Kyneton

Kyneton (/ˈkaɪntən/ KYNE-tən)[2] is a town in the Macedon Ranges region of Victoria, Australia. The Calder Freeway bypasses Kyneton to the north and east. The town was named after the English village of Kineton, Warwickshire.[3]

Kyneton
Victoria
Looking along Piper Street, Kyneton
Kyneton
Coordinates37°14′S 144°27′E
Population6,951 (2016 census)[1]
Established1850
Postcode(s)3444
Elevation519 m (1,703 ft)
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Macedon Ranges
State electorate(s)Macedon
Federal Division(s)Bendigo
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
18.6 °C
65 °F		 5.6 °C
42 °F		 823.5 mm
32.4 in
Localities around Kyneton:
Elphinstone Metcalfe Baynton
Malmsbury Kyneton Benloch
Lauriston Woodend North Carlsruhe

The town has three main streets: Mollison Street, Piper Street and High Street. Piper Street has the oldest streetscape of these, and still has many of its original buildings. The railway station, about 91 kilometres (57 mi) from Melbourne on the Bendigo railway line,[4] is a terminus for two weekday peak-hour trains. The town is the council seat of the Shire of Macedon Ranges. At the 2016 census, Kyneton recorded a population of 6,951.

History

Major Thomas Mitchell, an explorer, crossed and named the Campaspe River near present-day Kyneton on his 1836 expedition.[5] Charles Ebden was the first European occupier of the region that included the Kyneton townsite. He set up a head station for his sheep run at Carlsruhe, Victoria 6 km South of Kyneton on the 26th May 1837.[6]

In June 1838 the Waterloo Plains massacre of 8 - 23 Djadjawurrung people occurred on the newly established Barford sheep run north of Kyneton.

Unlike a majority of towns in the area, Kyneton predates the Victorian gold rushes,[7] having been established in 1850, whereas the gold rushes started the year after. At this time, Kyneton was a growing rural centre, and served as a major stop for those heading to the gold rushes at Mount Alexander and Bendigo. The post office opened on 1 July 1843 as Mount Macedon and was renamed Kyneton on 1 January 1854.[8]

Joseph Furphy (aka Tom Collins) attended Kyneton primary school in the mid-1850s.[9]

In November 1857, the humanitarian Caroline Chisholm moved her family to Kyneton, where her husband Archibald sat on the magistrates' bench and their two elder sons ran a store.

Kyneton Mounted Rifle Corps was formed in 1859, as one of the volunteer brigades set up when Britain was involved in wars in Afghanistan, Crimea and India. The Kyneton Mounted Rifle Corps was among the earliest in the colony of Victoria. The corps was later amalgamated in the 1880s to form the Victorian Mounted Rifles. Although the individual volunteer units had been disbanded by Federation (1901), many members became part of the 4th and 12th regiments of Light Horse at the Battle of Beersheba (1917) against Turkish troops of the Ottoman Empire.[10]

Henry Gregory (politician) (1860-1940), Western Australian State and Federal politician, was born and educated in Kyneton.

Sir Stanley Argyle, Premier of Victoria 1932–35, was born in Kyneton in 1867.

Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Hurry (1868-1951), Commander of the 38th Battalion AIF in France in 1918, was born and died in Kyneton. He was the Member for Bendigo in the Commonwealth Parliament from 1922 until 1929.[11]

The Kyneton Courthouse tried Ned Kelly in 1870[12] for robbery under arms. This courthouse has since continued to function, although only as a magistrates' court on Mondays.

Population

In the 2016 Census, there were 6,951 people in Kyneton. 78.6% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was England at 3.7%. 88.3% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 35.7%, Catholic 25.2% and Anglican 11.9%.[1]

Media

Kyneton's main locally produced newspaper is the Midland Express, which also serves the surrounding region. The town receives television from Mount Alexander, and is served by a community radio station, 100.7 Highlands FM, based in Woodend.

Tourist attractions
Autumn in the Kyneton Botanical Gardens.

Kyneton offers tourists several points of interest locally including the Botanic Gardens (established in the mid-1800s[13]) and several walks along the Campaspe River.

Various Farmers Markets and festivals throughout the year make the town popular as a day trip destination. The township also serves as a starting point for many nearby destinations, such as Trentham Falls and Hanging Rock in Newham.

Kyneton Museum, located in the old Bank of New South Wales building (built in 1856[14]), houses an extensive collection of local historical items.

Being located well away from any heavily populated areas and their inherent light pollution, Kyneton is also a destination for astronomers seeking a clear view of the Southern Hemisphere night skies due to relatively low light pollution levels as opposed to Australian cities. The Cobaw Plateau is host to a 500-hectare facility for astronomical observation.

Arts and Culture

The Macedon Ranges is home to the most artists per capita in Victoria. Kyneton, with the beauty in the changing seasons and enthusiastic cafe culture, is a hub for artists and crafts people.

