| Buninyong | |
Location: | 122km west of Melbourne on the Midland Highway |
Council: | Shire of Buninyong |
Population: | 1627 |
Postcode: | 3357 |
Just 10km south of Ballarat, this little town was the site of one of the first gold finds at Hiscocks Gully in 1851. Before then agriculture was the mainstay of the area with the Learmonth brothers starting the first property in 1838. After the gold rush the town reverted to its agricultural base, however the excitement of the rush is remembered with the annual Gold King Festival each February.
Buninyong has several buildings of historic interest, such as the Crown Hotel, built in 1842 and extended in a Gothic style in 1870, and the Italianate Council Chambers and Courthouse, both built in 1882. A signposted historic walk, several kilometres long, may be picked up at the junction of Warrenheip and Learmonth streets.
A scenic trip from Buninyong takes in Mt Buninyong, from where there are stunning views of the surrounding countryside; beautiful Lal Lal Falls cascading 34m into a placid pool below; and one of Australia's most important industrial archaeological sites, the ruins of the Lal Lal Blast Furnace which once supplied smelted wrought iron to Ballarat.