Jeparit, Victoria

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Jeparit
Victoria

Antwerp Weir, Wimmera River

Population:

582 (2006)^[1]

Postcode:

3423

Elevation:

85 m (279 ft)

Location:

375 km (233 mi) NW of Melbourne
73 km (45 mi) N of Horsham
46 km (29 mi) W of Warracknabeal
38 km (24 mi) N of Dimboola

LGA:

Shire of Hindmarsh

State District:

Lowan

Federal Division:

Mallee

Mean Max Temp	Mean Min Temp	Rainfall
22.3 °C ^{72 °F}	8.6 °C ^{47 °F}	381.9 mm ^{15 in}

Jeparit is situated on the Wimmera River in Western Victoria, Australia, 370 kilometres north west of Melbourne. At the 2006 census Jeparit had a population of 582.

[edit] History

The area around Jeparit had been home to the Gromiluk aboriginal people prior to European settlement and the name Jeparit is believed to be derived from a Gromiluk word meaning “home of small birds”. Settlement began in the 1880s, when German Lutheran immigrants began to settle and grow wheat.

The town was surveyed in 1883 and gazetted in 1889, the Post Office opening on August 31, 1889 ^[2] though known as Lake Hindmarsh until December. 2 earlier Post Offices called Lake Hindmarsh had existed in the area at various times since 1861 to serve a smaller population of graziers.

Jeparit’s most famous son is former Australian Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies, who was born in the town in 1894. He is commemorated by a local park and spire, which is inscribed:

“

This spire has been erected by the people of Jeparit and district, to honour Sir Robert Menzies. The spire symbolises the rise to world recognition of a boy who was born in Jeparit and who rose by his own efforts to become Australia's Prime Minister and a statesman recognised and honoured throughout the world.

”

Jeparit is the setting for Peter Carey's 1985 novel "Illywhacker".