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Castlemaine began as a gold rush boomtown in 1851, it has since become a major regional centre known for its industrial and cultural institutions including the oldest continuously operating theatre in mainland Australia, the Theatre Royal.
Where is it?: Victoria: Central Goldfields. Castlemaine is 119 km north-north-west of Melbourne and 40 km from Bendigo at the junction of the Midland and Pyrenees Highways.
Events: For the past thirty years Castlemaine has biennially been the home of The Castlemaine State Festival, one of Victoria's premier regional arts events. The Festival, usually held in late March, has on offer over 130 events, many of which are free, with a particular emphasis on outdoor events, visual arts, music and theatre. It has also attracted internationally and nationally renowned performers, including The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Castlemaine & District Festival of Gardens is a spring-time festival that sees locals opening their wonderful gardens to the public, from large rambling country gardens to compact cottage gardens and everything in between.
Things to see and do:
Castlemaine has its own botanical gardens established in 1860 which are on the Victorian Heritage Register. The gardens feature many exotic tree species and structures dating to the Victorian era.
Castlemaine's historic streetscapes are a reminder of its immensely rich gold mining days, with many magnificent public buildings located in Mostyn Street and Lyttleton Street.
Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park is the first of its kind in Australia. It embraces goldrush relics and bushland. Home to rare and threatened species of both flora and fauna it offers opportunities for bush walking, bird watching, wildlife monitoring and study while providing a bush setting for the township.
Founded in 1913, the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum has acquired a collection of Australian art works and historical items from the district's past. The 1931 art deco building is noted for its elegant design and is Heritage listed. The building has been extended a number of times.
The Gallery has always specialised in Australian art. Its particular strength is in major works of the late 19th century, the Golden Period of Australian painting, and the Edwardian era. Traditional landscape painting is a feature of the collection. More contemporary artists are also well represented.
Surrounding area:
The Kalimna Tourist Road, on the eastern town boundary of Castlemaine, straddles a ridge through the park, offering scenic views across surrounding countryside and bushwalking opportunities.
Maldon (15km north west) is a goldfields town steeped in history. The National Trust declared it Australia's first Notable Town in 1966. It once had quartz reefs that were among the world's richest, attracting a population which built grand houses and a very busy commercial centre. More >>
The Vaughan mineral springs (13 km south west at Yapeen) were first found by the alluvial miners who discovered gold in the area in 1853. HeritageHistoric mining sites are common throughout the reserve and plenty of relics can still be found today. More >>
About Castlemaine
Castlemaine's largest industry is in manufacturing, particularly foods manufacturing. The biggest employer is KR Castlemaine (formerly the Castlemaine Bacon Company established 1905), producing small goods with over 900 employees. Cultural and heritage tourism is another large industry in Castlemaine, with the historic art gallery being a major drawcard.
Settled in 1836 as part of a sheep run, gold was found in 1851 in Specimen Valley. The town was not only a goldfield but a regional centre for smaller diggings in surrounding villages and areas collectively known as the Mt. Alexander diggings which was home to 30,000 diggers. Castlemaine, which grew around the Government Camp, was gazetted as a town in 1950 and as a city in 1965.
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