Carlsruhe, Victoria

Carlsruhe Victoria
"River Lodge" at Carlsruhe
Carlsruhe
Coordinates	37°17′S 144°30′E / 37.283°S 144.500°E / -37.283; 144.500Coordinates: 37°17′S 144°30′E / 37.283°S 144.500°E / -37.283; 144.500
Population	456 (2011 census)
Postcode(s)	3442
Elevation	526 m (1,726 ft)
Location	80 km (50 mi) NW of Melbourne 74 km (46 mi) S of Bendigo 11 km (7 mi) NW of Woodend 6 km (4 mi) SE of Kyneton
LGA(s)	Shire of Macedon Ranges
State electorate(s)	Macedon
Federal Division(s)	Bendigo, McEwen
Localities around Carlsruhe: Kyneton Kyneton Benloch Kyneton Carlsruhe Newham Lauriston Woodend North Newham

Carlsruhe (/ˈkɑːrlzruː/, locally [ˈkaːlzrʉː]) is a small rural town in the Shire of Macedon Ranges between Woodend and Kyneton, alongside the old Calder Highway, although now bypassed by the Calder Freeway. It is approximately 50 minutes from both Melbourne and Bendigo. At the 2011 census, Carlsruhe and the surrounding area had a population of 456.

Carlsruhe was initially a sheep run established in August 1837 by Charles Ebden. Carlsruhe was the first rural property north of the Port Phillip settlement. It was named after Karlsruhe, Germany, where Ebden received part of his education. Carlsruhe has a graveyard with many tombstones dating back to the 19th century.

A township was established in the 1850s; the post office opened on 1 September 1854, closed after a few months and reopened in 1858. After the railway arrived in 1862, Carlsruhe Railway Station post office opened some distance away, in October 1865. The original Carlsruhe post office closed in 1957; in July 1958 the name of the Railway Station post office was changed to Carlsruhe; this office closed in March 1965.