| Wonthaggi Victoria | |||||||||
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 Shopping Strip, McBride Avenue | |||||||||
  Wonthaggi | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 38°36′20″S145°35′30″E / 38.60556°S 145.59167°E /-38.60556; 145.59167 | ||||||||
| Population | 8,430 (UCL2021)[1] | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3995 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 52 m (171 ft) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Bass Coast Shire | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Bass | ||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Monash | ||||||||
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Wonthaggi/wɒnˈθæɡi/ is a town located 132 kilometres (82 mi) south east ofMelbourne via theSouth Gippsland andBass highways, in theBass Coast Shire ofGippsland,Victoria, Australia. Known originally for itscoal mining, it is now the largest town in South Gippsland, a regional area with extensive tourism, beef anddairy industries.
The name "Wonthaggi" is anAustralian Aboriginal name meaning "home" from theBoonwurrung (south-centralKulin). It was used in the area some time before 1 August 1910 when the town was founded.[2]
TheBoonwurrung Aboriginal people were custodians of this stretch of coast for thousands of years prior towhite settlement. The Boakoolawalclan lived in the Kilcunda area south of theBass River, and the Yowenjerre were west of theTarwin River along what is now theBunurong Marine and Coastal Park.Middens containingcharcoal andshellfish mark the location of theircampsites along the coast.[3]
Coal was discovered by explorerWilliam Hovell atCape Paterson in 1826, and was subsequently mined from the Powlett River fields in the region, between 1859 and 1864. However transporting the coal by whale boat through the surf to larger ships anchored offshore proved costly and dangerous and mining activity was soon curtailed. The coastal sands off Wonthaggi occasionally uncover the remains of ships wrecked along the coast.[4]
A tent city was established adjacent to the Powlett River, on what were then known as the Powlett River Coalfields. The tent city had no permanent buildings and healthcare was provided by a Dr Sleeman, who was later instrumental in establishing a permanent hospital in the township of Wonthaggi, proclaimed in 1910.[4]
Much of the coal for the colony of Victoria was sourced fromNewcastle and theHunter Valley in New South Wales, along with local supplies from private and co-operativecoal mines atOuttrim,Jumbunna andKorumburra in Gippsland. After the 1909–1910 strike by coal miners in the Hunter Valley, the Victorian state government were determined to ensure stability in local supplies of coal. TheState Coal Mine and the town of Wonthaggi came into being in 1910 to supply coal for theVictorian Railways.[5] It was one of the largest and most dangerous collieries in Australia.[6] At its peak in 1926 the mine produced 2,435long tons (2,474 t) per day, with the Victorian Railways buying 90% of production.[7] In 1928, Wonthaggi coal accounted for around 60% of Victorian Railways coal consumption.[8]
APost Office opened on 11 November 1887 in a nearby area. On 1 August 1910, this office was renamed St Clair and on the same day Powlett Coal Mine Post Office, opened earlier that year, was renamed Wonthaggi. That is when the town was given a permanent name.[9]
Wonthaggi celebrated its centenary in 2010 and a book[10] presenting interviews with local residents about the town history was published in 2012.
The Wonthaggi Wind Farm in Campbell Street was built in 2005. It is anenvironmentally friendly wind power station with six turbines.[11] TheBass Coast ShireCouncil was opposed to thewind farm along with some local residents. Protesters argued that it would taint the view of Cape Patterson on the trip from Anderson to Wonthaggi and would affect the "recreational tourism and landscape values of the coastline". By September 2005 the six towers had been built, but were themselves a tourist attraction, seen clearly as you drive down the hill towards Wonthaggi from Anderson.[12] The wind farm generates power up to 80% of the time, providing electricity for up to 6000 homes. It can be seen when visiting Williamsons Beach and theVictorian Desalination Plant.[13]
TheState Coal Mine in Wonthaggi was operational from 1910 to 1968 and is now operated byParks Victoria as atourist attraction and cafe.[14]
Walking, cycling and horse riding is the modern use of the oldWonthaggi railway line all year round. TheBass Coast Rail Trail, Victoria's only coastal rail trail, stretches 16 kilometres from the mine whistle tower in the centre of Wonthaggi to the roundabout toPhillip Island inAnderson.
