Woodend
Is a small town in Victoria, Australia. The town is in the Shire of Macedon Ranges Local government area. It is bypassed to the east and north by the Calder Freeway (M79) and is located about halfway between Melbourneand Bendigo. At the 2006 census, Woodend had a population of 3,172.
History
Former Woodend Post Office
Woodend was first surveyed in 1836 by Major Thomas Mitchell, who opened it up for settlement. When gold was discovered in the area (towards Bendigo and Ballarat), Woodend became the main thoroughfare through the Black Forest, and accommodated many gold-diggers and their families. Woodend Post Office opened on 20 July 1854, closed in December of that year, then reopened in the township on 1 November 1856.
The tourist boom caused the settlement to grow and develop. Later the place became a centre for sheep-farming, and in 1862, a railway connection to Bendigo was built though Woodend, as a connection to the regional centre.
Like many towns in the area, Woodend has many historical buildings. Entering Woodend from Melbourne, most of the shops and eateries are located either side of the main High Street, with the clocktower on the right hand side of the road. Built in 1897, The Old Stationmaster’s House sits on the approach to the High Street. At the other end of the shops lies Five Mile Creek. A historic bluestone bridge crosses the creek and can be viewed from adjacent parkland. On the left lies Islay House and Beth Shan, both circa 1860. Islay House is a two-story brick “Georgian” building that first traded as a licensed premises serving alcohol to the gold diggers. Beth Shan is a single-story weatherboard cottage in “Colonial Vernacular” style. The cottage, built as a residence and shop selling supplies to the diggers, acquired the name Beth Shan in 1920 when an Irish nurse, Nurse Hicks, leased the premises and opened it as a maternity hospital to the local community.
Tourism and Attractions
Woodend is close to such attractions as Mt Macedon, Hanging Rock, located at nearby Newham, and numerous waterfalls. The area supports a large horse-racing community. Woodend’s location in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range means that, unlike most of Australia, snowfalls are not uncommon.
The Woodend Winter Arts Festival, held on the Queen’s Birthday Weekend in June, is an event where artisans from around Australia gather to perform. The annual Melbourne Autumn Day (MAD) ride is held in Woodend by the Melbourne Bicycle Touring Club. Woodend Children’s Park in the centre of the town provides a meeting place for young and old, locals and visitors: A park to explore, to enjoy, to play. Woodend Children’s Park opened behind the service station in October 2009.
The largest sporting group in the town is the Woodend Junior Football Club which encorporates 190 players, from 130 families, playing in 8 junior teams ranging from Under 9′s to Under 16′s. There are several mountain bike tracks near Woodend, in the Wombat State Forest and also on Mount Macedon. The local Wombat MTB Club maintains the tracks in the area and arrange events and bike tours. Golfers play at the course of the Woodend Golf Club on Davy Street.
The events and news of the town are published in the town’s community newsletter; The New Woodend Star, which publishes free archival copies of the newsletter online for reference.
Media
ortions of the 2004 mini-series adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Salem’s Lot, starring Rob Lowe, was filmed in the town. The 1975 film, Picnic at Hanging Rock was also filmed in Woodend, as well as a driving scene in the 2009 Alex Proyas film Knowing starring Nicolas Cage and Rose Byrne. The latter was filmed in Woodend’s Avenue of Honour. Scenes in the 2009 adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are were also filmed in Woodend. The church scenes in the Nicholas Cage movie Ghost Rider were filmed at a church in Woodend.
Woodend railway station
Street side of the Woodend Railway Station
Is a railway station in Woodend on the Bendigo line in Victoria, Australia.
The station had platform 2 reconstructed as part of the Regional Fast Rail project, and a new car park built on the street side of the platform. Before 4pm, trains depart platform 2 for Melbourne, and Platform 1 for Bendigo, and vice versa for after 4pm, as most of the new track is on the platform 2 side.
The station once had extra sidings on the other side of platform 2, as well as a turntable. At the back of the railway station, the original stationmaster’s house still stands. It was built in 1897,and at the time the Stationmaster was able to see way down the track from the doorways.
Woodend/Hesket Football Club
The Woodend/Hesket Football Club, known as the Hawks, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Riddell District Football League.
The club is located 70 km north west of Melbourne in the township of Woodend.
The Club first played as Woodend-Hesket in 1978 following the merger between Woodend FC and Hesket FC. The Senior Club plays home games at the Gilbert Gordon oval.
The club’s main feeder team is the Woodend Junior Football Club (Woodend Hawks – www.woodendhawks.com.au) who were established 1973 and play their home games at the Woodend Racecourse.
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