| Heathcote Victoria |
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Main street |
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Heathcote
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| Population: | 2689 (2006)[1] |
| Postcode: | 3523 |
| Location: | |
| LGA: | City of Greater Bendigo |
| State District: | Rodney |
| Federal Division: | Bendigo |
Heathcote is a town in central Victoria, Australia, situated on the Northern Highway 110 kilometres north of Melbourne and 40 kilometres south-east of Bendigo via the McIvor Highway. Heathcote's local government area is the City of Greater Bendigo and it is part of the federal electorate of Bendigo and the state electorate of Rodney. At the 2006 census Heathcote had a population of 2689.
The first European known to have visited the district was Major Thomas Mitchell in 1836. By 1851 about 400 Europeans lived on some 16 pastoral properties in the area.
Late in 1852 gold was discovered at McIvor Creek. Within six months some 40,000 miners were camped in the vicinity. It proved to be one of the richest finds during the Australian gold rushes, but the gold was so easily found that it was soon largely exhausted and by the end of the year a large proportion of the miners had already left for other recent finds (although deeper deposits continued to be mined for many years). This was not before the Victorian government gazetted the township of Heathcote on the site and ordered the construction of several official buildings. The post office opened on 1 July 1853 as McIvor Creek but six months later, on 1 January 1854, was renamed Heathcote.[2]
With the decline of gold mining the region took on an increased importance as a pastoral district.
Heathcote was served by railway from 1889 to 1968.[3]
The most famous incident during the gold rush era was the Melbourne Private Escort Robbery on 20 July 1853. This took place very close to where one of Australia's worst aviation disasters occurred in 1945.
Heathcote is the closest major town to the Heathcote-Graytown National Park and Lake Eppalock. The town hosts an agricultural show in November. A weekend early in October is dedicated to the Heathcote Wine and Food Festival held at the show grounds. This is a dynamic event that has grown rapidly since its inception in 1994. March is host to a relatively new event which began in 2010 to showcase local produce and boutique breweries of the region; the Snag, Beer and Bubble Fest. This event also features local musicians and bands.
Heathcote is reputed to have the longest main street in Victoria.[4] The town is the centre of the recognised Heathcote wine region, notable for its Shiraz wines.[5]
The town has an Australian Rules football team playing in the Heathcote District Football League.[6]
Golfers play at the course of the Heathcote Golf Club at the Recreation Reserve.[7]
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