From 3 – 5 October 2024, the Governor participated in an official visit to Central Goldfields Shire.
The Central Goldfields has a rich history and now plays an important role in contemporary Victoria as a unique destination for tourists and as the home of innovative Victorian businesses.
The trip was a chance to gain insights into the local community as well as the depth and variety of talent and enterprise in the region.
Key themes
Local history
-
A walking tour of the Bull Gully Aboriginal Rock Wells offered the chance to learn more about the First Nations history of the area, prior to the Gold Rush era.
-
The Dunolly Goldfields Museum provided a fantastic overview of the Gold Rush history of the area, which had a profound impact on our state.
-
A tour of the Dunolly Historic Precinct offered an incredibly well-preserved look into our state’s history and the social, cultural and economic impacts of the Gold Rush era – forming a key part of the Central Goldfield’s bid to obtain World Heritage listing.
Education
-
A Maryborough Library Storytime Session was an opportunity to engage with some of the Shire’s youngest members and see the importance of early education in the community.
-
A tour of Talbot Primary School, which opened in 1869, provided an opportunity to meet with the students.
Service Delivery
-
Attendance at a Go Goldfields meeting, a Climate Action Stewarding Group roundtable, and a meeting with the Central Goldfields Youth Council enabled a deeper understanding of local priorities and processes of community engagement.
-
A meeting with frontline health workers at the Maryborough District Health Service was also a chance to hear about some of the challenges faced by regional healthcare providers and the important role they play in looking after the local community.
Background information
Located at the geographical centre of Victoria, Central Goldfields Shire Council is within one hour’s drive of the regional centres of Ballarat and Bendigo and just two hours from Melbourne.
The municipality covers an area of 1,532 square kilometres and has an estimated population of almost 13,000 people.
Central Goldfields Shire is bounded by Northern Grampians Shire in the north-west, Pyrenees Shire in the west, Hepburn Shire in the south, Mount Alexander Shire in the east and Loddon Shire in the north-east.
For more information, visit Central Goldfields Shire Council.