Beeac
Victoria
Main Street, Beeac seen from the north
Beeac is located in Colac Otway Shire
Beeac
Beeac
Coordinates38°12′0″S 143°38′0″E / 38.20000°S 143.63333°E / -38.20000; 143.63333
Population370 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)3251
Location
LGA(s)Colac Otway Shire
State electorate(s)Polwarth
Federal division(s)Wannon
Localities around Beeac:
Cundare Weering Eurack
Dreeite Beeac Ombersley
Warrion Ondit Irrewarra

Beeac is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is located on the shore of the hyper-saline Lake Beeac in the Colac Otway Shire local government area, 160 kilometres southwest of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2016 census, Beeac had a population of 370.[1]

History

Beeac was originally created as a reserve for campers, and the name is thought to mean either "salt lake" or "grubs" in the local Aboriginal language.[2] From 1860, the area was opened for selection and a townsite was surveyed in 1864.[2] A post office opened on 1 January 1862 but was known as Ondit (the name of the surrounding parish) until 1872.[3]

The original post office building was destroyed by fire in 1926, but was eventually replaced by the current building. By the end of the decade, the Beeac area had become a prominent wheat growing district, wine grapes were cultivated and a salt works was operating on the lake. Throughout the 1860s and 1870s, churches, schools, shops and hotels were established.[2] The railway reached Beeac in 1889, bringing the area into closer contact with nearby Colac. The line closed in 1953.[4] A newspaper, The Beeac Advocate and Weering and Warrion Advertiser, operated from 1901 to 1902 and the local hospital was founded in 1928.[2][5]

The town today

The town in conjunction with neighbouring township Irrewarra has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Colac & District Football League.[6]

Golfers play at the course of the Beeac Golf Club on Mingawalla Road.[7]

Notable people

The test cricketer, Bill Johnston was born and raised in Beeac.[8] Geelong Football Club premiership player and 1965 Best and Fairest winner, Peter Walker, was also originally from Beeac.

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Beeac (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Beeac Progress Association Township Plan" (PDF). Colac Otway Shire Council. 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2007.
  3. ↑ Phoenix Auctions History, Post Office List, retrieved 29 January 2021
  4. ↑ Wong, Marcus. "Irrewarra Station". Rail Geelong. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  5. ↑ "Beeac Township Plan" (PDF). Shire of Colac Otway. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2007. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  6. ↑ Full Points Footy, Irrewarra-Beeac, archived from the original on 31 January 2009, retrieved 25 July 2008
  7. ↑ Golf Select, Toolondo, retrieved 11 May 2009
  8. ↑ Frith, David (28 May 2007). "Obituary:Bill Johnston". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 September 2007.

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