Creswick
Historic town now an important rural service centre.
Remnants around town bear witness to Creswick's origins in the Victorian goldrushes of the 1850s. It is a quiet, attractive, interesting and historic town situated on the Midland Highway 129 km north-west of Melbourne, 18 km north of Ballarat and 452 m above sea-level. The current population is around 3000 and the main local industries today are forestry, grazing, agriculture and a woollen mill.

Prior to white settlement the area was inhabited by the Wemba-Wemba people. The first European settlers were the Creswick brothers who established a large sheep station in 1842.

The first gold was discovered at the future townsite in late 1851 or early 1852. 11 metric tonnes of gold would ultimately be extracted. A major contributor was the Madame Berry mine, reputedly the richest in Australia. The first hotel was licensed in 1853 and a townsite was surveyed in 1854; the year the rush peaked with some 25 000 on the local fields.

When the superficial gold was garnered attention was turned to the deeper channels, particularly by the Chinese who, in the late 1850s, established their camp (known as 'Chinatown') on the land now occupied by Calambeen Park.

From the early 1870s to the early 1880s deep-lead mining was undertaken to penetrate the basalt (formed by lava) and access the old gold-bearing river beds underneath. Once a reef had been reached it was pursued for kilometres underground. One such mine was the Australasia No.2 which became the site of the country's worst every goldmining accident in 1882 when the shaft flooded killing 22 men. Early in the 20th century hydraulic sluicing and dredging were utilised.

As the old forests were destroyed by the mining, Creswick became the site of the state's first tree plantation in the 1880s. The Victoria School of Forestry, which opened in 1910, established many of the pine plantations which surround the town today.

Creswick's most famous son is Norman Lindsay, one of Australia's most original and prolific visual artists, although most of his siblings were also notable artists. Norman's novel Redheap (1930) evokes the Creswick of the late 19th century. Its more scandalous elements outraged some Creswick residents who successfully petitioned the government to have it banned until 1959.

Lindsay lived in Creswick until he was sixteen when he left to work as a freelance artist in Melbourne. His father assisted at the birth, in 1885, of future prime minister John Curtin, the son of a Creswick police sergeant. William G. Spence, a key figure in Australian union history, worked on the local goldfields, setting up the Creswick Miners' Union in 1878.

The town's Spring Fiesta is held at the end of October and Landfest in March.

Things to see:  

Tourist Information and Services
The town's information centre is located at 1 Raglan St. It is open daily from midday to 6.00 p.m., tel: (03) 5345 1114. It can furnish a walking tour of the town's historic buildings, the Creswick Miners' Walk which takes in the old goldmining sites from Creswick to Ballarat, a walker's guide to Creswick Regional Park, the Creswick Cemetery Walk and Rivers of Gold, a booklet outlining a driving tour of the town and its goldmining relics.

Also in the same building is Infolink where visitors can gain access to the internet (and thus email) or send a fax. It is a not-for-profit community organisation which charges $2 for 30 minutes and is open weekdays when the information centre is open, but not on weekends.

Historic Buildings
Many buildings of the gold era survive in town. The 1862 post office is located by the corner of Albert and Raglan Sts. Around the corner in Raglan St are the 1861 police station (now an art gallery) and the former courthouse.

Between the post office and the shops, on Albert St, is a lawned area with an 1897 band rotunda dedicated to the bandsmen of the Titanic. Across the road is the historic American Hotel where the Havilah Lodge (formed in 1859) first met. Their lodge building is about five doors along. The internal murals date from the turn of the century.

The former Bank of NSW is a distinctive two-storey Classical building (1861) located at the corner of Albert and Hall Sts. St Andrew's Uniting Church (1861) is also in Albert St, just past Melbourne Rd.

St John's Anglican Church (1861), and the adjacent Gothic Revival rectory, are situated in Napier St. The old railway station (1874) is off Victoria St while the red-brick mechanics' institute, with its decorative rendered facade (1892), is now the rooms for the Creswick Municipal Band. To the rear is an old bluestone gold bullion store.

Off Moore St, beside Hammond Oval, are the original goldfields hospital (1862-63) and Tremearne House (1884), now occupied by the Victoria School of Forestry and the Creswick campus of Melbourne University. Tremearne House is a gracious two-storey red-brick building with elegant verandahs boasting some fine cast-iron lacework. Within the extensive grounds is a tree nursery and a display of equipment used by foresters in the early days.

Creswick Historical Museum
Creswick Historical Museum is located in the town hall (1876) on Albert St. The museum has an exhibition of material relating to the Australian painter, cartoonist and sculptor Norman Lindsay who was born in Creswick in 1879. There are paintings from the Lindsay family as well as other historic artworks relating to Creswick's past.

