Skipton, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Skipton is a town in the Western District of Victoria
, Australia
. The town is situated on the Glenelg Highway
166 kilometres west of the state capital, Melbourne
and 52 kilometres south west of the regional centre, Ballarat. Part of Corangamite Shire
Local government area, Skipton is on the banks of Mount Emu Creek
and at the 2006 census
had a population of 482. Skipton had 460 residents in 2001 census
.
Skipton is named after Skipton
, in Yorkshire
, England
and is known as "the home of the platypus
".
Skipton was first established in 1839 as a pastoral run and a town site was surveyed in 1852. The town was settled some years later and the Post Office opened on 6 March 1858.
The town held the first agricultural show
in the Western District in 1859.
Fine wool is the main agricultural product of the Skipton area. A rail trail
allows cyclists to ride between Skipton and Ballarat.
Skipton has a football team
competing in the Central Highlands Football League
.
Golfers play at the course of the Skipton Golf Club on Geelong-Portland Road.
Skipton Variety Market is held on every second Saturday of the month at the Mechanics Hall.
Skipton Rose Festival is held on the first Saturday after the running of the Melbourne Cup
in November each year.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The town is situated on the Glenelg Highway
Glenelg Highway
The Glenelg Highway is a 301 kilometre highway in south-eastern Australia, linking Mount Gambier with Ballarat. Most of the highway is located within the Western part of the state of Victoria; except for a short, 15 km stretch from the South Australia/Victoria state border near Ardno to...
166 kilometres west of the state capital, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and 52 kilometres south west of the regional centre, Ballarat. Part of Corangamite Shire
Corangamite Shire
Corangamite Shire is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the south-western part of the state. Its largest towns, in order of size, are Camperdown, Terang, Cobden, Timboon, Port Campbell and Skipton. It has an area of 4,425 square kilometres. In 2006 it had a population...
Local government area, Skipton is on the banks of Mount Emu Creek
Mount Emu Creek
Mount Emu Creek is a long but small meandering waterway located in the west of Victoria. The total length of the Mount Emu Creek is over 250 kilometres. The creek forms near Trawalla, and Trawalla Creek flows to Mount Emu Creek , the quantity and quality of water from Trawalla Creek is of great...
and at the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
had a population of 482. Skipton had 460 residents in 2001 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
.
Skipton is named after Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
, in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and is known as "the home of the platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
".
Skipton was first established in 1839 as a pastoral run and a town site was surveyed in 1852. The town was settled some years later and the Post Office opened on 6 March 1858.
The town held the first agricultural show
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
in the Western District in 1859.
Fine wool is the main agricultural product of the Skipton area. A rail trail
Ballarat-Skipton Rail Trail
The Ballarat–Skipton Rail Trail in western Victoria, Australia, runs 53 kilometres along the old Skipton railway line from western Ballarat, southwest through Haddon, Smythesdale and Pittong to Skipton...
allows cyclists to ride between Skipton and Ballarat.
Skipton has a football team
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
competing in the Central Highlands Football League
Central Highlands Football League
The Central Highlands Football League is an Australian Rules Football League in the Ballarat region. The league coordinates Senior, Reserve, Under 18 and Under 15 grades.-History:...
.
Golfers play at the course of the Skipton Golf Club on Geelong-Portland Road.
Skipton Variety Market is held on every second Saturday of the month at the Mechanics Hall.
Skipton Rose Festival is held on the first Saturday after the running of the Melbourne Cup
Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major Thoroughbred horse race. Marketed as "the race that stops a nation", it is a 3,200 metre race for three-year-olds and over. It is the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world, and one of the richest turf races...
in November each year.
2010 Floods
A number of Skipton residences and businesses were damaged in the floods on Sunday 5 September, 2010. Skipton Hotel cellars were flooded and water damaged some of the hotel carpets on the ground floor. The worst damage was to Skipton Art Gallery which was extensively damaged by the water flowing from stormwater drains in town.Notable people
- Henry BolteHenry BolteSir Henry Edward Bolte GCMG was an Australian politician. He was the 38th and longest serving Premier of Victoria.- Early years :...
, the longest serving Premier of Victoria, grew up in Skipton. - Henry KingsleyHenry KingsleyHenry Kingsley was an English novelist, brother of the better-known Charles Kingsley.Kingsley was born at Barnack rectory, Northamptonshire, son of the Rev. Charles Kingsley the elder, Mary, née Lucas. Charles Kingsley came of a long line of clergymen and soldiers, and in addition to the two...
, author and brother of Charles KingsleyCharles KingsleyCharles Kingsley was an English priest of the Church of England, university professor, historian and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and northeast Hampshire.-Life and character:...
, worked on a pastoral stationSheep stationA sheep station is a large property in Australia or New Zealand whose main activity is the raising of sheep for their wool and meat. In Australia, sheep stations are usually in the south-east or south-west of the country. In New Zealand the Merinos are usually in the high country of the South...
near Skipton for a time in 1857. - Silent movie star Claire AdamsClaire AdamsClaire Adams was a Canadian silent film actress and benefactor. She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as the daughter of Stanley Wells Adams, a Welsh-born accountant, and his Canadian wife, Lillian Adams...
married Scobie Mackinnon and settled at Mooramong homestead near Skipton in 1937. - AustralianAustralian cricket teamThe Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
TestTest cricketTest cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
cricketerCricketerA cricketer is a person who plays the sport of cricket. Official and long-established cricket publications prefer the traditional word "cricketer" over the rarely used term "cricket player"....
Alan ConnollyAlan ConnollyAlan Norman Connolly is a former Australian cricketer who played in 29 Tests and one ODI from 1963 to 1971. Connolly had been a fast bowler in his youth, but slowed his pace to increase his accuracy and became a reliable support bowler in partnership with Garth McKenzie...
was born in Skipton in 1939. - The Academy Is...The Academy Is...The Academy Is... was an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. Before dispersing, they were signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. They were originally known as "The Academy", but added the "Is..." in 2004 to avoid legal complications with other...
guitarist Michael Guy ChislettMichael Guy ChislettMichael Guy Chislett is an Australian born musician.- Biography :Michael Guy Chislett was born on 6 April 1982 in Skipton, Victoria, a small country town in Australia. In 1992, he and his family moved to Sydney, where he attended Cherrybrook Technology High School. He dropped out in Year 10 to...
was born in Skipton.
External links
- Corangamite Shire Council - Official Site
- Ballarat-Skipton rail trail
- SMH Travel - Skipton page