Maldon

History

Prior to European colonisation the Maldon district was occupied by the indigenous Djadjawurrung people. Major Thomas Mitchell's Victorian expedition of 1836 was the first European exploration of the Maldon district. It was colonised soon afterwards by pastoralists, and two sheep runs were established in the area, at the foot of nearby Mount Tarrengower. In December 1853, gold was discovered at Cairn Curran (one of the sheep runs), and Maldon became a part of the Victorian Gold Rush. The goldfield which was named "Tarrangower Fields" after Mount Tarrangower (now usually referred to as Tarrengower), immediately attracted people eager to make their fortunes at the diggings. One month after gold was first discovered, the Chief Commissioner for Goldfields reported 3000 miners had arrived at the diggings. A month after that, a journalist for The Argus reported that the road from Castlemaine to Maldon was lined with the shops of people hoping to make a living of their own from the miners: The road follows up the course of Long Gully, where the diggings were first opened, for a couple of miles, and is lined on either side by an almost continuous row of stores, refreshment tents, eating houses, doctors' tents, apothecaries' shops, and, in fact, shops of every description.The same report noted that the goldfield's population had already grown to 18,000, though only about 1000 had taken out mining licences. In February 1854 the Victorian government arranged for the settlement to become a town, which was named Maldon. The post office had opened on 14 March 1854. The town's street plan is irregular and unlike more orderly subdivisions which relied on a gridiron pattern. A market hall made of brick was erected in 1859 at a cost £1,250. It continued to serve as such till…

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  4,190
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  3,017
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  2,982
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  2,672
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  2,285
• Little Raven

  Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 · Aves
  2,104
• Gray Shrikethrush

  Colluricincla harmonica (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  2,030
• Welcome Swallow

  Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842 · Aves
  1,891

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