Other displays include photographs and material from the town's goldmining past. The fine interior of the council chambers has been retained, complete with ornately carved stone pillars, original furniture and winding staircase. It is open from 1.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. on Sundays and public holidays, or by appointment, tel: (03) 5345 2329.

Calambeen Park
The land now taken up by Calembeen Park was home to the town's Chinese camp in the goldmining days. However, hydraulic sluicing for gold occurred around 1900. The gouges were filled with water and became two lakes. There is an explanatory plaque by the bridge that links the two lagoons. One is an ideal swimming spot with a diving tower and toddlers' pool. Another is reserved for wildlife and fishing. Access is along Cushing Avenue.

Australasia Mine
1.5 km north along Clunes Rd, to the left, is the site of the old Australasia mine which was flooded in 1882, drowning 22 men in what was the country's worst ever goldmining accident. The dead were buried in the Creswick cemetery at a funeral attended by 15 000. Today the old mine site is marked by a cairn, a pavilion relating the story and a dial indicating the locations of the district's old goldmines.

Mullock Heaps
Beyond the Australasia the Ullina Rd heads off to the right from the Clunes Rd. In this area there are giant mullock heaps signposted from the roadside. They are on private land but can be seen from the road and are outlined in the Rivers of Gold driving tour booklet.

Landcare Centre
Creswick Nursery and Landcare Centre is located on the eastern side of town on the Midland Highway. There is an education centre, a 1-km Landcare Interpretation Trail through a wetland area (with accompanying brochure) and a picnic area with electric barbecues.

The La Gerche Walk, which also starts at the nursery, is a 2-km self-guided walk through pine and deciduous forest with points of interest marked along the way. It commemorates the work of early forester John La Gerche, who established the picturesque forest in the late 19th century.

The centre is open on weekdays from 8.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.and weekends from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

Springmount Pottery
Nearby is Springmount Pottery. Located in a natural bush setting, at 42 Midland Highway, it specialises in Australian ceramics, ashware, antiques, jewellery and fine art, tel: (03) 5345 2856.

The Gold Battery
Head down Melbourne Rd, turn into Ayres St and then into Battery Crescent where you will find one of the few remaining gold batteries in the state. It was built to crush basalt ore in 1918 and is still in working condition. It will be operating during the Spring Fiesta (October 25) or at other times by appointment, tel: (03) 5345 2892.

St Georges Lake
1.3 km south-east along Melbourne Rd, to the left, is St Georges Lake which was created to provide water for gold sluicing. It is now a pretty and secluded area fringed by pine and eucalyptus which is used for swimming and fishing. You can drive around the lake or pursue the Upper or Lower walking tracks (the latter is the more scenic). There are toilets and barbecue facilities.

Creswick Koala Park
Another kilometre along Melbourne Rd, to the right, is the Koala Park situated in 15 ha of natural bushland. Koalas were reintroduced into this site from Phillip Island in 1942 due to the presence of manna gums. There are picnic facilities and some enjoyable walking tracks through the reserve.

Slaty Creek
Just past the koala park, also to the right, is the turnoff to Slaty Creek which is located in Creswick Regional Park. There are areas for picnicking, walking and gold panning. It is incorporated into the Creswick Miners' Walk.

The Tangled Maze
The Tangled Maze is located on the Midland Highway between Creswick and Newlyn. It has a beautiful maze garden constructed of climbing plants, unusual perennials, mini golf, a nursery and a cafe, tel: (03) 5345 2847.

Brackenbury Lookout
Brackenbury Lookout (535 m above sea-level) is located at the eastern edge of town (take Tourist Rd from behind the School of Forestry in Moore St, then turn into Brackenbury Rd and it is about a kilometre along to the right). It is the finishing point of the Brackenbury Classic half-marathon fun run which occurs during the Spring Fiesta.

Dulcinea Winery
Dulcinea Winery, established in 1982, is located on Jubilee Rd which runs off the Midland Highway at Sulky (to the south of town), tel: (03) 5334 6440. It is open from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily and produces chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon.

	Tourist Information
	Creswick Information Centre 1 Raglan St Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 1114
	Motels
	Creswick Motel Cnr Cushing Ave & Albert St Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 2400 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	American Hotel 90 Albert St Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 2510
	British Hotel 45 Albert St Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 2030
	Farmers Arms Hotel 31 Albert St Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 2221
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Belfield Bed & Breakfast 53 Clunes Rd Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 9763 6097 or (03) 5345 2605 Rating: ****
	Farm & Eco Holidays
	Hill View Cottage Host Farm Spittle Rd Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 2690 Rating: **
	Caravan Parks
	Calembeen Caravan Park Cushing Ave Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 2411 Rating: ***
	Restaurants
	The British Hotel 45 Albert St Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 2030
	The Old Police House Gallery, Gift & Tearooms 4 Raglan St Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 8160
	Tumblers Green Restaurant Midland Hwy Creswick VIC 3363 Telephone: (03) 5345 2797