Ararat Victoria
The main street, looking west
Ararat
Population:	8215 (2006) [1]
Established:	1857
Postcode:	3377
Coordinates:	Coordinates: 37°17′S 142°55′E / 37.283°S 142.917°E / -37.283; 142.917
Area:	12.6 km² (4.9 sq mi)
Property Value:	AUD $145,500 (2006)
Location:	205 km (127 mi) from Melbourne
LGA:	Rural City of Ararat
Federal Division:	Wannon

Ararat is a city in south-west Victoria, Australia, approximately 205 kilometres (130 mi) west of Melbourne, on the Western Highway. Is the largest town in the local government area known as the Rural City of Ararat and is in the federal Division of Wannon. The town is set between mountain ranges and surrounded by fertile grazing country and has a population of approximately 8220.

Contents 1 History 2 Economy 3 Tourism 4 Trivia 5 Transport 6 Sport 7 Notable people 8 References 9 External links

[edit] History

Europeans first settled in the Grampians region in the 1840s after surveyor Thomas Mitchell passed through the area in 1836. In 1841, Horatio Wills, on his way to selecting country further south, wrote in his diary, "like the Ark we rested" and named a nearby hill Mt Ararat. It is from this entry and the nearby Mount that the town takes its name.

The Post Office opened 1 February 1856 although known as Cathcart until 31 August 1857.^[2] In 1857, a party of Chinese miners en route to the Central Victorian gold fields struck gold at the Canton Lead which marked the beginning of great growth in Ararat. With the connection continuing to grow today through a sister city relationship with Taishan, China. Vines were planted in 1863 by French settlers.

[edit] Economy

Primary industries in the region include wool, beef and wine. A regional campus of the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE is located in Ararat. The town has a regional airport YARA (ARY).

HM Prison Ararat is located in the town.

[edit] Tourism

Ararat is an ideal base for exploring the regions many natural attractions including the Grampians National Park, Mt Langi Ghiran, Mt Cole, Mt Buangor, Ararat Hills Regional Park and the Pyrenees Ranges. Ararat is also the gateway to the Grampians Wine Region .

Tourist attractions include:

• J Ward, a lunatic asylum for criminally insane closed in 1991 and now a museum taking tours daily.
• Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre
• Ararat Regional Art Gallery
• Ararat Railway Heritage Museum
• Langi Morgala Museum
• Numerous local wineries
• The Golden Gateway Festival
• Jailhouse Rock Festival
• Challicum Hills Wind Farm

[edit] Trivia

Two Royal Australian Navy ships have been named after this town. HMAS Ararat (K 34), a Bathurst class corvette, and HMAS Ararat (ACPB 89), an Armidale class patrol boat.

[edit] Transport

The city is located on the Western Highway. Ararat station is serviced by V/Line with coaches and trains running daily to and from Melbourne, as well as The Overland service from Melbourne to Adelaide. Since 2008 the Ararat Transit bus service has operated around the city 5 days a week, providing 86 services on three routes, connecting with train services. Before this time it operated three days per week and offered 30 services.^[3]

[edit] Sport

Ararat has an Australian rules football team competing in the Wimmera Football League. ^[4]

The horse racing club, the Wimmera Racing Club, schedules around five race meetings a year at Ararat including the Ararat Cup meeting in November. ^[5]

Ararat Harness Racing Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the town. ^[6]

Golfers play at the Aradale Golf Club on Grano Street^[7] or at the course of the Chalambar Golf Club on Golf Links Road.^[8]

[edit] Notable people

• Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Scherger was born in Ararat on 18 May 1904.
• Shane Kelly Olympic Cyclist and medal winner.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ararat, Victoria

• FallingRain Map - elevation = 301m (Red dots are railways)
• Ararat Online

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