Maldon is a small historic town nestled on the slopes of Mt. Tarrengower in the heart of the Victorian Goldfields. Located 140km northwest of Melbourne and only 38 km from Bendigo.
The region in which Maldon now stands was first visited by European colonialists in 1836. It was settled soon afterwards by pastoralists, and two sheep runs were established in the area.
In December 1853, gold was discovered at one of the sheep runs named Cairn Curran and the area soon became part of the Victorian Gold Rush.
The goldfield named "Tarrangower Fields" after Mount Tarrangower immediately attracted a number of diggers eager to make their fortunes.
A month after gold was first discovered, the Chief Commissioner for Goldfields reported 3000 miners had arrived at the diggings.
Another month later and a journalist for The Argus reported that the road from Castlemaine to Maldon was lined with shops, full of people hoping to make a living of their own from the miners.
The same report also stated that the goldfield's population had grown to 18,000, though only about 1000 had taken out mining licenses.
In 1856 the Victorian government arranged for the settlement to become a town, which was named Maldon.
In 1861, a government census declared the town's population to be 3341, although it was servicing an additional 5,000-6,000 miners at the diggings. At that time Maldon was the eighth-largest town in Victoria and remained so for the next decade.
As time went by and miners were forced to dig deeper and mines ran dry, the population began to decline. By 1891, Maldon was reduced to just 1600.
Mining of small claims continued through the 20th century, together with sluicing of gullies and tailings.
Maldon was known as a poor man’s diggings, as many diggers yielded excellent results from very small claims.
In the 1980s, several new ventures commenced, including an open cut mine at Union Hill.
Maldon proved to be one of Victoria's richest quartz-mining areas and quartz mining extended throughout the region. In all, over seventy reefs were proven to contain gold deposits.
A journey to Maldon today will take you back to the gold rush era.
Maldon was declared Australia’s First Notable Town in 1966 by the National Trust of Australia and was also awarded the 'most intact heritage streetscape' by the National Trust in 2006.
The township and surrounding forests are abundant with remnants of the towns gold mining past.
Wander past old homes, solid stone buildings and decorative shop fronts that have been lovingly preserved.
Enjoy an afternoon unearthing hidden treasures in one of the many antique and collectable shops or sample local produce and handmade chocolates at one of the many cafes, or view the local arts on display.
Take a nostalgic journey on board the Victorian Goldfields Steam Railway. Take in views of the surrounding countryside or go on a drive up Mt Tarrangower to get a 360 degree view of the area.
When visiting Maldon, don’t forget to pack your detector, with many areas still proving fruitful for local prospectors. Doug Stone’s Maldon-Castlemaine map offers an excellent resource to start researching the region.
If staying in the area, Maldon offers a range of accommodation options, including Bed & Breakfasts, Cottages, Hotels & Motels, Caravan Parks or for the adventurer campgrounds with great facilities.
The Maldon Visitor Information Centre is the perfect place for your first port of call to learn more about a town steeped in history.
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25 янв 2022
