The Giant Koala
Stawell is a manufacturing and agricultural centre located close to The Grampians. It has a number of factories and plants relating to the local produce. The town is best known for its prestigious foot race, the Stawell Easter Gift
Location: 233 km west of Melbourne; 123 km north-west of Ballarat. Map
Origin of name: Recalls Sir William Foster Stawell, Chief Justice of Victoria, 1857-86. It was formerly known as The Reefs after the discovery of gold there in 1854. It is pronounced 'stall' to rhyme with 'ball'.
Brief history: the area was first examined by Major Sir Thomas Mitchell in 1836. Alluvial gold was discovered in 1851 and the makeshift town of pleasant Creek sprang up. Just five years later more than 20,000 people were seeking their fortune on the local fields. After the gold petered out, the present down developed. Proclaimed a town in 1957.
Natural features: Sisters Rocks, Fyan's Lake; Black Range; Concongella Hill; Mount Drummond
Built features: The Giant Koala; Pleasant Creek Courthouse Museum, Stawell Gift Hall of Fame Museum
Heritage features: Post Office (1874-75); Old Police Residence (1869); St Matthew's Presbyterian Church (1868); Aboriginal rock art at Bunyil's Cave in Black Ranges, 10 km from Stawell. Tottington Woolshed, mid-19th century woolshed 55 km from Stawall; Jullukar Aboriginal quarries