Baynton

History

The Baynton has been occupied by Aboriginal people for thousands of years, and was the approximate meeting point of lands inhabited by the Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurong, and Woiwurrung peoples. Trading between them was almost certainly an important activity, because tachylite deposits near Spring Hill and the Coliban River were used to create stone tools that have been found in many places in Victoria. European settlement began in the 1830s with the arrival of Captain Sylvester Brown, who travelled overland with livestock from Sydney to set up an agricultural enterprise in Baynton. His residence, however, was short-lived, and he was followed by a succession of landholders including Dr. Thomas Baynton, the Polhman brothers, Martin McKenna (first president of the Shire of Kyneton) and J.B. Thomson. Baynton is named after Thomas Baynton, whose extensive station was named "Darlington". Although the original homestead no longer remains, Darlington continues to be a significant local property. One notable event in the history of Baynton was the passing of the Burke and Wills expedition in 1860, and its departure from Baynton was recorded by the expedition artist Ludwig Becker, whose sketch is housed at the State Library Victoria. Local resident J.B. Thomson alleged he joined Burke and Wills with the intention of travelling with them to northern Australia, but abandoned the party in Echuca, describing the expedition as "reckless and bound to failure". Bushranger Ned Kelly is fabled to have stolen a horse from the public house opposite the Baynton Racecourse. Local legend says the horse's owner, J.B. Thomson, bet on a race with a stranger to the district, and when he won, they two went for a drink. The stranger then stepped out to check his horse, but did not return,…

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  1,253
• Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

  Cacatua galerita (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  881
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  835
• Little Raven

  Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 · Aves
  674
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  626
• Gray Fantail

  Rhipidura albiscapa Gould, 1840 · Aves
  610
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  604
• Yellow-faced Honeyeater

  Caligavis chrysops (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  565

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2023-05-28
  5 km W of Mickleham, Australia
• M 2.8 — 2014-01-13
  1 km SSE of Lilydale, Australia
• M 3 — 2010-05-26
  8 km E of Rochester, Australia
• M 2.8 — 2003-02-02
  9 km N of Trentham, Australia
• M 3.3 — 2002-01-22
  5 km WNW of Rochester, Australia
• M 2.7 — 2001-12-31
  10 km SW of Kilmore, Australia