| Horsham Victoria |
|||||||
The main street of Horsham in 2006 |
|||||||
|
Horsham
|
|||||||
| Population: | 14,125 (2006)[1] | ||||||
| Postcode: | 3400 | ||||||
| Elevation: | 128 m (420 ft) | ||||||
| Location: | |||||||
| LGA: | Rural City of Horsham | ||||||
| State District: | Lowan | ||||||
| Federal Division: | Mallee | ||||||
|
|||||||
Horsham ( /ˈhɔrʃəm/, locally [ˈhoːʃəm])[2] is the largest city by population and regional centre of the Wimmera region of Victoria, Australia and is approximately 300 kilometres (190 mi) north-west of Melbourne via the Western Highway. At the 2006 census, Horsham had a population of 14,125. Horsham is in the federal Division of Mallee. Currently held by the National party, it is the most conservative seat in the country.[3]
Horsham won Australia's Tidiest Town 2001,[4] despite the ten year drought that was affecting the area.[5]
Horsham is the main administrative centre for and the most populous city within the Rural City of Horsham local government area.
Contents |
Horsham was surveyed and settled in the late 1840s, the Post Office opening on 1 July 1848.[6] The first settlers were James Monckton Darlot and Charles Carter.[7]
The main railway from Melbourne reached Horsham in 1879 and was later extended to Adelaide, while a branch line west to Carpolac was started in 1887 and closed in 1988.[8]
The Horsham Borough Council and the Shire of Wimmera operated the McKenzie Creek Tramway from the town to a stone quarry, some 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the south. The horse tramway opened in 1885 and ceased operating in 1927. Special picnic trains operated from time to time conveying residents in open wagons.[9]
Horsham is where the Western Highway (connecting Melbourne to Adelaide) and the Henty Highway (from Portland north towards Mildura) cross paths with the Wimmera Highway.
Horsham railway station is on the main Melbourne and Adelaide railway. The Overland operates between the state capitals and stops in Horsham thrice a week in each direction for passengers. However, there is no direct connection to the Victorian broad gauge rail network. Long interstate freight trains regularly travel through the town, and a local container freight service is operated by QRNational for Wimmera Container Lines.[10] Until July 2008 it was operated by Pacific National, who cancelled it in April then gave it a three month reprieve.[11][12]
V/Line operates a coach service to and from Horsham from various areas. Melbourne bound passengers board a train in Ararat to continue their journey. Public transport within Horsham is limited to the town bus service operated by 'Wimmera Roadways/Horsham Bus Lines', consisting of 2 buses and 5 routes.
The town is also served by Horsham Airport.
Sport and fitness are well-supported in Horsham. There are two well-equipped gyms, a large indoor stadium with facilities for netball, basketball and other indoor sports.There is an Aquatic centre with a 25-metre heated pool and gym facility. Local team sports are a very popular way of exercising.
There are two football and netball leagues based around Horsham - the Wimmera Football & Netball League and the Horsham & District Football & Netball League. The town has three Australian rules football teams competing in the Wimmera Football League the Horsham Demons, the Horsham Diggers and the Horsham Saints. The Horsham Demons have had success in recent years having won the last 8 Wimmera Football League premierships until 2010. Kalkee have been the biggest grand final winners in the Horsham District League, in both football and netball, over the past 50 years. There are various Volleyball facilities, with a weekly domestic competition run for enjoyment, and training programs run, in conjunction with Horsham's key secondary school, Horsham College. Teams from the College compete in the National Volleyball Schools Cup each year, and over previous years, have won various gold, silver and bronze medals, in both men's and women's, Division 2, Division 1 and Honours.
The horse racing club, the Wimmera Racing Club, schedules around five race meetings a year at Horsham including the Horsham Cup meeting in October.[13]
Horsham Harness Racing Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the city,[14] and the Horsham Greyhound Racing Club holds regular meetings.[15]
Golfers play at the course of the Horsham Golf Club on Golf Course Road.[16]
Tourism is not a major industry in the city, although it is near the Grampians National Park and the popular rock climbing destination Mount Arapiles. There is a tourist wool factory where it is possible to buy woollen products and view how top quality wool is grown in covered sheds.
There is a walk along the Wimmera River, which is restrained by a weir, but the water flow is rather intermittent, due to a drought which also makes the farming industry harder for the farmers.
Horsham Botanic Gardens, located by the Wimmera River, were designed by notable landscape architect William Guilfoyle.
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||