The Old Victoria Inn Hotel/Motel and the main street at St. Arnaud

St Arnaud (including Carapooee, Stuart Mill and Logan)
Substantial service centre in a rich agricultural area.
St Arnaud is a substantial country town of some 3000 people located at the south-eastern edge of the Mallee plains, between Donald and Avoca on the Sunraysia Highway, 235 km north-west of Melbourne and 239 metres above sea-level. It is a service centre to a district focused on mixed farming, merino wool, grains, legumes and vineyards.

A former goldmining town, St Arnaud is noted for its historic streetscape of old pubs, shops and post-supported verandahs, some with ornate cast-iron lacework.

Some rare Aboriginal wells just to the north of town are remnants of the pre-colonial era when the area was inhabited by the Wungaragira Gundidj tribe.

European settlement in the region began with the establishment of the 'Tottington' sheep station to the south in 1838. Other pastoralists, who already owned grazing pasturage to the south, took up land here in the 1840s to use for breeding purposes. The townsite developed on the southern tip of James Orr's 'Yawong' run, taken up in 1846.

Gold was found 2 km east of the present townsite in 1855 and a tent city of several thousand emerged, known as the New Bendigo diggings. The alluvial gold began to decline after the initial flurry and many departed. Reef mining had begun by the end of the year and one of the new sites was Wilsons Hill, on the future townsite. The town's last operating goldmine, the Lord Nelson, operated nearby in what is now Pioneer Park (adjacent Dundas St).

A township was surveyed and named in 1856 after a French hero of the Crimean War - Jacques LeRoy de St Arnaud. It was 2 km south-east of the New Bendigo settlement but it proved unsuitable and the survey was nullified. The present site was established in 1858. Some of the streets were named after British commanders of the Crimean War.

Silver reefs were discovered in the late 1850s and helped generate the capital for large companies to form and exploit the leads.

A police lock-up (still standing) was established in 1862 opposite the reserve which became Queen Mary Gardens. St Arnaud became a borough in 1863. Christ Church and the first local newspaper were opened in 1864. By this time the tents had given way to timber, bark and mudbrick dwellings. A post office and a courthouse (both still standing) were erected in 1866.

From the mid-1860s, but particularly in the 1870s, the area was opened up for closer settlement with many combining mining activities with grazing and/or agriculture. The first flour mill was built in 1875 and the Presbyterian Church in 1876 (both are still standing).

From 1872 to 1876 the town experienced a major boom due to its role as the gateway to and the administrative and commercial centre of the agricultural settlements being established to the north. This role was further enhanced by the arrival of the railway in 1878.

However, mining remained the mainstay of the town with the substantial Lord Nelson Company setting up operations in 1883. It did well in the 1890s but wound down in 1915 when lack of investment prevented the extension of the shafts. The last mine, the Welcome Nelson, closed in 1926, although cyanide processing of the tailings continued for some time.

The demise of the mines was not dramatic for the town due to its growing role as a centre for pastoral and agricultural activity in the district. St Arnaud was declared a town in 1950.

The annual Agricultural Show is held in October, the Festival of St Arnaud in November and the markets are held on the second Sunday of the month in Market Square, behind the town hall.

Things to see:  

The Shire Hall

Tourist Information and Historic Precinct
The rather long, straight, narrow and tree-lined main road (Napier St) is a declared conservation area and retains a number of elegant red-brick dwellings from the boom period of the gold era. Restoration has recently been carried out under a special grant. A consistent motif is the post-supported verandah and the number of distinctive upper storeys.

The town's attractive Historic Precinct is located on Napier, between Millett St and Jennings St. It contains several old red-brick buildings, including the old post office at 2 Napier St which was built in 1866 with living quarters for the postmaster and family and a second-storey with clock tower. Lateral extensions were made in 1895 to increase the living space for the family and the floor space of the post office itself. The oldest building in the Historic Precinct. Next door, at 4 Napier Street, is the former Crown Lands Office (1876-77) which is the town's Visitor Information Centre. Contact (03) 5495 1268, Freecall 1800 014 455. On the other side of the information centre is the1866 courthouse. Behind it is the bluestone police lock-up (1862). By the Jennings St corner are the Kara Kara Shire Offices (1902).

