Warrnambool, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Cityscape
The original City of Warrnambool was a 4x8 grid, with boundaries of Lava Street (north), Japan Street (east), Merri Street (south) and Henna Street (west). In the nineteenth century, it was intended that Fairy Street – with its proximity to the Warrnambool Railway Station – would be the main street of Warrnambool. However, Liebig Street has since become the main street of the CBD. The Warrnambool CBD is particularly notable for its number of roundabouts.
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, a fernery, a band rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
, and was designed by notable landscape architect
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
, William Guilfoyle
William Guilfoyle
William Robert Guilfoyle was a landscape gardener and botanist in Victoria, Australia, acknowledged as the architect of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne and was responsible for the design of many parks and gardens in Melbourne and regional Victoria.-Early life:Guilfoyle was born in Chelsea,...
.
Eleven suburbs surround the CBD of Warrnambool: North, South, East and West Warrnambool, Brierly, Sherwood Park, Merrivale, Dennington
Dennington, Victoria
Dennington is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the City of Warrnambool local government area, south west of the state capital, Melbourne and north west of the regional centre of Warrnambool...
, Woodford
Woodford, Victoria
Woodford is a township in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. located north of Warrnambool. At the 2006 census, the population of the combined area was 479....
, Bushfield
Bushfield, Victoria
Bushfield is a town in Australia. The town is located north of Warrnambool, Victoria. It is joined with the nearby Woodford to make Woodford-Bushfield. At the 2006 census, the population of the combined area was 479....
and Allansford
Allansford, Victoria
Allansford is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. It is in the City of Warrnambool local government area. The Hopkins River flows through the town.-History:The Post Office opened on 1 January 1860...
, though only the four latter are recognised as localities of the city.
Culture
The Wunta festival held in Warrnambool every February is one of south-west Victoria's major community festivals. It incorporates a wide range of entertainment for all ages.
The Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum is in Warrnambool built on Flagstaff Hill that also holds the original lighthouses and Warrnambool Garrison. Its most prized item in its collection is the Minton peacock salvaged from the Loch Ard
Loch Ard (ship)
The Loch Ard was a ship which was wrecked at Muton bird Island just off the Shipwreck Coast of Victoria, Australia in 1878. The name was drawn from Loch Ard, a lake which lies to the west of the village of Aberfoyle, and to the east of Loch Lomond...
.
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village is built around the original lighthouses and now operates as a heritage attraction and museum for the Great Ocean Road. http://www.flagstaffhill.com Winner of the past 3 Victorian Tourism Awards – Tourist Attraction, is houses an extensive collection of shipwreck and maritime trade artefacts in both a museum and village setting.
The Lady Bay Lighthouse complex is on the Victorian heritage register due to its significance as an example of early colonial development. There has been a flagstaff on top of Flagstaff Hill since 1848, and the current lighthouses were moved to the site in 1878. They still operate as navigation aids for the channel into Warrnambool harbour.
The Warrnambool foreshore is a popular swimming area, and is adjacent to the Lake Pertobe parklands. A number of caravan parks are also located in the area.
Media
Warrnambool is served by one daily newspaper, the Warrnambool Standard, which is owned by Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
. The local commercial radio stations are 882 3YB and 95.3 Coast FM, both owned by Ace Radio
Ace Radio
ACE Radio is an Australian radio company, owning several AM and FM stations in Victoria.Its latest acquisition is 2AY Albury Wodonga, purchased from Macquarie Regional RadioWorks in 2005.-AM network:*1494 2AY Albury-Wodonga...
. There is also a community radio channel, 3WAY FM.
Sport
Warrnambool is home to the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic, a race which attracts Australian and international drivers on the Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
long weekend.
The city is also the finishing point of the Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic
Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic
The Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic cycling race is a one day road bicycle race . The race started in 1895 and is Australia's oldest one day race and the world's second oldest one day race, after the Liège–Bastogne–Liège Classic. Historically, the route started in central Melbourne and followed...
cycle race
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
. It is the longest one-day bicycle endurance race in the world, held every October since 1895 to be the world’s second oldest bike race.
Warrnambool has a horse racing club, the Warrnambool Racing Club, which schedules around twenty race meetings a year including the Warrnambool Cup and Grand Annual Steeple
Grand Annual
The Grand Annual is an Australian Thoroughbred steeplechase for horses run at Warrnambool, Victoria during its annual May Racing Carnival. The distance is officially listed as about 5500 metres because many sections of the race are run in open paddocks with little or no fences. The race is the...
three-day meeting in the first week of May. The Woodford Racing Club also holds one meeting at Warrnambool racecourse. The Grand Annual steeplechase
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
has 33 jumps, more than any other horse race and is one of the longest steeplechases in the world.
