{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Glenthompson | state = vic | image = Glenthompson west approach.jpg | caption = Western approach to Glenthompson on Glenelg Highway | lga = Shire of Southern Grampians | postcode = 3293 | est = | pop = 232 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2016}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name="ABS"/> | elevation= | use_lga_map = yes | coordinates = {{coord|37|38|0|S|142|32|0|E|display=inline,title}} | maxtemp = | mintemp = | rainfall = | stategov = Lowan | fedgov = Division of Wannon | dist1 = 267 | dir1 = W | location1= Melbourne | dist2 = 60 | dir2 = SW | location2= Ararat | dist3 = 50 | dir3 = NE | location3= Hamilton | dist4 = 18 | dir4 = E | location4= Dunkeld }} '''Glenthompson''' is a town in the Australian state of Victoria. It lies on the Glenelg Highway between Hamilton and Ballarat, close to the Grampian mountain range. At the 2016 census, Glenthompson and the surrounding area had a population of 234.<ref name="ABS">{{Census 2016 AUS |id=SSC21041 |name=Glenthompson (State Suburb) |accessdate=2017-07-07 |quick=on}}</ref>
Its most notable landmark is the tall brickworks chimney that is also the symbol of the town's main industry for a period of time, as it provided bricks for regional buildings constructed in the post-war era.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glenthompsonbricks.com.au/index.htm |title=Welcome |website=Glenthompson Bricks |access-date=3 March 2009 |archive-date=11 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211152048/http://glenthompsonbricks.com.au/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The brickworks is now closed but people can arrange a tour by appointment.
==History== Originally, a small township named Yuppeckiar was built approximately five kilometres away, but it was moved to the present site of Glenthompson because of the construction of the railway linking Ballarat and Hamilton. The Post Office opened on November 1, 1866 as Glenthompson, was known for some months in 1872 as Yuppeckiar before reverting to Glenthompson.<ref name = "a">{{Cite web | last = Phoenix Auctions History | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Glenthompson* | access-date = 7 March 2021 }}</ref>
Pastoral settlement in the Glenthompson district began in 1848, and the subdivision of the land began in 1853. One of the resulting portions was the 'Glenronald' property (which may be the source of the first part of the town's name, with the second part believed to have come from the name of a surveyor or local land owner).<ref name="origin">{{cite web|title=Glenthompson|url=http://www.victorianplaces.com.au/glenthompson|website=Victorian Places|publisher=Monash University & the University of Queensland|access-date=15 June 2022|archive-date=21 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220321075703/https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/glenthompson|url-status=live}}</ref>
Early village settlement occurred three miles (5 km) west of the present Glenthompson township, at a location on the Dunkeld Road known as Strathmore or Yuppeckiar (also locally known as The Nine-mile and Jack of Clubs). In 1865 there was one public-house at Strathmore, but the settlement attained further amenities as land selections were taken up in the vicinity. By 1872 Strathmore had two public-houses, a blacksmith, shoemaker, a large store, a Catholic church, a school and a steam-powered flour mill.<ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197445084 Country News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615053930/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197445084 |date=15 June 2022 }}, ''The Age'' (Melbourne), 20 May 1872, page 3; reprinted from the ''Ararat Advertiser'', 17 May 1872.</ref>
The railway line between Ararat and Hamilton was completed in October 1877, with a station built at Glenthompson (which stimulated the growth of Glenthompson at the expense of Strathmore).<ref name="origin"/><ref>[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197418193 Opening of the Ararat and Hamilton Railway] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615053725/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197418193 |date=15 June 2022 }}, ''Leader'' (Melbourne), 3 November 1877, page 2.</ref>
In 1901 the Thompson brothers opened a brickworks about 20 kilometres from Glenthompson. The brickworks were later transferred to a clay-pit near the township.<ref name="origin"/> thumb|left|Glenthompson War Memorial Swimming Pool
Nowadays it is a very quiet country town that serves as a minor transport and services hub for the surrounding farming district.