Victoria's oldest fire station
Just along the road, at Napier and Inkerman, is the town's first fire station. It is the oldest fire station in Victoria. Attractions include the turncock's residence (1883) and an original hand-pulled ladder cart. Unfortunately the horse-drawn fire engine is gone. Interestingly no horses were kept at the station although so plentiful were horses in the pre-automobile days that the idea was to simply commandeer the first passing horse in an emergency. Outside is the original hand-pumped turncock. Opening hours are uncertain at the moment so ring the St Arnaud Visitor Information Centre for an update.

Bank of NSW and Botanical Hotel
On the other side of Inkerman St is the former Bank of NSW (1873 with 1888 renovations), now a private residence. Across Napier St is the two-storey Botanical Hotel (1900), with its fine cast-iron lacework balcony. It is named after the gardens opposite.

Queen Mary Gardens
The openness of the botanic gardens contrasts strongly with the restricted feel of the commercial precinct. Although the reserve was established in the 1860s it remained undeveloped and unattractive. Local councillors tried to sell off the land as allotments in 1876, sparking off a furious debate that lasted eight years until a general ballot was held. The result was very narrowly against the sell-off and the gardens were lavishly laid out in the ensuing years with exotic tree species and a pond frequented by pelicans, seagulls, ducks and swans.

The ornamental lake was originally a waterhole and the land a camping ground for teamsters. The memorial gates were added in 1913.

Presbyterian Church
Walk through the park to the old Presbyterian (now Uniting) Church (1876) facing McMahon St.

Mechanics' Institute
At the corner of McMahon and Inkerman is a brick building erected prior to 1864 as the town's first courthouse. When the new courthouse was opened in 1867 the building, originally in the 'Historic Precinct', was moved to the present site where it became a mechanics' institute and library until 1985.

Anglican Church
Follow Inkerman St to the Raglan St corner where you will find St Arnaud Anglican Church (1864 with 1877 additions).

Napier St
Follow Raglan St back to Napier St and turn right. To the left is the old town hall (1869 with later extensions). At Market and Napier is the St Arnaud Hotel (1876) with a handsome balcony. It sits on the site of the town's first hotel which was built in 1856-57.

Backtrack along Napier St. On the Walker St corner is the Royal Hotel (1873). Continuing along Napier St you will pass, to the right, the former Colonial Bank (1879), the two-storey Crone's Building with ornamental lacework (1910) and, at Napier and Alma, the ANZ Bank building, erected in 1889 for the London Chartered Bank. The Manchester Arms Hotel, over the road, dates from 1907.

Continuing along Napier St, on the left-hand side, are the Commonwealth Hotel (1902) and the Old Victorian Inn (formerly the Victoria Hotel). Note the fine cast-iron lacework and etched glass. By the roundabout is the old grain store (1879).

Other Historic Buildings
The old railway station at the southern end of Queens Ave dates from 1878. Nearby is James Malcolm's Flour Mill (1875). Mrs Love's Cottage, the oldest surviving house in St Arnaud, was built in 1868. It is a good example of an early miner's cottage and is located in Clyde St.

Wilson's Hill Lookout
Wilson's Hill was the first site of European habitation on the future townsite. Reef mining commenced here as alluvial mining declined at the original diggings site (2 km east). The hill is honeycombed with shafts. The lookout is in Pioneer Park (off Dundas St) where the town's last mine, the Lord Nelson, operated.

The St Arnaud Wax Garden
The Wax Garden is a 3.8-ha flora reserve within Kara State Forest. Follow the Wimmera Highway south-west out of town for about 3 km then turn left into Centre Rd (gravel). It is a few kilometres to the gateway on the left which leads to the garden. It is best seen when the flowers are in bloom in October. There is an information board and the St Arnaud Information Centre can supply a pamphlet outlining the 70 odd flower species and their whereabouts within the reserve. Outside the garden are a barbecue, table and seats.

Tottington Woolshed
The National-Trust-classified vertical-slab woolshed at Tottington (c. 1840) was built on Laurence Rostron's Tottington-Ramsbottom run. It is located in a fine bush setting. Head south-west on the Wimmera Highway for 5 km then turn left onto the Navarre/Stawell Rd heading south for about 19 km where it can be seen from the roadside (on private property).

A little further along the road, you can see glimpses, through the gardens, of the brick homestead (c.1860) with a ballroom and south wing added in the 1880s and some weatherboard and stone outbuildings.