The Warrnambool Greyhound Racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
Club also holds regular meetings.
From 1 to 3 September 2008, the city hosted, along with Melbourne, the 2008 Australian Football International Cup
2008 Australian Football International Cup
The 2008 Australian Football International Cup was the third time the Australian Football International Cup, an international Australian rules football competition, has been contested....
, featuring 14 nations from around the world playing Australian rules football
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...
. The sport is highly popular in Warrnambool which has a competitive local league and is the origin of many high profile AFL players. The city has three Australian Rules football teams playing in the Hampden Football League (North Warrnambool, South Warrnambool and Warrnambool), and many more in the Warrnambool District Football League
Warrnambool District Football League
Warrnambool District Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the region of rural of Warrnambool. It is a twelve team competition starting in April and finishing in September...
Golfers play either on the 18 hole course at the Warrnambool Golf Club, or at the 9 hole course at the Deakin University
Deakin University
Deakin University is an Australian public university with nearly 40,000 higher education students in 2010. It receives more than A$600 million in operating revenue annually, and controls more than A$1.3 billion in assets. It received more than A$35 million in research income in 2009 and had 835...
Warrnambool campus.
Economy
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is a stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, and is the world's largest war memorial; dedicated to casualties of World War I...
, and its nearby beaches, some of which are used for surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
. In the winter months, Southern Right whales
Right whale
Right whales are three species of large baleen whales consisting of two genera in the family Balaenidae of order Cetacea. Their bodies are very dark gray or black and rotund....
can be seen in the waters near the city at the Logan's Beach nursery, and boats make whale-watching
Whale watching
Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and other cetaceans in their natural habitat. Whales are watched most commonly for recreation but the activity can also serve scientific or educational purposes. A 2009 study, prepared for IFAW, estimated that 13 million people went whale watching...
tours. Visitor levels are usually higher during the winter school holidays due to Australia's Biggest Children's Festival, the Fun4Kids Festival.
The mainstay of the economy is agriculture and its support industry – particularly dairy farming and associated milk processing. Other major industries and services include retail, education, health, meat processing, clothing manufacture and construction. The Fletcher Jones and Staff Pty Ltd
Fletcher Jones
Sir Fletcher Jones OBE was an Australian clothing manufacturer and retailer, and a pioneer in workforce participation...
clothing factory opened in 1948 and was closed in 2005.
Demographics
6.1% of residents were born outside Australia, which is significantly less than the Australian average of 24%. 98.7% speak English at home. 1.4% regard themselves as IndigenousIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, which is more than twice the national average of 0.58%.
Governance
The Local Government is the Warrnambool City CouncilCity of Warrnambool
The City of Warrnambool is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the south-western part of the state. The City covers an area of ....
.
At the state level, the Warrnambool was within the electoral district of Warrnambool
Electoral district of Warrnambool
The Electoral district of Warrnambool was an electoral district of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.-Members for Warrnambool:-See also:*Parliaments of the Australian states and territories*List of members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly...
until it was abolished in 2002. Since then, Warrnambool has been in the newly created South-West Coast
Electoral district of South-West Coast
The Electoral district of South-West Coast is an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It was created prior to the 2002 election in order to replace the abolished seats of Portland and Warrnambool....
electorate. This has always been held by Dennis Napthine, of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
.
At the federal level, Warrnambool is the largest town in the division of Wannon
Division of Wannon
The Division of Wannon is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the south-west of the state, and encompasses most of the Western Region of the state. It adjoins the South Australian border in the west, and the Bass Strait coast in the south. The Division...
, which has been a safe Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
seat since 1955. However, Warrnambool booths typically receive a much stronger Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
vote than the rural areas that surround it. The seat was held by former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
for 28 years, before being held by former Speaker
Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer in the upper house is the President of the Senate....
of the lower house David Hawker
David Hawker
David Peter Maxwell Hawker , Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from May 1983 to July 2010, representing the Division of Wannon, Victoria, previously represented by former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. He was born in Adelaide, and was educated at...
for 27 years.
Education
PrimaryThe largest primary school is Warrnambool Primary School. However, there are many other state and religious schools.