Kyneton is where the annual Lost Trades Fair and the Daffodil Festival were founded.

It is home to many galleries and artist studios, including but not limited to:

Stockroom, The Old Auction house, The Golden Dog Gallery, Art on Piper, Lauriston Press, John Lloyd Gallery and Colours of White to name a few.

The Macedon Ranges holds two art specific events, The Dayesford and Macedon Ranges open studios and the Macedon Ranges Arts Trail.

It is also home to quaint bookstores and many excellent cafes.

Education
Kyneton Mechanics Hall

Kyneton is centrally located among several outlying towns and serves as an educational hub for primary and secondary students. The following educational institutions are located in the main township:

Sport

The town has an Australian rules football team, Kyneton Football Club, competing in the Bendigo Football League .It is here where, Kyneton legend, Laurie Raines started his football career.[15]

Kyneton has a horse racing club, the Kyneton District Racing Club, which schedules around sixteen race meetings a year including the Kyneton Cup meeting in November (always the day after the Melbourne Cup).[16] In 2009 the Kyneton District Racing Club partnered with the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE to use the facilities of the racecourse and its extensive grounds as an educational training facility.[17][18]

Golfers play at the course of the Kyneton Golf Club on Black Hill Road.[19]

Kyneton has a football team "The Rangers" which compete in the Melbourne Division 3 under the FFV banner.[20]

Heritage listings

Kyneton contains a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

gollark: Well, I generally err on the side of "things should preferentially not be restricted", as a libcenter-according-to-the-political-compass.
gollark: No, just *some* access to them for citizens.
gollark: Take, er, guns, knives, *end to end encryption* now (though they seem to just be trying to backdoor that), unfiltered internet connections...
gollark: For example, the UK's solution to anything dangerous or which can be misused somehow is "BAN IT!"
gollark: Yes, but I have serious problems with some things more than others.

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Kyneton". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  2. Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876429-14-3
  3. Blake, Les (1977) Place Names of Victoria, p. 147. Melbourne: Rigby Limited. ISBN 0-7270-0250-3
  4. Vicsig.net Bendigo Fast Rail line guide, Retrieved on 7 January 2011.
  5. Shire of Campaspe ; retrieved 7 January 2010.
  6. Walker, Thomas, A Month in the Bush of Australia, J. Crook, London, 1838, p. 34
  7. Priestly, Susan (1984), The Victorians: vol. III, Making Their Mark, McMahons Point, NSW: Fairfax, Syme & Weldon Associates, p. 73, ISBN 0-949288-03-9
  8. Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008
  9. Clark, Manning (1981) Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol 8, p. 600. Melbourne: MUP. ISBN 0-522-84219-4
  10. Macedon Ranges Leader http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/book-on-military-brigades-to-recognise-mounted-regiments/story-fnglenug-1226594866646 , Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  11. Weekly Times, Melbourne, 14 February 1951, p 2
  12. Ned on the net Ned Kelly lock-up safe in police complex plans Archived 14 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on 7 January 2011.
  13. Kyneton Botanic Gardens "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 May 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link), Retrieved on 7 January 2011.
  14. Kyneton Museum Archived 21 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on 7 January 2011.
  15. Full Points Footy, Kyneton, retrieved 25 July 2008
  16. Country Racing Victoria, Country Racing Victoria, archived from the original on 31 December 2010, retrieved 7 January 2011
  17. Jessica Foulds, Race to Educate, Macedon Ranges Telegraph, 23 June 2009. Accessed 7 August 2009
  18. Barry Kennedy, Kyneton course in training on track Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Leader newspapers, 25 June 2009. Accessed 7 August 2009
  19. Golf Select, Kyneton, retrieved 11 May 2009
  20. The Rangers KDSC – About the club, Retrieved on 7 January 2011.
  21. "Kyneton Railway Station Complex". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  22. "Mechanics Institute and Library". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  23. "Kyneton Post Office (Place ID 106133)". Australian Heritage Database. Department of the Environment. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  24. "Kyneton Botanic Gardens". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  25. "Freemasons Hall, Zetland Lodge". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  26. "Stonemasons Yard". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  27. "Former Willis Flour Mill". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  28. "Velvet Soap Advertising Sign". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  29. "Bank of NSW Building". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  30. "Shops". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  31. "Kyneton Court House". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  32. "Degraves Mill". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  33. "Kyneton Arts Centre (Former Congregational Church and Sunday School)". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  34. "Skelsmergh Hall". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  35. "Windmill Farm". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  36. "St Agnes Homestead (Stables and Cottages)". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  37. "Kyneton District Hospital". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  38. "Insitu Horseworks". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  39. "Kyneton Secondary College (Former High School)". Victorian Heritage Database (Victorian Heritage Register). Victorian Heritage Council. Retrieved 10 March 2019.

Media related to Kyneton at Wikimedia Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.