Heathcote, Victoria

Heathcote is a town in central Victoria, Australia, situated on the Northern Highway 110 kilometres north of Melbourne and 40 kilometres south-east of Bendigo via the McIvor Highway. Heathcote's local government area is the City of Greater Bendigo and it is part of the federal electorate of Bendigo and the state electorate of Euroa. At the 2021 census, Heathcote had a population of 2,962.^[1]

Heathcote Bendigo, Victoria
Main street
Heathcote
Coordinates	36°55′S 144°42′E
Population	2,962 (2021 census)[1]
Postcode(s)	3523
Location	109 km (68 mi) from Melbourne 47 km (29 mi) from Bendigo
LGA(s)	City of Greater Bendigo
State electorate(s)	Euroa
Federal division(s)	Bendigo

History

The Heathcote region is located on the traditional lands of the Taungurung people, a part of the Kulin nation that inhabited a large portion of central Victoria.^[2][3][4] The first European known to have visited the district was Major Thomas Mitchell in 1836. By 1851 about 400 Europeans lived on some 16 pastoral properties in the area.

Late in 1852 gold was discovered at McIvor Creek. Within six months some 40,000 miners were camped in the vicinity. It proved to be one of the richest finds during the Australian gold rushes, but the gold was so easily found that it was soon largely exhausted and by the end of the year a large proportion of the miners had already left for other recent finds (although deeper deposits continued to be mined for many years). This was not before the Victorian government gazetted the township of Heathcote on the site and ordered the construction of several official buildings. The post office opened on 1 July 1853 as McIvor Creek but six months later, on 1 January 1854, was renamed Heathcote.^[5] With the decline of gold mining the region took on an increased importance as a pastoral district.

Heathcote was served by the Heathcote railway line from 1889 to 1968.^[6]

The Heathcote Magistrates' Court closed on 1 January 1990.^[7]

Gold Escort Robbery

Mia Mia was the location of a violent gold escort robbery on 20 July 1853. A gang of at least six robbers and possibly as large as twelve bailed up a gold escort that departed Heathcote on the way to Kyneton. The robbers opened fire on the six escorts in which four were wounded. The other two fled to Heathcote to raise the alarm. When help arrived they found that the robbers and the gold was gone. All the robbers were living in Heathcote at the time working the gold diggings. Later John Francis gave crown evidence against the others and three of the villains were hanged. This took place very close to where one of Australia's worst aviation disasters occurred in 1945.

Tourism

Heathcote is the closest major town to the Heathcote-Graytown National Park and Lake Eppalock.

Popular tourist destinations in Heathcote include the Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve, a former gold mining site, and the Valley of the Liquid Ambers, a park and picnic area along the McIvor Creek.^[8]

Pink Cliffs Geological Reserve

Liquid amber trees in Autumn

Chauncy is a French restaurant that was established in 2021. It is located in a historic sandstone building that was originally the office and residence of Philip Chauncy, the chief surveyor of the district.^[9]

Culture and events

The Heathcote Film Festival is an annual short film festival that has been held since 2010.^[10]

The Heathcote Agricultural Show is held at the Heathcote Showground each year on Melbourne Cup Day.^[11][12]

Heathcote Harvest Festival was officially launched in 2022 and is held on the Labour Day Long Weekend. Located on Barrack Reserve in the centre of Heathcote, the festival is a free family and dog-friendly event with live music, a variety of local and regional stalls and food trucks.^[13][14]

On the King's Birthday Long Weekend, Heathcote on Show features local artisan winemakers, brewers, distillers, gourmet food and live musicians at over 25 locations.^[15][16][17]

The Heathcote Wine and Food Festival is held on a weekend early in October on the Heathcote Showgrounds. Hosted by the Heathcote Winegrowers Association, and running for more than 16 years, the festival includes over forty wine vendors, thirty other vendors, and attracts more than 2500 attendees each year.^[18][19]

The town is the centre of the recognised Heathcote wine region, notable for its Shiraz wines.^[20] In 2010, the Heathcote Winery won a gold medal at the Queensland Wine Show.^[21] Sanguine Estate’s 2012 Inception Shiraz (aka Estate) was awarded 5 Stars (Gold Medal), best Shiraz in the “$35 to $40” category and equal best Shiraz overall at 2017 Mainfreight World’s Greatest Syrah & Shiraz Challenge.^[22] Wineries from the Heathcote region were among the most acclaimed at the 2016 Victorian Wine Show.^[23]

Sport

The town has several sporting teams:

• Australian Rules: The town has an Australian Rules football team playing in the Heathcote District Football League. Heathcote managed to capture back to back premierships in 2009/10.^[24]
• Cricket: The Heathcote Cricket Club competes in the Northern United Cricket Association and had back to back premiership success in seasons 2012/13 & 2013/14.^[25]
• Golf: Golfers play at the Heathcote Golf Course, an 18 hole course.^[26]
• Motor Racing/Athletics & Horse Racing: Heathcote has a harness track (2040m) that also acts as a speedway.

Notable residents

• Isobel Morphy-Walsh - Indigenous Australian artist who created the Acknowledgement of Country Shadow Sculpture that was installed at Barrack Reserve in Heathcote in 2022.^[27]
• Australian rules footballers - Charlie Norris, Jim Schellnack, Dick Welch, Peter Francis