Secondary
Warrnambool has two public high schools:
- Brauer College
- Warrnambool College
In addition, there is:
- Emmanuel College, a Catholic school; and
- King's CollegeKing's College, Warrnamboolhttp://www.kingscollege.com.au/index.aspKing's College, Warrnambool, is an Independent school. The Independent Christian school located in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.It was founded in 1986 and is owned by the Presbyterian Church of Victoria...
, a private Presbyterian school.
Tertiary
The City's only university facilities are at the Deakin University
Deakin University
Deakin University is an Australian public university with nearly 40,000 higher education students in 2010. It receives more than A$600 million in operating revenue annually, and controls more than A$1.3 billion in assets. It received more than A$35 million in research income in 2009 and had 835...
Warrnambool campus. The South West Institute of TAFE and SEAL both provide vocational education.
Environment
Logan's Beach on the eastern side of the city is recognised as a nursery site for the Southern Right Whale Eubalaena australis. Most years one, two or three adult female whales arrive between late May and August, giving birth within days of their arrival. The young whale calf is then reared at the site, usually departing with its parent by mid to late September. Besides the Southern Right whale, the coastline is also visited by Australian Fur Seals, Fairy Penguins and the Common dolphinCommon dolphin
The common dolphin is the name given to two species of dolphin making up the genus Delphinus.Prior to the mid-1990s, most taxonomists only recognised one species in this genus, the common dolphin Delphinus delphis...
. During the winter and early spring albatross
Albatross
Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds allied to the procellariids, storm-petrels and diving-petrels in the order Procellariiformes . They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific...
cruise along the coastline and can be sighted from Thunder Point, a popular coastal lookout in the town.
Middle Island has a colony of little penguins. Fox predation reduced numbers significantly. In 2005 only 4 penguins were remaining in the colony. Warrnambool City Council introduced a world first program using Maremma dog
Maremma Sheepdog
The Maremma Sheepdog, in Italian Cane da pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, usually referred to as just Maremmano, is a breed of livestock guardian dog indigenous to central Italy, particularly to Abruzzo and the Maremma region of Tuscany and Lazio. It has been used for centuries by Italian shepherds to...
s to guard the penguins. This program has supported the re-establishment of a colony of over 100 penguins in 2009.
Infrastructure
TransportWarrnambool is situated on the Princes Highway
Princes Highway
The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway ....
between Port Fairy to the west and Terang to the east as well as at the south-western terminus of the Hopkins Highway
Hopkins Highway
The Hopkins Highway in south-western Victoria, Australia is a short highway serving to link the Hamilton Highway at Mortlake with the Princes Highway at the port city of Warrnambool....
. The Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is a stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, and is the world's largest war memorial; dedicated to casualties of World War I...
terminates 13 km east of Warrnambool, near Allansford.
Rail and bus services also operate to Melbourne and Geelong. V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
passenger train services call at Warrnambool's two stations, Warrnambool in the city and Sherwood Park in the city's outer east, seven days a week. A daily container freight service is being run by Pacific National
Pacific National
Pacific National is one of Australia's largest private rail freight businesses. Originally a joint venture between Patrick Corporation and Toll Holdings; it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Asciano Limited following the restructure of Toll Holdings....
for local container handler Westvic.
Local buses under the Transit South West brand cover Warrnambool's city and suburbs and extend to the nearby towns of Port Fairy
Port Fairy, Victoria
Port Fairy is a coastal town in south-western Victoria, Australia. It lies on the Princes Highway in the Shire of Moyne, west of Warrnambool and 290 km west of Melbourne, at the point where the Moyne River enters the Southern Ocean.-History:...
and Koroit
Koroit, Victoria
Koroit is a small rural town in western Victoria, Australia a few kilometres north of the Princes Highway, north-west of Warrnambool and west of Melbourne. It is in the Shire of Moyne local government area located amidst rolling green pastures on the North rim of Tower Hill. At the 2006 census,...
. V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
coaches connect Warrnambool with Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
, Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier, South Australia
Mount Gambier is the largest regional city in South Australia located approximately 450 kilometres south of the capital Adelaide and just 17 kilometres from the Victorian border....
, Ballarat and Hamilton.
Health
There are two hospitals in Warrnambool: South West Healthcare, and St John of God Healthcare.
Notable people from Warrnambool
- Tom BallardTom BallardTom Ballard is a tall, blond, fast-talking, openly gay, Australian radio presenter and comedian.-Early life:Thomas Colin Ballard grew up in Warrnambool, Victoria and attended Brauer College Warrnambool, graduating in 2007 where he was dux with an ENTER of 99.80, and was consequently named as the...
