Hepburn Springs, Victoria

Hepburn Springs
Victoria
Main Road
Hepburn Springs is located in Shire of Hepburn
Hepburn Springs
Hepburn Springs
Coordinates37°19′0″S 144°08′0″E / 37.31667°S 144.13333°E / -37.31667; 144.13333
Population631 (2021 census)[1]
Postcode(s)3461
Location
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.

  1. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Hepburn (State Suburb)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 March 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Hepburn Springs (State Suburb)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 March 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  3. ^ Phoenix Auctions History, Post Office List, retrieved 24 February 2021
  4. ^ Gervasoni, Clare Bullboar Macaroni and Mineral Water Hepburn Springs Swiss Italian Festa Inc P 112 and [1] Archived 24 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine