Golden Point

History

The area was once known as Poverty Point. However, on 21 August 1851 prospectors John Dunlop and James Regan struck a few ounces of gold when passing through the area; the announcement of this discovery is attributed to sparking the Ballarat Gold Rush, hence the poetic name change. A historical marker for the location of the discovery is located in a reserve just off Clayton Street. With the establishment of the township of Ballarat West, Main Street went into steep decline in the 1860s and 1870s before being almost completely decimated by a disastrous fire. In 1970, Sovereign Hill Historic Park was constructed, with the aim of recreating the original Golden Point settlement, although set on the hill rather than the original valley, it features many of the early timber buildings which once lined the Main Street, Golden Point in the 1850s, along with many aspects of life and industry from that era.

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  4,193
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  3,555
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  3,250
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  3,223
• Spotted Pardalote

  Pardalotus punctatus (Shaw, 1792) · Aves
  2,724
• Gray Shrikethrush

  Colluricincla harmonica (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  2,566
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  2,516
• Little Raven

  Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 · Aves
  2,185

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2023-05-28
  5 km W of Mickleham, Australia
• M 3 — 2010-05-26
  8 km E of Rochester, Australia
• M 2.7 — 2007-12-09
  38 km SE of Charlton, 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