, Comedian and Radio Presenter - Geoff Clark, Aborigine
- Smoky DawsonSmoky DawsonSmoky Dawson, MBE , born Herbert Henry Dawson, was an Australian country music performer. He was widely touted as Australia's first singing cowboy.-Biography:...
, Country Music Performer – Born in CollingwoodCollingwood, VictoriaCollingwood is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
, Raised in Warrnambool. - Alex DysonAlex DysonAlex Dyson is an Australian radio presenter who, along with co-host Tom Ballard presents the breakfast show on Australian youth radio station Triple J....
, Radio Presenter - Sir John Eccles, Nobel Prize winner in physiology or medicine, 1963
- Dave HughesDave HughesDavid William "Hughesy" Hughes is an Australian stand-up comedian, radio and television presenter. He is currently co-host on the Network Ten's The Project and Before the Game as well as the breakfast radio show Hughesy and Kate.-Television:Hughes co-hosted the ABC comedy talk show The Glass House...
, Comedian - Paul JenningsPaul Jennings (Australian author)Paul Jennings AM is an English-born Australian children's book writer. His books mainly feature short stories that lead the reader through an unusual series of events that end with a twist.-Biography:...
, Children's author – Resides in Warrnambool - AirbourneAirbourne (band)Airbourne are an Australian hard rock band formed in Warrnambool in 2001. Mainstay members are Joel O'Keeffe on lead vocals and lead guitar, his brother, Ryan O'Keeffe on drums, and David Roads on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. They were later joined by Justin Street on bass guitar and backing...
, Hard Rock Band
Sportspeople
- Marc LeishmanMarc LeishmanMarc Leishman is an Australian professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Leishman was born in Warrnambool, Victoria. He had a very successful amateur career in Australia, winning many junior tournaments. He turned professional in 2005. His victory on the Nationwide Tour at the 2008...
, Golfer - Christian RyanChristian RyanChristian Ryan is an Australian rower who won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.- References :* at sports-reference.com...
, Olympic Silver Medallist, Rowing 2000 - Michelle Ferris, Olympic Silver Medallist, Cycling 1996, 2000
- Jonathan Brown, Jordan LewisJordan LewisJordan Michael Lewis is an Australian rules footballer, currently playing for the Hawthorn Football Club of the Australian Football League. His nicknames are "Taz" and "Chief".Lewis was voted Hawthorn's best first-year player in 2005...
, Simon HoganSimon HoganSimon Hogan is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early career:...
and Brent MoloneyBrent MoloneyBrent "Beamer" Moloney is an Australian rules footballer, with the Melbourne Football Club, and previously the Geelong Football Club, in the Australian Football League.-Early life:...
, Australian rules football players - Leon CameronLeon CameronLeon Cameron is a former Australian rules footballer, who played in the Australian Football League .Cameron was the 7th selection in the 1988 National Draft for the Footscray Football Club...
, Paul CouchPaul CouchPaul Couch is a retired Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong in the Australian Football League.Prior to playing with Geelong, Couch initially tried out with Fitzroy, but was rejected for being too slow....
, Noel MugavinNoel MugavinNoel Mugavin is a former Australian rules footballer who played his short but bright career with Fitzroy and Richmond in the Victorian Football League ....
, Kevin NealeKevin NealeKevin "Cowboy" Neale is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League .-St Kilda :...
, Wayne SchwassWayne SchwassWayne Schwass was an Australian rules football player in the VFL/AFL who debuted in 1988.He is notable as one of only a few New Zealand-born players of Māori heritage in the history of the VFL/AFL....
, Michael TurnerMichael Turner (Australian rules footballer)Michael Turner is a former Australian rules footballer who played 245 games for the Geelong Football Club in the VFL from 1974 to 1988....
, former Australian rules football players
See also
- ABC South West VictoriaABC South West VictoriaABC South West Victoria is an ABC Local Radio station based in Warrnambool, Victoria....
- Mahogany ShipMahogany ShipThe Mahogany Ship refers to a putative, early shipwreck that is purported to lie beneath the sand in the Armstrong Bay area, approximately 3 to 6 kilometres west of Warrnambool in southwest Victoria, Australia...
- Warrnambool AirportWarrnambool AirportWarrnambool Airport is located at Warrnambool, Victoria in Australia. At present, no airlines serve the airport....
- Warrnambool V/Line rail service
External links
- Warrnambool City Council
- Warrnambool Tourism Association website
- Warrnambool – Official state tourism site.