Boort

The traditional owners of Boort are the Djadjawurrung. Boort is a Djadjawurrung word meaning "Smoke from the hill". The area is home to many scar trees which are of cultural significance.{{Cite web |title=Boort Scar Trees {{!}} Boort |url=https://boort.com.au/scar-trees/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=boort.com.au}} It is estimated that there are over five-hundred scar trees in the area.

The township of Boort takes its name from the Boort pastoral run, established in 1846 by John Bear.{{Cite web |title=Boort {{!}} Victorian Places |url=https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/boort |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=www.victorianplaces.com.au}} Initially located southeast of Lake Boort, the Boort homestead marked the area's early European settlement, while the township itself emerged northwest of the lake. In the late 1840s, Frederick Godfrey acquired the pastoral run and diverted water from the Loddon River into Keningapanule Creek, which eventually formed the swampy depression known today as Lake Boort. By the 1870s, farm selections were steadily established in the Boort district, and water infrastructure followed with the creation of the Loddon Waterworks Trust in 1882, later succeeded by a local irrigation trust in 1888. Boort railway station opened in 1883, linking it to Wedderburn Junction and eventually Quambatook.{{Cite web |title=Boort |url=https://www.stationspast.net/victoria/north-west-of-bendigo/boort/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |language=en-AU}}

In 1905, the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission absorbed Boort's irrigation trust and extended the Waranga Eastern Channel to the district in the 1920s, spurring population growth through improved water access and a shift toward urban living. Key developments included a new hospital in 1923, its upgrade to a District Hospital in 1961 and a high school in 1963. Agricultural land west of Boort faced salinity issues from rising water tables, but laser profiling of paddocks has improved drainage and reduced water retention, helping sustain the region’s productivity.

At the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Boort had a population of 873. 83.8% of people were born in Australia and 87.9% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 26.9%, Uniting Church 15.0% and Catholic 12.5%.{{Census 2016 AUS |id=SSC20298|name=Boort (State Suburb) |accessdate=13 July 2018|quick=on}}

Boort is known as The Northern Oasis. Lake Boort is central to the town and is used for water sports including skiing, sailing, duck hunting, fishing and swimming.

Boort has an Australian rules football team, Boort Football, Hockey, Netball Club competes in the North Central Football League. Notable players from Boort are VFL Brownlow Medallist John Schultz. The team previously recruited ex-AFL player Lance Picioane. The club colours are black and white.

Golfers play at the Boort Golf Club on Charlton Road.{{Citation | author= Golf Select | title = Boort | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=935 | accessdate = 2009-05-11 }}

The Post Office opened on 14 August 1874,{{Citation| last = Phoenix Auctions History| title = Post Office List| url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Boort* | access-date = 19 February 2021 }} and the railway arrived in 1883.

Boort has a hospital, pharmacy, P-12 school, butcher shop, newsagent, hairdresser, supermarket, hardware store, tyre service, mechanic, veterinary service and community centre.

• Prof. Ruth Fincher AM, prominent Australian geographer and university leader, born in Boort 1951.

Boort was the home of John Piccoli (died 22 April 2021), dubbed "The Spanner Man", a farmer who in his spare time created sculptures entirely from discarded spanners.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-26/local-for-local/100095924 |author=Jim Wenman |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|title='Spanner Man' leaves a legacy |access-date=12 February 2023}} Inspired by his work, Boort hosts an annual competition for artists in metal sculpture, resulting in a trail of works around Little Lake Boort.{{cite web|url=https://www.bendigoregion.com.au/visit-loddon-valley/boort-sculpture-by-the-lake-trail |title=Boort Sculpture by the Lake Trail |publisher=The Loddon Visitor Information Centre |access-date=12 February 2023}}

File:Rusty the Redfin by Moz Moresi.jpg|Rusty the Redfin

File:Shag on a Rock by Maz Moresi.jpg|Shag on a Rock

File:Spanner seat by John Piccoli.jpg|Spanner seat

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = Y

|location = Boort, elevation {{convert|103|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|Jan record high C = 45.0

|Feb record high C = 43.0

|Mar record high C = 39.5

|Apr record high C = 33.2

|May record high C = 28.6

|Jun record high C = 21.2

|Jul record high C = 24.2

|Aug record high C = 27.2

|Sep record high C = 33.1

|Oct record high C = 36.5

|Nov record high C = 41.6

|Dec record high C = 42.0

| year record high C = 45.0

|Jan record low C = 6.0

|Feb record low C = 7.0

|Mar record low C = 4.2

|Apr record low C = 0.9

|May record low C = -0.5

|Jun record low C = -3.5

|Jul record low C = -3.1

|Aug record low C = -1.0

|Sep record low C = -0.6

|Oct record low C = -1.0

|Nov record low C = 2.7

|Dec record low C = 5.5

| year record low C = -3.5

|Jan high C = 31.3

|Feb high C = 31.0

|Mar high C = 27.6

|Apr high C = 22.4

|May high C = 17.9

|Jun high C = 14.4

|Jul high C = 13.9

|Aug high C = 15.7

|Sep high C = 18.6

|Oct high C = 22.3

|Nov high C = 26.3

|Dec high C = 29.5

| year high C = 22.6

|Jan low C = 14.8

|Feb low C = 15.3

|Mar low C = 13.0

|Apr low C = 9.5

|May low C = 6.8

|Jun low C = 4.4

|Jul low C = 3.7

|Aug low C = 4.6

|Sep low C = 6.2

|Oct low C = 8.3

|Nov low C = 10.8

|Dec low C = 13.2

| year low C = 9.2

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 25.4

|Feb rain mm = 26.0

|Mar rain mm = 25.8

|Apr rain mm = 28.0

|May rain mm = 37.9

|Jun rain mm = 38.6

|Jul rain mm = 37.9

|Aug rain mm = 41.2

|Sep rain mm = 38.1

|Oct rain mm = 39.6

|Nov rain mm = 33.5

|Dec rain mm = 27.3

|year rain mm = 399.8

|unit rain days = 1.0 mm

| Jan rain days = 2.5

| Feb rain days = 2.3

| Mar rain days = 2.7

| Apr rain days = 3.4

| May rain days = 5.1

| Jun rain days = 6.1

| Jul rain days = 6.7

| Aug rain days = 7.0

| Sep rain days = 5.5

| Oct rain days = 5.2

| Nov rain days = 3.6

| Dec rain days = 3.0

| year rain days = 53.1

|source 1 = Australian Bureau of Meteorology{{cite web

| url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_080002_All.shtml

| title = Climate statistics for Australian locations- BOORT

| date = 8 July 2024}}

}}

• Boort railway station
• Boort Secondary College
• Richmond L'Ami
• Robinvale railway line

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• [http://www.smh.com.au/news/Victoria/Boort/2005/02/17/1108500206265.html SMH Travel: Boort]

{{Towns in Loddon Shire}}

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Category:Towns in Victoria (state)

Category:Shire of Loddon