St Peter's Church
St Peter's Church (1869) is an attractive little red-brick bush church faced with white quartz pebbles which have been set in pink mortar. It is located at Carapooee (follow the Sunraysia Highway south for 8 km then turn left and follow the St Arnaud-Emu Rd for 4 km). It once served 1300 diggers at the St Peter's Diggings.

Kara Kara Vineyard
Kara Kara Vineyard, established in 1977, is signposted from a point 10 km south of St Arnaud on the Sunraysia Highway. There are barbecue and picnic facilities in the garden overlooking the vineyard. They specialise in full-body fruity dry white varietal wines (sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and semillon), as well as shiraz and cabernet sauvignon. The cellar door is open from 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. daily, tel: (03) 5496 3294.

Stuart Mill
23 km south along the Sunraysia Highway is the former goldmining town of Stuart Mill, named after English philosopher John Stuart Mill. Gold was discovered here in 1861 and there were several thousand residents on the local fields shortly thereafter. Farming developed from the late 1860s and one of the ore-crushers was converted into a flour mill in 1872. There are some old churches and other buildings from the gold days. Nearby is an old mud 'oven'.

Teddington Reservoirs and Kara Kara State Park
At Stuart Mill there is a signposted turnoff from the highway which heads south-west along a bitumen road for about 5 km to the Teddington Reservoirs (completed in 1900 and 1929 respectively) which originally supplied water to St Arnaud (they now only supply Stuart Mill). This is an excellent redfin and trout-fishing location. Canoes and unpowered boats are permitted but there is no swimming. Quiet picnicking and camping spots are located adjacent the reservoirs (bring a gas barbecue. Anglers may also wish to investigate the Avoca and Avon Rivers and Volcano Reservoir.

At the moment there is no water in Teddington Reservoirs due to the drought.

The reservoir is located within Kara Kara State Park (3840 ha) which is mainly steep, forested terrain at the southern end of the St Arnaud Range. Scarred trees, stone artefacts and mounds testify to earlier Aboriginal occupation. Squatters first took up land in the area in the 1840s. Sites relating to the goldmining of the 1860s can still be found in the park. Timbergetting has also been practised in the past.

Bushwalkers, hikers and 4WDers will enjoy the views from the rocky ridge tops. Wedge-tailed eagles can be seen in the park and the hollows within the mature stands of eucalypt provide a habitat for sugar gliders, the yellow-footed antechinus, kookaburras and crimson rosellas. There are 270 flora species, tel: (03) 5495 1115.

Volcano Reservoir
Follow the Sunraysia Highway towards Donald, turning left into Volcano Rd, The reservoir is stocked with redfin.

Logan
The small settlement of Logan, 23 km east on the Bendigo Rd, has a quaint little bush inn known as the Avoca Forest Hotel which is an idyllic place to stop for a drink or refreshments.

	Motels
	Country Roads Motor Inn Cnr Bendigo & Ballarat Rds St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 2255 Rating: ****
	Kings Avenue Motel 17 Kings Ave St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1186 Rating: ***
	St Arnaud Motel 5 Ballarat Rd St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1755 Rating: ***
	St Arnaud's La Cochon Rose Motel & Art Cafe 123 Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 3244, 0448 558 288 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Botanical Hotel 11 Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1336 Rating: *
	Commonwealth Hotel Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1820
	Farmers Arms Hotel Kings Ave St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1035
	Manchester Arms Hotel Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1015
	St Arnaud Hotel Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1004
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	The Old Post Office Bed & Breakfast 2 Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 2313 Rating: ***
	Caravan Parks
	St Arnaud Caravan Park Cnr Dundas & Alma Sts P.O. Box 16 St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1447 or 0419 386 344 Rating: **
	Restaurants
	Botanical Hotel 11 Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1336
	St Arnaud Motel 5 Ballarat Rd St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1755
	Tourist Information
	St Arnaud Visitor Information Centre 4 Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1268 or 1800 014 455
	Restaurants
	The St Arnaud Old Post Office Restaurant 2 Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 2313
	Twin Gums Restaurant (St Arnaud Motel) 5 Ballarat Rd St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 1755
	Cafés
	St Arnaud's La Cochon Rose Motel & Art Cafe 123 Napier St St Arnaud VIC 3478 Telephone: (03) 5495 3244, 0448 558 288