| Maryborough | |
Location: | 160km northwest of Melbourne on Pyrenees Highway |
Council: | City of Maryborough |
Population: | 7623 |
Postcode: | 3465 |
Maryborough is a former goldmining town that was originally settled by the three Simson brothers who began grazing the surrounding land in 1840. Gold diggers moved in during the 1850s and the population swelled to 25,000 by 1854 with the town serving as the commercial centre for the diggings. When the gold ran out in 1918 Maryborough was sustained by its secondary industries.
The amazing 25room Railway Station and the fine buildings of the Civic Square are reminders of the prosperous goldmining period. The Museum of Creative Arts & Sciences displays a very diverse and interesting collection and the Midlands Historical Society Museum is housed in a bluestone cottage built in 1894 by local contractor Arthur Worsley. In the area the Aboriginal Wells are interesting reminders of the original inhabitants of the area.