Mansfield, Victoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MansfieldVictoria |
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Police memorial with the Mansfield Hotel in the background
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 Mansfield
Location in Shire of Mansfield
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| Population | 5,541 (2021 census) | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3722 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 316 m (1,037 ft) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Mansfield | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Eildon | ||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Indi | ||||||||
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Mansfield is a town located in the foothills of the Victorian Alps in Victoria, Australia. It is about 180 kilometres (110 mi) north-east of Melbourne by road. In 2021, the town had a population of 5,541 people.
Mansfield is the main town for the Mansfield local government area. It used to rely a lot on farming and logging. Today, it is a popular place for tourists. Mansfield is also the closest town to the large Australian ski resort, Mount Buller. The area is famous for its high-country traditions, like alpine grazing. This tradition was shown in the film The Man from Snowy River, which was filmed near Mansfield. The movie was based on a famous poem by Banjo Paterson.
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A Glimpse into Mansfield's Past
The traditional owners of the Mansfield area are the Yowengillum clan. They are part of the Taungurung people. They also lived in areas like Alexandra and along the Upper Goulburn River.
British settlers started coming to this region in 1839. Andrew Ewing, a stockman, explored the area for a new sheep station. He found the Yowengillum people along a river he called Devils River. In 1840, Ewing set up the Mount Battery sheep station. The best land was east of this river, near Mount Battery. The first overseer's hut was built close to where Mansfield is now.
Mansfield was first known as Mount Battery. It became a surveyed township in 1851. It was named after Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, England. More people settled here after gold was found nearby. The Post Office opened on 1 January 1858.
Mansfield is also known as part of the Ned Kelly Trail. Ned Kelly was a famous bushranger. There is a memorial in the town's roundabout for police officers. The Mansfield Cemetery is where police officers killed by Ned Kelly and his gang are buried.
By 1878, Mansfield had many shops. These included general stores, butchers, and blacksmiths. Public buildings at that time included the shire hall, a library, a hospital, and three churches. There was also Victoria Hall, where concerts were held.
The railway reached Mansfield from Tallalook in 1891. It stopped running on 18 November 1978. The last train for passengers was on 28 May 1977. The old Mansfield station building is now a visitor centre for tourists.
On 22 September 2021, a magnitude-5.9 earthquake happened. It was centred about 130km from Mansfield.
Mansfield in Stories
The area around Mansfield is featured in the novel The Far Country by Nevil Shute. In the book, the area is called Banbury. The story talks about logging on Mount Buller. It also mentions past forest fires that destroyed an old settlement in Howqua.
Fun Things to Do in Mansfield
Mansfield is very close to two large lakes. These are Lake Eildon and Lake Nillahcootie. In summer, these lakes are great for waterskiing.
The nearby Mount Buller and Mount Stirling offer fun all year. In winter, people visit for skiing. Mount Buller has ski lifts for downhill skiing. Mount Stirling is popular for back country skiing. In summer, hiking and mountain biking are popular. Ski lifts at Mount Buller run all year. This helps bikers easily get to the top of downhill mountain biking trails.
The bushland around Mansfield is used for horse riding. People also enjoy trail biking and four-wheel driving. There are many tracks throughout the region for these activities.
In the past, Mansfield hosted a "Mansfield Balloon Festival." This event celebrated hot air balloons. It attracted many people from all over the state. The festival has not been held in Mansfield for several years.
Mansfield is also home to the Mansfield Eagles football club. This is an Australian Rules team. They play in the Goulburn Valley Football League.
Mansfield has a horse racing club. It is called the Mansfield District Racing Club. They have two race meetings each year. One of these is the Mansfield Cup meeting on 27 December.
Golfers can play at the Mansfield golf course on Kidston Parade.
Mansfield is at one end of the Great Victorian Rail Trail. This trail officially opened in 2012. It is the second longest rail trail in Australia. People use it for riding bikes, horse riding, and walking.
Mansfield's Climate
Mansfield has a temperate Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers. It also has cool, rainy winters. The temperature changes a lot between day and night. This is because of cold fronts that often pass through in summer.
| Climate data for Mansfield 2 (1883–1956); 315 m AMSL; 37.05° S, 146.08° E | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.6 (85.3) |
29.4 (84.9) |
26.0 (78.8) |
21.1 (70.0) |
15.9 (60.6) |
12.6 (54.7) |
11.5 (52.7) |
13.5 (56.3) |
17.4 (63.3) |
20.9 (69.6) |
24.7 (76.5) |
27.9 (82.2) |
20.9 (69.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.2 (50.4) |
9.8 (49.6) |
7.8 (46.0) |
4.6 (40.3) |
2.1 (35.8) |
2.0 (35.6) |
0.2 (32.4) |
1.7 (35.1) |
2.9 (37.2) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.4 (43.5) |
8.6 (47.5) |
5.1 (41.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 44.7 (1.76) |
39.1 (1.54) |
56.2 (2.21) |
50.8 (2.00) |
60.8 (2.39) |
75.7 (2.98) |
66.7 (2.63) |
73.7 (2.90) |
69.0 (2.72) |
75.9 (2.99) |
59.2 (2.33) |
47.3 (1.86) |
719.4 (28.32) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5.6 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 7.7 | 11.1 | 13.9 | 15.7 | 15.2 | 12.8 | 11.3 | 8.5 | 6.6 | 119.6 |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Mansfield 2 | |||||||||||||
Famous People from Mansfield
Many talented people have lived in or are from Mansfield, including:
- Michelle Beecham – An ex-Australian World Cup team trap shooter.
- Liam Bradley – A composer, musician, and radiographer.
- Elizabeth Vivienne Conabere – A botanical artist, writer, and conservationist.
- James Cousins – A current football player in the Australian Football League.
- Josh Fraser – An ex-Collingwood and Gold Coast Suns football player in the AFL.
- Max Fricke – A Motorcycle speedway rider. He was the Australian Under-21 Champion multiple times and the 2016 World Under-21 Champion.
- Simon Gerrans – A professional road bicycle racer.
- Jack Hutchins – An ex-Gold Coast Suns football player in the Australian Football League.
- Lex Lasry – A lawyer and a retired judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
- David Mensch – A former football player at the Geelong Football Club.
- Victoria Mitchell – A long-distance runner.
- Catherine Skinner – A shooter who competes in women's trap.
- Cyril Henry Thomas Towers – A rugby union player.
- Alex "Chumpy" Pullin – A two-time border cross (snowboard) world champion in 2011 and 2013.
- Thomas Top – A Victorian State Orienteering Medallist, winning bronze in 2005.
- Hayley Wilson – A skateboarder who competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
