Camperdown, Victoria

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Camperdown
Victoria

Camperdown clock tower and war memorial.

Population:

3541 (2006)^[1]

Established:

1854

Postcode:

3260

Elevation:

165 m (541 ft)

Location:

194 km (121 mi) SW of Melbourne
45 km (28 mi) W of Colac

LGA:

Corangamite Shire

State District:

Polwarth

Federal Division:

Wannon

Mean Max Temp	Mean Min Temp	Rainfall
19.1 °C ^{66 °F}	8.1 °C ^{47 °F}	762.4 mm ^{30 in}

Camperdown (38.15° S 143.9° E) is an historically significant rural town in western Victoria, Australia, 194 kilometres (121 mi) km south west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Camperdown had a population of 3541.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Features
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

First surveyed in 1851 and named Camperdown in 1854 in respect to a Scottish Naval hero (the Earl Of Camperdown), the town became the service centre for the vast pastoral empires of the region. The railway though the town was opened in 1883,^[2] and later extended as part of the line to the south west of the state. The local railway station is served by V/Line passenger services on the Warrnambool line.

By the mid 20th century Camperdown had emerged as a more diverse centre for dairy farming which drew on its rich volcanic soil, for woolgrowing and for produce processing industries. By the late 20th century the town had become a major centre for tourism because of its unspoiled 19th century architecture and as a gateway to the southern tourist attractions of the Otway Ranges, the Great Ocean Road and the 'Shipwreck Coast'.

[edit] Geography

Lake Bullen-Merri at Sunset.

Camperdown lies within the 'Lakes and Craters' region, sitting at the foot of Mount Leura which together with nearby Mount Sugerloaf are part of a large extinct volcanic complex known as the "Leura Maar". To the immediate west are the deep volcanic crater lakes Bullen-Merri and Gnotuk while to the east is the crater lake Purrumbete popular for its Trout and Chinook Salmon fishing.

[edit] Features

Wide view of Clock Tower & War Memorial.

The town is renowned for its classic historical buildings. Central is the 103 foot high Gothic Manifold Clock Tower, built 1897, which sits in a wide Elm lined median between the dual carriageways of Manifold Street, named in honour of one of the pioneer pastoralists. Tower, avenue, Boer War memorial, Soldiers' memorial, memorial cross and JC Manifold statue are all listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.

Among the many other classic buildings are the 1886-7 two storey Georgian style Court House, the 1863 two storey bluestone (granite) Post Office, Theatre Royal (1890) and Masonic Hall (1867-68).

[edit] See also

Camperdown railway station

[edit] References

^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Camperdown (State Suburb). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
^ Sid Brown (March 1990). "Tracks Across the State". Newsrail: pages 71-76. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division).