| State | vic |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°20′0″S 143°47′0″E |
| Lga | Colac Otway Shire |
| Postcode | 3242 |
| Pop | 942 |
| Stategov | Polwarth |
| Fedgov | Wannon |
| Dist 1 | 136 |
| Dir 1 | SW |
| Location 1 | Melbourne |
| Dist 2 | 64 |
| Dir 2 | W |
| Location 2 | Geelong |
| Dist 3 | 21 |
| Dir 3 | E |
| Location 3 | Colac |
| Near-nw | Ombersley |
| Near-n | Ombersley |
| Near-ne | Winchelsea |
| Near-w | Warncoort |
| Near-e | Winchelsea South |
| Near-sw | Yeodene |
| Near-s | Murroon Whoorel |
| Near-se | Deans Marsh Bambra |
Birregurra, is a town in Colac Otway Shire, Victoria, Australia, approximately 130 kilometres (81 mi) south-west of Melbourne. At the 2021 census, it had a population of 942.[1]
The name comes from an Aboriginal word thought to mean "kangaroo camp".[2] The town is on Gulidjan Country.
History
In 1839, Wesleyan missionaries and the Victorian colonial government established the Buntingdale Aboriginal Mission in the area - Victoria's first Aboriginal mission.[3]
A post office opened in the area on 1 October 1858 and was renamed Mount Gellibrand in 1894, a few days before another nearby office was opened as Birregurra.[4]
Christ Church, the town's Anglican church, opened in 1871.
Railway
The railway through the town opened in 1877,[5] as part of the line to the south-west of the state. A branch line to Forrest, which opened in 1891 and closed in 1957, junctioned with the main line at Birregurra.[5]
The local railway station is served by V/Line passenger services on the Warrnambool line.[6]
Sport
Birregurra has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Colac & District Football League.[7]
Birregurra also has a golf club.[8]
Education
The town has a primary school which had 92 students as of 2023,[9] and is located on Beal Street.
Businesses
The town has cafes, a local providore showcasing local produce, the Royal Mail Hotel, a general store, gift shops and a hairdresser.
Birregurra is home to the Brae restaurant, which was number 44 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2017.[10]
Local events
Birregurra is host to the Birregurra Festival and Art Show, which starts on the second full weekend of October each year.[11]
A produce market is held on the second Sunday of each month from November to April, where local vendors sell cakes, jewellery, plants, fresh fruit and vegetables, wine, arts and crafts.[12] Organisers hold a barbecue for patrons of the market and all proceeds return to the community.
Birregurra was the filming location for the fictional Victorian town of Haven Bay in season 1 of the Channel 10 television series The Henderson Kids.[13]
Notable people
- Mary Glowrey (1887–1957) was an Australian-born and educated doctor, who spent 37 years in India, where she set up healthcare facilities.
- Firth McCallum (1872–1910) was an Australian rules footballer with Geelong Football Club and was named among the top players of the 1899 VFL season.
- Lewis Mellican (1996-) is an Australian Rules football player with The Sydney Swans from 2017-current.
References
- ^
- ^ "Birregurra". Victorian Places. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Francis Tuckfield". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Post Office List". Phoenix Auctions History. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ Brown, Sid (March 1990). "Tracks Across the State". Newsrail. Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division). pp. 71–76.
- ^ "Melbourne to Warrnambool" (PDF). V/Line. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ Full Points Footy. "Birregurra". Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2008.
- ^ Golf Select. "Birregurra". Retrieved 11 May 2009.
- ^ "Birregurra Primary School". The Good Schools Guide. Good Education Media. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- ^ "Brae". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
- ^ Cornish, Richard (19 September 2014). "Six reasons to visit Birregurra". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Birregurra Sunday Market". Otway Harvest Trail. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "The Henderson Kids". AustLit. Retrieved 29 August 2024.