Scotsburn, Victoria
Scotsburn is a locality in Victoria, Australia. It is approximately 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) from Ballarat on the Midland Highway toward Geelong. Its local government areas are the Shire of Moorabool and the City of Ballarat.
| Scotsburn Victoria | |||||||||||||||
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 Scotsburn Hall | |||||||||||||||
  Scotsburn Location in Moorabool Shire | |||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°41′08″S 143°56′20″E | ||||||||||||||
| Population | 258 (2016 census)[1] | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3352 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | |||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Buninyong | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Ballarat | ||||||||||||||
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History
Located at the foot of Mount Buninyong, it was named after the Scott family which settled in the area around 1840. Andrew and Celia Scott, who arrived in Australia in 1839, established a cattle farm of 16,000 acres (65 km2). The Scotts had received £2,070 9S 2D as compensation for emancipated slaves in Tobago from the British West Indies, "under the will of Thos. Bird".[2] Thomas Bird appears to have been Celia Scott's grandfather, and his inheritance was split between her and her two sisters.[3][4]
After a period of growing potatoes in 1841-42 during poor financial times, in 1843 the Scott family began to run sheep. The Scott family also purchased property in the western district of Victoria and in New South Wales, with some members of the family moving to run sheep on the new stations. Over time various sections of the original farm were sold to new farmers in the district.
In 1876 the first school was opened, known for a short time as Burnt Hill State School (State School number 2176). Four years later the school was renamed Scotts Marsh and in 1889 it was again renamed, this time to Scotsburn. The school is now an annexe of Buninyong Primary School.
The post office opened on 9 August 1880 as Scott's Marsh, was renamed Scotsburn in 1889 and closed in 1971.[5]
In 1884 the Scotsburn Union Church was formed, with an acre of land donated by Andrew Scott. The same church structure remains and still holds regular services.
In 1891 the Scotsburn Hall was built, funded by donations and land donated by the Eason family. Since its establishment it has been utilised by the local primary school, the Scotsburn Tennis Club, and local residents for various functions.
Recent history
A bushfire with an extent of 4600 hectares burned through Scotsburn and surrounding areas on 19 and 20 December 2015, killing livestock and pets and destroying at least twelve houses. Relief centres were set up for all evacuated people.
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Scotsburn (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- Coventry, C.J. (2019). "Links in the Chain: British slavery, Victoria and South Australia". Before/Now. 1 (1). doi:10.17613/d8ht-p058.
- "Thomas Bird Profile and Legacies Summary". Legacies of British Slave-ownership. University College London. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- "Celia Scott (née King) Profile & Legacies Summary". Legacies of British Slave-ownership. University College London. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008
Scotsburn, The Early Settlers, 1838 - 1988
