Little River

History

In the vicinity of Mount Rothwell, near Little River, a semi-circular Aboriginal stone arrangement now known as Wurdi Youang and believed to have been built by the local Wadawurrung people, was discovered and in 2011 described by an astrophysicist from the CSIRO as accurately indicating the setting sun during the solstices and equinox. Although the age is unknown, it could range from 200 to 30,000 years. The Little River has headwaters in the nearby Brisbane Ranges. It was also known as the Cocoroc Rivulet, Cocoroc being a locality near the area. Where the road from Melbourne to Geelong crossed Little River, the Travellers Rest Inn was opened there in about 1839. It had been one of the Port Phillip Association's pastoral runs (the first occupier being James Simpson), and later a large part of the district was included in the Chirnside Estate centred on Werribee. Early on small farmers had the benefit of an common for grazing. Many of the early settlers of the region were Scottish Gaelic-speaking immigrants from Lochaber and Moidart, who had been evicted by Ranald George Macdonald, 19th Chief of Clanranald, during the Highland Clearances and Highland Potato Famine. The bulk of them, whose passage to Australia was aided by the Highland and Island Emigration Society, arrived at Port Phillip in 1852. They were eventually joined at Little River in 1857 by their former parish priest from Fort William, Fr Ranald Rankin (c.1786-1863), who is best known as the author of the Scottish Gaelic Christmas carol Tàladh Chrìosda ("The Christ Child's Lullaby"). According to John Watts, Little River and Belmont were the main population centers of Roman Catholic Gaels from Moidart. Writing during the 1880s, Fr Charles Macdonald commented ruefully that at least some of these Scottish…

Most-observed species

• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  14,915
• Black Swan

  Cygnus atratus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  14,017
• Welcome Swallow

  Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 · Aves
  13,768
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  13,455
• Little Raven

  Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 · Aves
  13,393
• Chestnut Teal

  Anas castanea (Eyton, 1838) · Aves
  13,135
• Masked Lapwing

  Vanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  11,678
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  11,225

Most recent

• M 3.8 — 2023-05-28
  5 km W of Mickleham, Australia
• M 2.9 — 2021-11-05
  4 km S of Rosebud, Australia
• M 2.8 — 2015-03-10
  3 km NNE of Pakenham, Australia
• M 3.6 — 2014-12-03
  4 km SW of Pakenham, Australia
• M 2.8 — 2014-01-13
  1 km SSE of Lilydale, Australia
• M 3.1 — 2013-05-01
  7 km NW of Clifton Springs, Australia