Hamilton, Victoria
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Hamilton Victoria |
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The intersection of Thompson and Gray streets in the centre of Hamilton
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 Hamilton
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| Coordinates | 37°44′0″S 142°01′0″E / 37.73333°S 142.01667°ECoordinates: 37°44′0″S 142°01′0″E / 37.73333°S 142.01667°E | ||||||
| Population | 10,104 (2011 census) | ||||||
| • Density | 443.2/km2 (1,147.8/sq mi) | ||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3300 | ||||||
| Area | 22.8 km2 (8.8 sq mi) | ||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of Southern Grampians | ||||||
| State electorate(s) | Lowan | ||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Wannon | ||||||
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Hamilton is a city in western Victoria, Australia, at the intersection of the Glenelg Highway (from Ballarat to Mount Gambier) and the Henty Highway (from Portland to Horsham). The Hamilton Highway connects it to Geelong.
Hamilton is in the federal Division of Wannon, and is in the Southern Grampians local government area.
Hamilton used to claim to be the "Wool Capital of the World", based on its strong historical links to sheep grazing which continue today. These days, the town uses the "Greater Hamilton: one place, many possibilities" tagline, recognising the good schools, highly skilled workforce and rich natural beauty of the region.
Hamilton was built near the border of three traditional indigenous tribal territories: the Gunditjmara land that stretches south to the coast, the Tjapwurong land to the north east and the Bunganditj territory to the west. People who lived in these areas tended to be settled rather than nomadic. The region is fertile and well-watered, leading to an abundance of wildlife, and no need to travel far for food. Physical remains such as the weirs and fish traps found in Lake Condah to the south of Hamilton, as well as accounts of early white settlers support local indigenous oral histories of well-established settlements in the area.
On 12 September 1836, the explorer, Major Thomas Mitchell was the first European to travel through the area where Hamilton later developed. His reports of the fertility and abundance of ‘Australia Felix’ (as he called this region of Western Victoria) encouraged pastoralists to move to the area and establish large sheep runs. By 1839 there were a number of settlers in the area including the Wedge family whose property ‘The Grange' was located within the present town site.
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