, the Casterton township was gazetted.

Casterton is recognised as the birthplace of the Australian Kelpie dog breed with a statue of a kelpie dog outside the Town Hall. The Kelpie Walking Trail links 5 unique sculptures revealing the fascinating life and times of the Kelpie.

The Australian Kelpie breed immortalised in bronze on Town Hall forecourt, Henty Street Casterton.

[edit] Tradition

Casterton is recognised as the birthplace of the Kelpie breed of Australian working dog and celebrates its role through the Australian Kelpie Muster, Working Dog Auction and Festival each June long weekend. The event is nationally and internationally renowned and since its inception in 1997, it has grown into a tremendously successful combination of entertainment and enterprise. The festival is filled with fun activities, which celebrate and demonstrate the Kelpies’ amazing skills. The Working Dog Auction provides a unique chance to observe superior working dogs demonstrate their skills before sale. The Auction is firmly placed on the calendar of working dog breeders and buyers, with breeders from all over Australia show-casing their bloodlines. Amazingly high prices are fetched for Kelpies at this auction, with figures in the thousands for a single dog.

As well as this, Casterton hosts a vintage car rally and polocrosse championships in March, horseracing in May, a woodturning exhibition in August, and street-car drag racing in November.

[edit] Recent times

Nestled amongst the rolling hills and river red gums of the Glenelg River valley, Casterton had been known as a retirement town in the past, but recently young families have settled in the region. With many facilities for both the elderly and the youthful it is an attractive prospect for those wanting to escape the suburbs for a quiet country life.

The Casterton Memorial Hospital has recently undergone an upgrade and now contains an IVF clinic. Other areas of health care provided by the hospital are Acute Care, Primary Care, Aged Care and Allied Health Services.

The town is serviced by two Primary schools, private and public, as well as the Casterton Secondary College. Pre-schoolers may attend the pre-natal clinic, playgroup and kindergarten.

The town has a huge sense of community spirit, an active Community Centre, a weekly local newspaper and hosts many activities throughout the year.

The town has an Australian rules football team competing in the Western Border Football League.

Casterton is roughly halfway between Melbourne and Adelaide, making it a regular overnight stop-over for tourists. The town is centrally located for day trips to the Great Ocean Road, Grampians, Wimmera and Coonawarra regions.

Casterton hosts beautiful wildflowers, bushland, wildlife and bird life. Wilkin Flora and Fauna reserve, west of Casterton, off the Glenelg Highway is a 3600 hectare reserve with wildflowers of special merit such as Orchids, Acicia, native Heath, ferns and wetland vegetation.

Wilkin Reserve is also of particular interest to Bird Watchers, with the Red Tailed Black Cockatoo being spotted in the region. Mill Swamp within the reserve, hides Magpie Geese, Dusky Woodswallows and even Brolgas. Kangaroos and Emus are regular visitors to many areas around Casterton, usually at dawn and dusk.

Fine examples of River Red Gum and other Eucalypt species can be seen along the valley of the Glenelg River and the local Ess Lagoon is regularly stocked with trout.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Casterton Now -local information site
• Casterton District Pioneers and History
• Easy version of Thomas Livingston Mitchell's Exploration, including Casterton
• Short History of Casterton, Victoria

Coordinates: 37°35′S, 141°24′E