{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Malmsbury | state = vic | image = MalmsburyCalderHighway.JPG | caption = The Calder Highway at Malmsbury | use_lga_map = yes | lga = Shire of Macedon Ranges | postcode = 3446 | pop = 1101 | pop_year = 2021 | pop_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 3446, VIC, Census All persons QuickStats {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/POA3446 |access-date=2022-10-28 |website=www.abs.gov.au}}</ref> | est = | elevation= 462 | coordinates = {{coord|37|11|20|S|144|23|6|E|display=inline,title}} | maxtemp = | mintemp = | rainfall = | stategov = Macedon | fedgov = Bendigo | dist1 = 95 | location1= Melbourne | dist2 = 54 | location2=Bendigo | dist3 = 11 | location3=Kyneton | near-nw = Taradale | near-n = Elphinstone | near-ne = Metcalfe | near-w = Drummond North | near-e = Kyneton | near-sw = Drummond | near-s = Lauriston | near-se = Kyneton }}
[[File:MalmsburyMansions.JPG|250px|thumb|''The Mansions'', a bluestone building in Malmsbury.]]
'''Malmsbury''' is a town in central Victoria, Australia on the Old Calder Highway (C794), 95 km north-west of the state capital, Melbourne and 11 km north-west of Kyneton. Situated close by the Coliban River, Malmsbury has a population of 1,101.<ref name="ABS">{{Cite web |title=2021 3446, VIC, Census All persons QuickStats {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/POA3446 |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=www.abs.gov.au}}</ref> Malmsbury is in the north western area of the Shire of Macedon Ranges local government area.
==History==
The original inhabitants of the local area were the Dja Dja Wurrung people. European settlement began with squatters raising sheep and cattle. Gold was discovered in 1858 and the town became a service centre for diggers travelling to Bendigo and Castlemaine. Malmesbury {{sic}} Post Office opened on 9 November 1854, closed within two months, reopened in 1856, and was renamed Malmsbury around 1896,<ref name = "a">{{Cite web | last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&country= | access-date = 2008-04-11 }}</ref> although the name Malmesbury remains in occasional use.<ref>{{cite book | last = Priestly | first = Susan | title = The Victorians: vol. III, Making Their Mark | publisher = Fairfax, Syme & Weldon Associates | year = 1984 | location = McMahons Point, NSW | pages = 55, 75, 102| isbn = 0-949288-03-9}}</ref>
Malmsbury Reservoir began construction in 1866 and was completed in 1877. The dam wall at Malmsbury was enlarged in 1888 and the addition of steel flood gates in 1939 increased storage further. Deterioration has forced the flood gates to remain open which has reduced the capacity of the reservoir to pre-1939 levels.
The last of Victoria's early pioneers, James Thornton who came with John Batman to Melbourne in 1836 operated public houses for thirty years until the early 1890s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198263179?searchTerm=james%20thornton%20victoria | title=The Oldest Pioneer of Victoria—Mr J. Thornton, of Malmsbury | newspaper=Mount Alexander Mail | date=4 February 1890 }}</ref>
Edward Davy, who invented the electric relay, making long-distance telegraphy possible, was mayor of Malmsbury three times in the mid-nineteenth century.<ref name=Serle>{{Dictionary of Australian Biography | Last = Edward | First = Davy | shortlink=0-dict-biogD.html#davy1 | access-date = 17 March 2019}}</ref>
;Malmsbury Football Club The Malmsbury Football Club was established in 1874<ref>{{cite web |title=1874 - Malmsbury Borough Council |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240918121 |publisher=MALMSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL |access-date=4 September 2025 |page=2 |date=5 September 1894}}</ref> and they won the Kyneton District Football Association premiership in 1894,<ref>{{cite web |title=1894 - Football |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/227717918 |publisher=Sportsman (Melbourne, Vic. : 1882 - 1904) |access-date=31 August 2025 |page=6 |date=2 October 1894}}</ref>1905<ref>{{cite web |title=1905 - Junior Results |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222769442 |publisher=Weekly Times |location=Melbourne, Victoria |access-date=30 August 2025 |page=15 |date=19 August 1905}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1905 - Football |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9885713 |publisher=The Argus |location=Melbourne, Victoria |access-date=30 August 2025 |page=3 |date=28 August 1905}}</ref> and in 1920.