Meredith, Victoria

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Meredith | state = vic | image = MeredithMidlandHighway.JPG | caption = Main street | lga = Golden Plains Shire | lga2 = Shire of Moorabool | postcode = 3333 | pop = 821 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name="ABS"/> | use_lga_map = yes | coordinates = {{coord|37|50|0|S|144|04|0|E|display=inline,title}} | stategov = [[Electoral district of Eureka|Eureka]] | fedgov = [[Division of Ballarat|Ballarat]] | dist1 = 94 | dir1 = W | location1 = [[Melbourne]] | dist2 = 45 | dir2 = NW | location2 = [[Geelong]] | dist3 = 42 | dir3 = SE | location3 = [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]] | near-nw = [[Cargerie, Victoria|Cargerie]] | near-n = [[Elaine, Victoria|Elaine]]<br />[[Morrisons, Victoria|Morrisons]] | near-ne = [[Durdidwarrah, Victoria|Durdidwarrah]] | near-w = [[Mount Mercer, Victoria|Mount Mercer]] | near-e = [[Steiglitz, Victoria|Steiglitz]]<br />[[She Oaks, Victoria|She Oaks]] | near-sw = [[Shelford, Victoria|Shelford]] | near-s = [[Bamganie, Victoria|Bamganie]] | near-se = [[Lethbridge, Victoria|Lethbridge]] }}

'''Meredith''' is a town in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Australia, located on the [[Midland Highway (Victoria)|Midland Highway]] between [[Ballarat]] and [[Geelong]], in the local government area of the [[Golden Plains Shire]]. At the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Meredith had a population of 821, an increase from the 788 at the {{CensusAU|2016}}<ref name="ABS">{{Census 2016 AUS | id = SSC21645 | name = Meredith (State Suburb) | quick = on | accessdate = 9 July 2017}}</ref>

== History == The town was surveyed in 1851–52. The town is believed to be named in honour of Captain Charles Meredith.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/meredith-and-meredith-shire|title=Meredith and Meredith Shire {{!}} Victorian Places|website=www.victorianplaces.com.au|access-date=2018-12-25}}</ref>

Meredith Post Office opened on 1 November 1854<ref name="a">{{Citation | last = Phoenix Auctions History | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Meredith* | accessdate = 25 February 2021 }}</ref> and the railway came to the town with the opening of the [[Geelong–Ballarat railway line|Geelong-Ballarat line]] in 1862,<ref name="rg">{{cite web|url=http://www.railgeelong.com/lineguide/geelong|title=Rail Geelong – Geelong Line Guide|publisher=www.railgeelong.com|accessdate=2008-04-23}}</ref> with the [[Meredith railway station, Victoria|local railway station]] opened soon after. Now only grain and freight trains use the line.

[[Darra, Meredith|Darra]], a house and stone cottage at 490 Slate Quarry Road, is listed on the [[Victorian Heritage Register]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/834 | title=Darra (H0268) | publisher=[[Heritage Victoria]] | work=[[Victorian Heritage Register]] | accessdate=7 July 2014}}</ref>

The [[Church of the Epiphany, Meredith|Anglican Church of the Epiphany]] is another heritage-listed building located in the town.

==Governance==

The Meredith Road District (an early form of local government in Victoria) was established on 30 June 1863, and was redesignated as a shire on 28 April 1871. It absorbed Steiglitz Borough in 1881, and in turn was absorbed by Bannockburn Shire on 15 September 1915.

On 18 May 1993 part of Bannockburn Shire (including Meredith) was amalgamated with part of Barrabool Shire, and with Bellarine Rural City, Corio Shire, Geelong City, Geelong West City, Newtown City & South Barwon City, to form the local government area of Greater Geelong City.

== Present day == Meredith has been host to the [[Meredith Music Festival]] since 1991,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.standard.net.au/story/796993/meredith-music-festival/ | title=Meredith Music Festival | work=The Standard | date=30 November 2011 | accessdate=7 July 2014 | author=Neal, Matt}}</ref> and is also the closest locale to the [[Golden Plains Festival]].

Golfers play at the course of the Meredith Golf Club on the Midland Highway.<ref name = "golf">{{Citation | author= Golf Select | title = Meredith | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=1028 | accessdate = 2009-05-11 }}</ref>

Established in 1911, the Meredith Rural Fire Brigade (MRFB) has served to protect Meredith and surrounding areas from fires and other emergencies for over 100 years. The brigade consists entirely of volunteers. The MRFB's newest appliance is a 3.4C Heavy Tanker, which was bought through fundraising by [[Country Fire Authority|CFA]] members and the [[Victoria State Government|Victorian Government]].

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{Commons category-inline}}

[[Category:Towns in Victoria (state)]] [[Category:1854 establishments in Australia]]