Inglewood

History

Inglewood, is known as the home of the 'Blue Mallee' Eucalyptus and is the home of Australia's largest Eucalyptus Oil Distillery, Bosisto's. The town was the largest producer of eucalyptus oil during the 1900s and is still home to two operating distilleries and the only Eucalyptus Distillery Museum in the country. Inglewood was an important gold mining centre during the Victorian Gold Rush of the 1850s and 1860s. Gold was first discovered in 1859 by Alexander, Joseph and Thomas Thompson and Joseph Hanny. On notification of the discovery some 16,000 diggers flocked to the area. By January 1860 a new field a few miles south of the original was opened up by Potter, Irvine and McKean and dubbed "New Inglewood". This is the site of the present township. By mid-1860 the population on the field was estimated to be greater than 40,000, ranking among the biggest rushes in Victoria's history. The population soon dwindled as the easily won alluvial deposits became exhausted but, as early as 1859, quartz reefs had been discovered which resulted in the permanent settlement of a few thousand miners and businessmen. The initial returns from the quartz reefs were significant. From the Columbian, 22 tons of stone crushed gave a return of over 2300 ounces of gold, one of the richest patches of gold recorded in the colony of Victoria. Numerous other reefs, including the Maxwell's, Jersey, March and Morning Star, gained renown for their rich yields. In November 1860 there were 4,500 men employed in quartz mining, more than any other field at that time. From 6 December 1861 until 1 February 1961, Inglewood was managed by a borough council. At the 2021 census Inglewood had a population of 886.

Most-observed species

• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  1,516
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  1,456
• White-plumed Honeyeater

  Ptilotula penicillata (Gould, 1837) · Aves
  1,251
• Gray Shrikethrush

  Colluricincla harmonica (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  1,117
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  1,111
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  980
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  939
• Welcome Swallow

  Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 · Aves
  892

Most recent

• M 3 — 2018-07-23
  18 km S of Cohuna, 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 2.9 — 2002-04-19
  45 km N of Charlton, Australia
• M 3.3 — 2002-01-22
  5 km WNW of Rochester, Australia