Williamsons Beach on Lower Powlett Road is located next to theWonthaggi Wind Farm and theVictorian Desalination Plant. The Victorian Desalination Plant also has a 225-hectare park and 8 km of walking, riding and cycling tracks.[3] Seashell collecting is permitted on Wonthaggi Beaches.[17]
Safety Beach on Surf Beach RoadCape Paterson is a popular beach because it has a modified rockpool for swimming.[18] The rockpool was built by miners in the 1960s, at a time when the environment was less of a priority in Australia.[19]
Harmers Haven and Wreck Beach on Berrys Road are popular for surf and rock fishing. Williamsons Beach and Baxters Beach are popular for fishing day and night, catching mostly Salmon and Mullet. Powlett River mouth is popular for catching Bream, Perch, Salmon and Mullet.[3]
Wonthaggi's location on the north shore ofBass Strait gives it an oceanic climate, with the moderating effect of the ocean allowing a narrower temperature range throughout the year compared to other regions in Victoria. Average daily maximum temperatures range from 23.5 °C in summer to 13.5 °C in winter. Frost is rare, occurring on average 6 mornings a year.[21]
| Climate data for Wonthaggi (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1968–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 43.7 (110.7) | 45.0 (113.0) | 39.3 (102.7) | 32.8 (91.0) | 26.1 (79.0) | 23.0 (73.4) | 21.0 (69.8) | 24.1 (75.4) | 29.5 (85.1) | 34.0 (93.2) | 36.6 (97.9) | 41.7 (107.1) | 45.0 (113.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 24.5 (76.1) | 24.8 (76.6) | 23.0 (73.4) | 19.9 (67.8) | 16.8 (62.2) | 14.5 (58.1) | 13.9 (57.0) | 14.7 (58.5) | 16.5 (61.7) | 18.6 (65.5) | 20.5 (68.9) | 22.5 (72.5) | 19.2 (66.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.1 (66.4) | 19.4 (66.9) | 17.8 (64.0) | 15.2 (59.4) | 12.8 (55.0) | 10.8 (51.4) | 10.2 (50.4) | 10.8 (51.4) | 12.2 (54.0) | 13.8 (56.8) | 15.6 (60.1) | 17.3 (63.1) | 14.6 (58.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.8 (56.8) | 13.9 (57.0) | 12.6 (54.7) | 10.5 (50.9) | 8.9 (48.0) | 7.1 (44.8) | 6.6 (43.9) | 6.9 (44.4) | 8.0 (46.4) | 9.1 (48.4) | 10.7 (51.3) | 12.1 (53.8) | 10.0 (50.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 4.0 (39.2) | 3.1 (37.6) | 3.3 (37.9) | 1.0 (33.8) | −1.0 (30.2) | −1.8 (28.8) | −2.2 (28.0) | −1.5 (29.3) | −0.6 (30.9) | 0.0 (32.0) | 0.5 (32.9) | 2.0 (35.6) | −2.2 (28.0) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 50.7 (2.00) | 53.0 (2.09) | 54.5 (2.15) | 75.5 (2.97) | 98.1 (3.86) | 97.6 (3.84) | 102.8 (4.05) | 111.4 (4.39) | 100.9 (3.97) | 83.3 (3.28) | 76.5 (3.01) | 63.4 (2.50) | 967.8 (38.10) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) | 6.4 | 5.4 | 8.0 | 9.7 | 12.6 | 13.2 | 15.3 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 11.7 | 9.3 | 7.7 | 128.4 |
| Averagedew point °C (°F) | 13.7 (56.7) | 13.9 (57.0) | 12.4 (54.3) | 10.9 (51.6) | 9.3 (48.7) | 7.7 (45.9) | 6.9 (44.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | 8.1 (46.6) | 9.3 (48.7) | 11.0 (51.8) | 12.1 (53.8) | 10.2 (50.4) |
| Source 1:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration[22] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2:Bureau of Meteorology[23] | |||||||||||||
Wonthaggi has threeprimary schools and one secondary college. Also ChisholmTAFE,[24] Bass CoastSpecialist School,[25] Bass CoastAdult Education Centre,[26] University of the Third Age (U3A) retirees education centre,[27] and Connecting Skills Australia (CSA) specialist developmental school, support and employment services/training.[28] Plans are underway for a new tertiary education facility.[29]
In 1911,miners formed the Wonthaggi Co-operative Workmen's Club. The Wonthaggi Workmens Club entity still exists today on Graham Street, run as a family bistro, pub and functions/events venue. Miners were also prominent in establishing the local hospital,friendly societydispensary,trade union theatre, and aco-operative store, and in supporting miners in New Zealand in the 1912Waihi miners' strike. The Union theatre slowly fell into disrepair following the closure of the mines, and in 1980 it was destroyed by fire.[3] It was one of the last buildings associated with the mining era in the town. The Miners' Union donated the land where the Union Theatre had stood to the council, on the condition that any building erected on the site should perpetually bear the name "Union".[citation needed] It is now the site for the Wonthaggi UnionCommunity Arts Centre.
The town has many largechain stores;RACV Inverloch Resort, four major supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, pubs, clubs, a hospital hotels and markets.[30]
The town that refused to die ! – 100 years and still going strong
Media related toWonthaggi, Victoria at Wikimedia Commons
Localities in theBass Coast Shire | |||||||
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| Philip Island |
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