==Amenities== Glenthompson is distinctive in that the town's hotel, Mac's Hotel, was built across the road from the railway station, some distance from the main road, unlike other country pubs in towns of a similar size, highlighting the importance of the railway in the town's development. This hotel burned down during the late 1800s on a different plot of land than the one that closed in 2013. The hotel that closed in 2013 was actually a private home, that was converted in the mid 20th century to a hotel long after its construction.
Rose Cottage in McLennan Street was first built in 1850 and was used for business as a blacksmith, the local bakery, and the front room for dressmaking and alteration. {{citation needed|date=May 2013}}
In 1996 residents startedthe Glenthompson Historical Group Inc. which operates a museum out of the former Glenthompson Railway Station. The History Centre is open to visit on Sundays from 12pm or by appointment.
St Peter's Anglican Church in McLennan St (Caramut Road) had the story of St Peter produced as a mural around the internal walls of the church. Local artist Gareth Colliton from Warrnambool used local identities in place of the traditional faces to produce this modern variation. The Church is open every day.
==Sport== The town, in conjunction with nearby township Dunkeld, has an Australian Rules football team, Glenthompson-Dunkeld (AKA Rams), competing in the Mininera & District Football League (MDFL). In 2010, the team won the league Premiership.
Prior to 2004, the Glenthompson Football Club (AKA Bloods) had competed in the MDFL for more than half a century. The club had secured senior premierships in 1969, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1983 and 1985.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Devaney|first1=John|title=Australian Football - Glenthompson Dunkeld Football Club - Info|url=http://australianfootball.com/clubs/info/Glenthompson+%0BDunkeld/2229|website=Australian Football|access-date=24 December 2016|archive-date=24 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224094916/http://australianfootball.com/clubs/info/Glenthompson+%0BDunkeld/2229|url-status=live}}</ref> Over the history of the football club they have played in the now defunct Willaura and District Football Association (1921–27), Mount Rouse and Willaura District Football Association (1928), Western Football Association (1929), Hopkins Football Association (1930), Western and Hamilton Football Association (1931–33), Hamilton and District Football Association (1935–40) and the Dunkeld and District Football League (1945–47).
In the past, the town has had a number of different sports including having its own 9 hole golf course. Most clubs have now closed. Former sports clubs include - Glenthompson Golf Club, Glenthompson Tennis Club, Glenthompson Basketball team (c. 1923), Glenthompson Cricket Club
==Education== The first school was opened in 1868. This was rebuilt in 1902, featuring a steeped structure. In the same year, a Mechanics' Institute was opened.
In 1998 the school amalgamated and became an outer campus of the Dunkeld Consolidated school.<ref name="origin" /> In 2011, with only one student still enrolled at this campus, a decision was made to close the campus. The children of the town now go either to Dunkeld or Lake Bolac for their Primary years.
Secondary school is obtained in either Lake Bolac or Hamilton, with buses taking the children of the town and its surrounds.
==Climate== {{Weather box <!-- Infobox begins --> | open = true | metric first = yes | location = Glenthompson <!-- Rainfall --> | Jan rain mm = 36.3 | Feb rain mm = 29.2 | Mar rain mm = 33.1 | Apr rain mm = 45.1 | May rain mm = 52.6 | Jun rain mm = 53.3 | Jul rain mm = 63.3 | Aug rain mm = 70.4 | Sep rain mm = 60.7 | Oct rain mm = 56.2 | Nov rain mm = 50.2 | Dec rain mm = 40.9 | year rain mm = 595.8 | source = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/av?p_nccObsCode=139&p_display_type=dataFile&p_stn_num=089075 |title=Monthly rainfall - Glenthompson |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology |access-date=December 24, 2016 |archive-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120073224/http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/av?p_nccObsCode=139&p_display_type=dataFile&p_stn_num=089075 |url-status=live }}</ref> }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category-inline}}
{{Towns in Southern Grampians Shire}}
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Category:Towns in Victoria (state)