St Arnaud
Population: 3000
Distances:
Horsham - 109kms
Bendigo - 117kms
Melbourne - 235kms
St Arnaud is located in the rich grazing and cereal cropping area of the eastern Wimmera - along the Sunraysia Highway (between Donald and Avoca, 235km north-west of Melbourne). The town is the service centre for the largely agricultural district that grows cereals, merino sheep, legumes and grapevines. St Arnaud has a Mediterranean climate of warm to hot, dry summers and cool to mild winters. During the summer, the temperature hits an average maximum of around 29°C, and in winter, 12°C and receives an average of approximately 510 mm of rain per annum.
This picturesque town has expanded from the alluvial gold that was discovered in the 1850s and is noted for its historic streetscape of old shops, pubs and post-supported verandah’s of cast iron lacework. The town’s historic setting is one of the main attractions. The Historical Society Museum located in the old fire station maintains much of the heritage. Buildings of historic interest include: the Courthouse, Crown Lands Office, Post Office, original police lock up, Shire Office, Bank of New South Wales, Tottington Woolshed and Botanical Hotel. The main street, Napier Street, has been declared an important historical area for conservation.
St Arnaud is situated north of the Pyrenees Ranges in a bushland setting-providing habitat for many birds, animals and plants. The Avon River flows past the town to the west from the Ranges and meets the Richardson River nearby.
Kara Kara State Park to the south of the town has 3840 ha of mainly steep, forested terrain in the southern section of the St Arnaud Range. It is a great place to enjoy a peaceful picnic or recreational fishing in the Upper and Lower Teddington Reservoirs as the waters are a haven for trout and redfin.
St Arnaud is the junction of several highways leading north, south, east and west. Melbourne is accessed via the Sunraysia Highway to the southeast and Mildura (and the Mallee region) to the northwest. The Wimmera Highway heads west from St Arnaud to the Wimmera Town of Horsham.
Initially, St Arnaud was first known as the New Bendigo diggings and grew quickly into a permanent township. The alluvial gold began to decline after the initial flurry and many departed with reef mining of both gold and silver becoming the more lucrative industry. The last mine was closed in 1926, although cyanide processing of the tailings continued for some time. The rich heritage of the gold mine era has combined with modern agriculture to create a truly unique living experience.
