Ararat

History

Prior to the European settlement of Australia, Ararat was inhabited by the Djab wurrung group of Aboriginal Australian people. The area encompassing Ararat has many Djabwurrung language placenames; 'Karangajaruk' refers to 'the valley in which Cathcart and the Ararat (gold) diggings lie', 'Warrayatkin' refers to Green Hill Lake, 'Butingitch' refers to the Ararat town site, 'Gorambeep barak' refers to Mount Ararat, and 'Pandort' refers to a large waterhole to the south. One month later the Gold Warden relocated to the current town. Until 1859 the local courts were the Canton Lead Court of Petty Sessions. Alluvial gold was first discovered in the Ararat area in May 1854 at Pinky Point on the Denicull Creek. (A memorial can be found on the corner of the Ararat - Halls Gap Road (C222) and Better Route Road 5 km west of Ararat. Pinky Point is to the north.) By June that year 30 claims were being worked by 200 men across what was first called the Mt William field. By 1864, most of the 1,500 miners were reworking the known leads with puddling machines, sluices and Long Toms. Returns were diminishing and the 1865–1866 drought brought this phase of full-time gold mining to an end. The rapid growth generated by gold brought about a municipality, which was incorporated as a borough on 24 September 1858. In the aftermath of the goldrush, Ararat soon became known for its asylum. The Aradale Mental Hospital opened in 1865 with the former the Ararat County Gaol converted in 1887 to J Ward, a psychiatric facility for the criminally insane. The Hospital remained open as a treatment facility until 1997 and has since become the site for paranormal and haunted house tours. Vines were planted in 1863 by Swiss settlers, the Pola family.

Geography

Ararat is nestled between several mountain ranges, including the Grampians National Park, Mount Langi Ghiran, Mount Cole, Mount Buangor, Ararat Hills Regional Park and the Pyrenees Ranges. Cemetery Creek, the valley's main catchment runs through the north of the town while Green Hill lake is on the city's eastern fringe. Ararat has a temperate Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb), with warm summers that are frequently interrupted by cold fronts; and cool, usually rainy, winters.

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  498
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  367
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  361
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  294
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

  Cacatua galerita (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  263
• Welcome Swallow

  Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 · Aves
  252
• Little Raven

  Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 · Aves
  239
• Gray Shrikethrush

  Colluricincla harmonica (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  237

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2011-06-01
  45 km NE of Hamilton, Australia