Terang

History

The semi-nomadic Kirrae Wuurong clans originally inhabited the area between Mount Emu Creek and the Hopkins River, and much of their language was recorded by a Scottish squatter, James Dawson. The first dwelling in the township area was built in 1840 by Donald McNicol, and consisted of a slab hut on the east bank of Lake Terang. The township was developed in the late 1850s, the post office opening on 1 March 1859. The railway though the town was opened in 1887. From 1890 it was extended as part of Victoria's south-western line. The Mortlake line once branched from the town, opened in 1893 and closed in 1978. The local railway station is served by V/Line passenger services on the Warrnambool line. The Terang Magistrates' Court closed on 1 January 1983. Avenues of trees were planted in the 19th century and several of these are now under the protection of the National Trust. A Heritage Trail walk points out the historic trees and many of the historic buildings and sights of the town. Features to see are the historic post office with its clock tower (1903–4), the war memorial, the rose gardens with the band rotunda, and the town's first church (Bible Christian Church c.1863). The Thomson Memorial church is also a significant local structure. Lake Terang was a lake that on its shores the town was built. To the south of the town centre is a large peat bed unique to the region. In 1933, while dry, the peat bed began burning but became a shallow lake by the 1940s. The lake was drained in the 1960s and the dried out lake floor is now used as a recreation area, for agriculture and as part of the Terang Golf Course. Lake Keilambete is a maar lake 4 km north of the town. The lake is a circular body 1.8 km in diameter and an average depth of 11 m. The salinity is…

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  697
• Little Raven

  Corvus mellori Mathews, 1912 · Aves
  516
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  440
• Black Swan

  Cygnus atratus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  407
• Pacific Black Duck

  Anas superciliosa J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  400
• Australasian Bittern

  Botaurus poiciloptilus (Wagler, 1827) · Aves
  391
• Eurasian Coot

  Fulica atra Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  368
• Red Wattlebird

  Anthochaera carunculata (Shaw, 1790) · Aves
  355

Most recent

• M 4.1 — 2026-07-05
  28 km WNW of Apollo Bay, Australia
• M 3.5 — 2023-10-21
  10 km NW of Apollo Bay, Australia
• M 4.8 — 2023-10-21
  16 km WNW of Apollo Bay, Australia
• M 3.8 — 2011-06-01
  45 km NE of Hamilton, Australia
• M 3.5 — 2005-06-30
  59 km S of Port Fairy, Australia