Beaufort is a town in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Australia. It is located on the Western Highway midway between Ararat and Ballarat, in the

Pyrenees Shire The Shire of Pyrenees is a local government area (LGA) in Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of and in June 2018 had a population of 7,353. It includes the towns of Avoca, Beaufort, Lexton and ...

local government area. It is above sea level. At the 2016 census, Beaufort had a population of 1,539. The town takes its name either from Rear-Admiral Francis Beaufort or a Welsh village in Monmouthshire. The area was once occupied by the Wadawurrung Aborigines who called the area 'Peerick' or 'Yarram-yarram'.

History

Thomas Mitchell passed through the district on his expedition of

1836 Events January–March * January 1 – Queen Maria II of Portugal marries Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. * January 5 – Davy Crockett arrives in Texas. * January 12 ** , with Charles Darwin on board, re ...

. Early settlers in the area were the Kirkland Brothers and a Mr. Hamilton; the latter took up ''Trawalla Station'' in 1838. The station was taken over by

Adolphus Goldsmith Adolphus Goldsmith, also known as Adolphe Goldschmidt, (6 May 1798 – 1876) was a politician in colonial Victoria (Australia), a member of the first Victorian Legislative Council. Goldsmith was born in London, England, the son of Lion Abraham G ...

in 1841 and he developed the property into a rich grazing enterprise. Lake Goldsmith was named after him. Gold was discovered in 1852, with another

gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, New ...

from 1854 at nearby Fiery Creek. The Fiery Creek diggings supported four townships, Beaufort, Yam Holes Creek, View Point and Southern Cross, during the 1850s. The population on the fields reportedly reached approximately 100,000 people at its height in the late 1850s and produced 450,000 ounces of gold over a two-year period, 1855–1856. The town was surveyed in 1857 and town allotments were sold from 1858. By 1860, Beaufort had become a small but strong agricultural, pastoral and timber district. Beaufort's Court House was built in 1864 and the Post Office renamed as Beaufort the same year.

Education

Beaufort has two state schools, Beaufort Primary School and Beaufort Secondary College. Adult education programs are run from the Beaufort Community House & Learning Centre.

Transport

Beaufort is approximately west from the state capital

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. The Western Highway runs through the town and is the main highway between Melbourne and

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

. The town is serviced by railway at the Beaufort railway station on the

Ararat railway line The Ballarat V/Line rail service is a regional passenger rail service operated by V/Line in Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. It serves passengers between state capital Melbourne and the regional city of Ballarat. Beyond Ballarat, it ...

Sports and culture

The town has an Australian Rules football club competing in the

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, Under 15 and Under 12 grades. History The CHFL was formed in 1979 as a merger of the Clunes ...

. Beaufort is primarily known around the state for the five-day music and arts festival, the

Rainbow Serpent Festival Rainbow Serpent Festival is a four-day annual open-air music and arts festival that takes place during the Australia Day (26 January) long weekend, in Lexton, Victoria, west of Melbourne, Australia. The festival is mainly known for its focus on ...

which has been held since 1998 during January on the outskirts of the town. The poet

Bernard O'Dowd Bernard Patrick O'Dowd (11 April 1866 – 1 September 1953) was an Australian poet, activist, lawyer, and journalist. He worked for the Victorian colonial and state governments for almost 50 years, first as an assistant librarian at the Supreme ...

was born in Beaufort in 1881 and spent his early years in the town. Female singer

Max Sharam Leanna Maree "Max" Sharam (born 1969) is an Australian interdisciplinary musician and singer-songwriter. In the mid-1990s, Sharam had three top 40 hit singles in Australia, "Coma", "Be Firm" and "Lay Down", from her top 10 album '' ...

grew up there.

Twin town

* Beaufort, North Carolina

References

External links

Official visitor Guide for BeaufortProduced in BeaufortVisit Victoria Tourist InformationAnnual Rainbow Serpent Festival
{{authority control Mining towns in Victoria (Australia) Towns in Victoria (Australia) Western District (Victoria)