Bacchus Marsh

Bacchus Marsh

City in Victoria

Description

Bacchus Marsh is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately 50 kilometres north west of the state capital Melbourne and 14 kilometres west of Melton at a near equidistance to the major cities of Melbourne, Ballarat and Geelong.

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Bacchus Marsh Tourism & Travel

Bacchus Marsh Australia

Situated beside a scenic, fertile valley Bacchus Marsh is located by the Werribee and Lerderderg Rivers, some 55 km north-west of Melbourne en route to Ballarat and has a population of some 13,500 souls.

Bacchus Marsh – Aboriginal History

The traditional Aboriginal owners of the country of Bacchus Marsh are the Kurung people.

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Looking across at St Andrews Congregational Church from the grounds of the Holy Trinity Church of England

Bacchus Marsh – History

White settlement began in the Bacchus Marsh area when land between the Werribee and Lerderderg Rivers was taken up for the Great Lakes Pastoral Company by Kenneth Scobie Clarke in 1836. Bacchus was an early settler on the marshlands of the original river system which was altered and drianed by early white settlers. The Ballarat gold rush of 1851 brought prosperity to Bacchus Marsh; the Border Inn was built in 1850 and became a staging post between Ballarat and Melbourne. Coffee substitute chicory, was grown and roasted at bacchus Marsh from the 1880’s and a dairy factory produced preserved milk from the 1890’s. Since World War II brown coal has been mined at Bacchus Marsh. Novelist Frank Hardy who wrote the socialist epic ‘Power Without Glory’ under commission of the Communist Party of Australia was raised at Bacchus Marsh and Peter Carey twice Booker Prize winner, three times Miles Franklin Award was born in 1943 at Bacchus Marsh.

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Bacchus Marsh VIC

Bacchus Marsh – Attractions

As one of the oldest towns in Victoria, Bacchus Marsh has buildings of historical significance; see the Manor and the Bacchus Marsh Museum which is connected to the blacksmith’s cottage and forge.

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Bacchus Marsh Macedon Ranges Victoria

Bacchus Marsh – Nearby Attractions

The Lerderderg State Park features the imposing Lerderderg Gorge and is a great venue for picnics; see Werribee Gorge State Park where the Werribee River has carved through ancient seabed sediment and laves flows to form a spectacular gorge. The name comes form the Aboriginal word ‘ Wearibi’ meaning ‘ swimming place’ or ‘ backbone’ perhaps in reference to the snake-like path of the river. Rock climbing is permitted at Falcons Lookout and a popular walk follows the Werribee River form the Meikles Point. The Long Forest Flora Reserve is a great example of the distinctive mallee scrub that once covered the Bacchus Marsh region. Melton town has a long and rich history of horses. The Bacchus Marsh Show, held in late October and Cup Day in the Park precedes a five-day festival in early November.

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Bacchus Marsh – Wineries

Bacchus is the Roman God of Wine: Staughton Vale Vineyard Winery is situated at Bacchus Marsh and nearby, St Anne’s Vineyard has a bluestone cellar built from the remains of the old Ballarat Gaol. Bacchus Hill Winery overlooks the picturesque Bacchus marsh Valley; all have Cellar Doors.

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