Terang Victoria
War memorial at Terang, at the entrance to the main street
Terang
Population:	2256(2006)[1]
Postcode:	3264
Coordinates:	38°14′S 142°56′E / 38.233°S 142.933°E / -38.233; 142.933Coordinates: 38°14′S 142°56′E / 38.233°S 142.933°E / -38.233; 142.933
Elevation:	131 m (430 ft)
Location:	215 km (134 mi) from Melbourne 48 km (30 mi) from Warrnambool
LGA:	Corangamite Shire
State electorate:	Polwarth
Federal Division:	Wannon
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 18.5 °C 65 °F 7.7 °C 46 °F 755.9 mm 29.8 in

Terang ("the Tree Town") is a small Australian town situated in Corangamite Shire in the Western District of Victoria, Australia, on the Princes Highway 212 km south-west of the state's capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Terang had a population of 2256. At the 2001 census, Terang had a population of 1859.^[2]

History [link]

The semi-nomadic Kirrae Wuurong clans originally inhabited the area between Mt Emu Creek and the Hopkins River, and much of their language was recorded by a Scottish squatter, James Dawson.^[3]

The first dwelling in the township area was built in 1840 by Donald McNicol, and consisted of a slab hut on the east bank of Lake Terang.^[4] The township was developed in the late 1850s, the post office opening on March 1, 1859.^[5] The railway though the town was opened in 1887.^[6] From 1890 it was extended as part of Victoria's south-western line. The Mortlake line once branched from the town, opened in 1893 and closed in 1978. The local railway station is served by V/Line passenger services on the Warrnambool line.

Magnificent avenues of trees were later planted and several of these are now under the protection of the National Trust. Other features of Terang include a Heritage Trail walk which points out the historic trees and many of the historic buildings and sights of the town.

Features to see are the historic post office with its clock tower (1903-4), the war memorial, the rose gardens with the band rotunda, and the town's first church (Thomson Memorial Presbyterian).^[7] There is also a beautiful 18-hole golf course at the western entrance to the town.

To the south of the town centre is a large peat bed unique to the region. In 1933, while dry, the peat bed began burning but became a shallow lake by the 1940s. The lake is now dry and the land is used by the cricket club, golf club, pony club and croquet club.

Sport [link]

The town has an Australian Rules football team Terang-Mortlake playing in the Hampden Football League.^[8]

Terang has a horse racing club, the Terang & District Racing Club, which schedules around eight race meetings a year including the Terang Cup meeting in October.^[9] Terang Harness Racing Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the town.^[10]

Golfers play at the course of the Terang Golf Club on High Street.^[11]

Education [link]

Terang College is a school, established in 1848 as Terang Primary School. It educates over 400 students from Prep to Year 12. It has two campuses, one located on the Eastern (Warrnambool) side of the town while the other is located on the Cobden Road. The Southern campus houses years Prep to Grade 4 while the Cobden Road Campus years Years 5 - 12.

Notable citizens [link]

• John Robertson Duigan MC, the pioneer aviator who built and flew the first Australian-made aircraft, was born in Terang in 1882.
• The Australian immunologist and Nobel laureate Frank Macfarlane Burnet grew up in Terang, whilst his father was a bank manager.

See also [link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Terang, Victoria

• Lake Terang
• Terang railway station

References [link]