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Hepburn Springs Victoria | |
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Coordinates | 37°19′0″S 144°08′0″E / 37.31667°S 144.13333°E |
Population | 631 (2021 census)[1] |
Postcode(s) | 3461 |
Location |
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LGA(s) | Shire of Hepburn |
State electorate(s) | Macedon |
Federal division(s) | Ballarat |
Hepburn Springs is a resort town located in the middle of the largest concentration of mineral springs in Australia, situated in Victoria, 48 km northeast of Ballarat. In the 2021 census, Hepburn had a population of 631,[1] and Hepburn Springs had a population of 368.[2] The total population of Hepburn Springs was 928. The town is named after Captain John Hepburn, who was an early squatter in central Victoria. The traditional owners of the land are the Dja Dja Wurrung.
Hepburn and Hepburn Springs are twin towns that are often grouped together under the Hepburn Springs name. Hepburn Springs was originally known as "Spring Creek" and Hepburn as "Old Racecourse". Old Racecourse is the location of the recreation reserve, and "New Racecourse" is otherwise known as Victoria Park in nearby Daylesford. Both Hepburn and Hepburn Springs were located on the Jim Crow Diggings, and the towns were populated by miners in the 1850s, predominantly from England, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and France. The Hepburn Post Office opened on January 1, 1854 and closed in 1964. Later, the Hepburn Springs Post Office opened on October 1, 1908.[3]
Today, the village is known as a spa town. Visitors can sample the local mineral waters, and explore other local amenities.
Hepburn Springs' buildings are dominated by Edwardian architecture, unlike the Victorian architecture present in nearby Daylesford. This is due to the devastation of the 1906 bushfire, which destroyed most buildings in the settlement.[4]
Hepburn Springs is located in the Wombat State Forest between the former volcanoes of Mt. Franklin and Wombat Hill. The prevalence of mineral water in the area is related to the distance from the Great Dividing Range and the volcanic nature of the geology.