BETHANGA
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Population:
First settled:
Main industries:
FAST FACTS
- In the 1880s, Bethanga was the biggest producer of copper in Victoria.
- In its heyday, Bethanga boasted two hairdresser-billiard rooms; two sweet shops, two grocery stores, a blacksmith, a bakery, a butchery, a drapery, a cobbler, two post offices and three churches.
- In the 1920s, there were 36 dairy farms in the Bethanga district, none of which remain. The district is now known for its beef production.
- In 1969 the inspector of mines, a Mr Smith, declared that "the minerals which, at the time caused the closure of Bethanga, will one day be the minerals which will make the reopening of Bethanga Mining a very viable option indeed. There will be no need for concern regarding the environmental impact of such activities, as this will be minimal. And as for the gold recovered here, that will be the icing on the cake".
FAMOUS NAMES
- Dame Nellie Melba, born Helen Porter Mitchell, whose father David Mitchell owned Bethanga Park. Melba was born in Richmond and her family is said to have returned to the city when she was in her early teens.
- Children's authors Susan Berran and Peter Klein, who's also a bush poet, singer-songwriter and otherwise known as "Captain Pete".
FIVE THINGS TO DO
1- Attend the annual Bethanga Gymkhana on Easter Saturday.
2- Enjoy a hearty country meal on the deck at the Courthouse Hotel.
3- Play a round of golf on the Bethanga course.
4- Take in the view of Lake Hume from the Bethanga lookout at Kurrajong Gap.
5- Admire the motorbikes that pass through town as part of the SR 500 Club Rally in November.