Learmonth

History

The township was first established in 1837. It was the original local government office headquarters of the Shire of Ballarat. Lake Learmonth Post Office opened on 13 February 1858 and was renamed Learmonth in 1860. The town was named in reference to its position beside Lake Learmonth, which itself was named after the brothers Thomas Livingston Learmonth and Somerville Learmonth who squatted in the area in 1838. In November 1859, Thomas Learmonth made a donation towards building a church in the town: Thomas Learmonth, Esq., of Ercildoun, with his usual liberality has contributed £20 towards the erection of a Church of England place of worship at Lake Learmonth.One Learmonth brother in particular, was implicitly aware his shepherds were using skulls of Wadawurrung people on stakes to ward people off his property.

Most-observed species

• Magpie-lark

  Grallina cyanoleuca (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  5,627
• Black Swan

  Cygnus atratus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  5,238
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  5,220
• Pacific Black Duck

  Anas superciliosa J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  5,070
• Eurasian Coot

  Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  4,775
• Dusky Moorhen

  Gallinula tenebrosa Gould, 1846 · Aves
  4,625
• Little Raven

  Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 · Aves
  4,579
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  4,367

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2023-05-28
  5 km W of Mickleham, Australia
• M 2.8 — 2003-02-02
  9 km N of Trentham, Australia