<ref>{{cite web |title=1920 - Football: Country Matches |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4578298 |publisher=The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) |access-date=9 September 2025 |page=4 |date=12 October 1920}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1920 - Substantial Football Trophy |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/270522191 |publisher=The Woodend Star (Vic. : 1888 - 1942) |access-date=9 September 2025 |page=2 |date=8 May 1920}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1920 - Football |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/270522589 |publisher=The Woodend Star (Vic. : 1888 - 1942) |access-date=9 September 2025 |page=3 |date=17 July 1920}}</ref> Malmsbury FC played in Midland Football League in 1931 and 1932. Malmsbury FC were runners up in 1934 and later won the 1952 Castlemaine District Football Association premiership.<ref>{{cite web |title=Football: Grand Final |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/271325716 |publisher=Woodend Star and Macedon Advocate (Vic. : 1942 - 1955) |access-date=24 August 2025 |page=2 |date=29 August 1952}}</ref> Malmsbury joined the Daylesford Football League in 1953 and played Korweinguboora in a tied grand final<ref>{{cite web |title=1953 - FOOTBALL THRILLS AT DAYLESFORD |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/262664338 |publisher=The Express, Bacchus Marsh (Vic. : 1943 - 1954) |access-date=4 September 2025 |page=1 |date=19 September 1953}}</ref> and won the grand final replay in 1953 and won another flag in 1954.
==The Town Today==
The Malmsbury area is known for its deposits of bluestone, used in the construction of notable buildings both locally and throughout the state. The town also houses the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre, a custodial centre for young adult males aged 18–21 deemed too vulnerable for adult prison. On 25 January 2017, there was a riot at the Youth Justice Centre which involved 30 inmates, 15 of these inmates escaped the premises. 8 of these escapees were arrested shortly after however, the other 7 fled the area in stolen cars. Witnesses reported vehicles travelling at high speed through the Castlemaine area and footage was recorded of offenders stealing petrol from a service station.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-25/escape-from-malmsbury-youth-detention/8212278 |title=Mass escape after riot at youth correction facility in Malmsbury |date=25 January 2017 |website=www.abc.net.au}}</ref>
Malmsbury has a railway station on the Melbourne to Bendigo railway line. The Malmsbury Viaduct is a large masonry arch rail bridge constructed over the Coliban River in 1859 and is classified "A" by the National Trust. The town's school uses the viaduct as its emblem. A stretch of the Calder Freeway (M79) bypassing Malmsbury was officially opened on 12 April 2008, and the removal of heavy through traffic was celebrated eight days later by the holding of a "Monster Street Party" in the town.
Since the Calder Freeway bypass construction, Malmsbury has gained a reputation as a getaway destination for tourists across the country. During this period several restaurants have opened up in the town.
In December 2019, Malmsbury had its pharmacy opened to serve the local community in Malmsbury and its surroundings.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.yellowpages.com.au/vic/malmsbury/malmsbury-pharmacy-1000002317937-listing.html | title=MALMSBURY PHARMACY - Chemist 81 Mollison St, Malmsbury VIC 3446 | Yellow Pages® }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category-inline}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060917095004/http://www.macedon-ranges.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.asp?Page_Id=245&h=1 Macedon Ranges Shire Council] - Official site *[http://www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/Daylesford-and-the-Macedon-Ranges/Destinations/Malmsbury.aspx Visit Victoria: Malmsbury] - Official Government tourism site. *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071001015800/http://www.ga.gov.au/bin/gazd01?rec=248124 Geoscience Australia place names search: Malmsbury] *[https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224928050/24199051/ 1950 - Malmsbury Sports Day photos]
{{Towns in Macedon Ranges Shire}} {{Towns in Hepburn Shire}}
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Category:Towns in Victoria (state) Category:Shire of Macedon Ranges Category:Mining towns in Victoria (state)