Merino, Victoria

Merino /məˈriːnoʊ/[2] is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the Shire of Glenelg local government area, 363 kilometres west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2011 census, Merino had a population of 364.[1]

Merino
Victoria
The main street of Merino
Merino
Coordinates37°43′0″S 141°33′0″E
Population364 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s)3310
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Glenelg
State electorate(s)Lowan
Federal Division(s)Wannon

The first European settlement of the area was in 1837, when Francis Henty, brother of Edward Henty, established Merino Downs station. Henty established the station after a report on the high quality pasture from explorer Major Thomas Mitchell at the Henty property near Portland.[3] A store and post office agency was established in 1854 and the first town lots were sold the next year. An official Post Office opened on 1 June 1858.[4] The town continued to grow through the 1850s and 1860s with the construction of churches, hotels and schools. In 1870, the courthouse was moved from Digby to Merino. The Merino co-operative butter factory was established around 1885. After World War I, the area was opened up for soldier settlement. In 1955 Merino was connected to the electricity grid.[5]

Merino has a heritage cinema which is housed in the Merino hotel. Golfers play at the course of the Merino Golf Club on Digby Road.[6]

Traditional ownership

The formally recognised traditional owners for the area in which Merino sits are the Gunditjmara People[7] who are represented by the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.[8]

References
  1. "2011 Census QuickStats: Merino". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  2. Butler, S., ed. (2009). "Merino". Macquarie Dictionary (5th ed.). Sydney: Macquarie Dictionary Publishers Pty Ltd. 1952 pages. ISBN 978-1-876429-66-9.
  3. "Settlement at Merino Downs, 1837". Ballarat Genealogy. Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2007.
  4. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  5. "Henty & Merino Historic Timeline". Ballarat Genealogy. Archived from the original on 28 August 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2007.
  6. Golf Select. "Merino". Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  7. "Map of formally recognised traditional owners". Aboriginal Victoria. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  8. "Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal". Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. Retrieved 2 June 2020.

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