Terang

File:TerangChurch.JPG

The semi-nomadic Kirrae Wuurong clans originally inhabited the area between Mount Emu Creek and the Hopkins River, and much of their language was recorded by a Scottish squatter, James Dawson.[http://www.ccmaindig.info/culture/Lng_Girai.html Girai Wurrung]

The first dwelling in the township area was built in 1840 by Donald McNicol, and consisted of a slab hut on the east bank of Lake Terang.R. A. McAlpine, p65, The Shire of Hampden 1863-1963, Morphet Press Print, 1982 The township was developed in the late 1850s, the post office opening on 1 March 1859.{{Citation| last = Phoenix Auctions History | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Terang* | access-date = 3 February 2021}}

The railway though the town was opened in 1887.{{Citation|date=March 1990 | title = Tracks Across the State | author = Sid Brown |magazine= Newsrail | publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)| pages =71–76 | postscript = .}} From 1890 it was extended as part of Victoria's south-western line. The Mortlake line once branched from the town, opened in 1893 and closed in 1978. The local railway station is served by V/Line passenger services on the Warrnambool line.

The Terang Magistrates' Court closed on 1 January 1983.{{cite web | url=https://www.audit.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/19860901-Special-Report-4-Court-Closures-in-Victoria.pdf | title=Special Report No. 4 - Court Closures in Victoria | publisher=Auditor-General of Victoria | date=1986 |pages=79 | accessdate=12 April 2020}}

Avenues of trees were planted in the 19th century and several of these are now under the protection of the National Trust.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}} A Heritage Trail walk points out the historic trees and many of the historic buildings and sights of the town.

File:TerangMainStreetPark.JPG

Features to see are the historic post office with its clock tower (1903–4), the war memorial, the rose gardens with the band rotunda, and the town's first church (Bible Christian Church c.1863). The Thomson Memorial church is also a significant local structure.

Lake Terang was a lake that on its shores the town was built. To the south of the town centre is a large peat bed unique to the region. In 1933, while dry, the peat bed began burning but became a shallow lake by the 1940s. The lake was drained in the 1960s[http://www.corangamite.vic.gov.au/index.php/council-services/environmental-management/environmental-places-of-interest#TerangPark the former Lake Terang that was drained for public health reasons in the early 1960s] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307205106/http://www.corangamite.vic.gov.au/index.php/council-services/environmental-management/environmental-places-of-interest#TerangPark |date=7 March 2017 }}, Terang Park, Environmental Places of Interest - Corangamite Shire Council and the dried out lake floor is now used as a recreation area, for agriculture and as part of the Terang Golf Course.[http://www.smh.com.au/news/victoria/terang/2005/02/17/1108500207466.html Terang - Victoria - Australia - Travel], smh.com.au, ...Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet...spent much time studying the life in and around Lake Terang (now drained)...[http://www.standard.net.au/story/3240867/water-returns-to-lake-terang/ Water returns to Lake Terang under revitalisation project], By Kate Zwagerman, 28 Jul 2015, The Standard

Lake Keilambete is a maar lake 4 km north of the town. The lake is a circular body 1.8 km in diameter and an average depth of 11 m. The salinity is twice that of seawater.{{Cite web|url=https://austhrutime.com/lake_keilambete.htm|title = Lake Keilambete}}

The town has an Australian Rules football team, Terang-Mortlake, playing in the Hampden Football League.{{Citation|last=Full Points Footy |title=Terang-Mortlake |url=http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Terang_Mortlake.htm |accessdate=2008-07-25 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430063946/http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/terang_mortlake.htm |archivedate=30 April 2008 }}

Terang has a horse racing club, the Terang & District Racing Club, which schedules around eight race meetings a year including the Terang Cup meeting in October.{{Citation| last = Country Racing Victoria | title = Terang & District Racing Club | url = http://www.countryracing.com.au/clubs/terang | accessdate = 2009-09-30}}

Terang Harness Racing Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the town.{{Citation | last = Australian Harness Racing | title = Terang | url = http://www.harness.org.au/terang/terang.cfm?fromstate=vic | accessdate = 2009-05-11}}

Golfers play on the 18-hole golf course at the Terang Golf Club on High Street at the western entrance to the town.{{Citation | author= Golf Select | title = Terang | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=1107 | accessdate = 2009-05-11}}

Terang College is a school, established in 1848 as Terang Primary School. It educates more than 400 students from Prep to Year 12. It has two campuses: one on the western (Warrnambool) side of the town; the other on Strong Street near Cobden Road. The western campus houses years Prep to Grade 4 while the Cobden Road Campus has Years 5 - 12.

Terang has a moderate oceanic climate (Cfb) with warm summers, albeit with cool nights, and chilly damp winters.

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = Y

|location = Terang

|Jan record high C = 41.2

|Feb record high C = 40.6

|Mar record high C = 38.9

|Apr record high C = 32.8

|May record high C = 25.6

|Jun record high C = 19.4

|Jul record high C = 20.5

|Aug record high C = 22.2

|Sep record high C = 25.6

|Oct record high C = 29.4

|Nov record high C = 36.7

|Dec record high C = 37.8

| year record high C = 41.2

|Jan record low C = 4.6

|Feb record low C = 5.0

|Mar record low C = 2.2

|Apr record low C = 1.7

|May record low C = 0.0

|Jun record low C = -2.2

|Jul record low C = -2.4

|Aug record low C = -1.7

|Sep record low C = 0.0

|Oct record low C = -1.1

|Nov record low C = 2.2

|Dec record low C = 3.6

| year record low C = -2.4

|Jan high C = 25.0

|Feb high C = 25.3

|Mar high C = 22.9

|Apr high C = 18.7

|May high C = 15.4

|Jun high C = 12.8

|Jul high C = 12.3

|Aug high C = 13.3

|Sep high C = 15.5

|Oct high C = 17.7

|Nov high C = 20.0

|Dec high C = 22.8

| year high C = 18.5

|Jan low C = 10.8

|Feb low C = 11.6

|Mar low C = 10.4

|Apr low C = 8.4

|May low C = 6.7

|Jun low C = 4.6

|Jul low C = 4.1

|Aug low C = 4.7

|Sep low C = 5.8

|Oct low C = 7.0

|Nov low C = 8.2

|Dec low C = 9.6

| year low C = 7.7

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 39.9

|Feb rain mm = 37.0

|Mar rain mm = 47.8

|Apr rain mm = 63.3

|May rain mm = 74.4

|Jun rain mm = 77.9

|Jul rain mm = 83.1

|Aug rain mm = 91.9

|Sep rain mm = 80.2

|Oct rain mm = 71.5

|Nov rain mm = 60.7

|Dec rain mm = 49.9

|year rain mm = 777.3

|unit rain days = 1.0 mm

| Jan rain days = 5.3

| Feb rain days = 4.7

| Mar rain days = 6.3

| Apr rain days = 8.7

| May rain days = 11.2

| Jun rain days = 11.8

| Jul rain days = 13.5

| Aug rain days = 14.0

| Sep rain days = 12.4

| Oct rain days = 10.9

| Nov rain days = 8.5

| Dec rain days = 7.3

| year rain days = 114.6

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

| url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_090077_All.shtml

| title = Climate statistics for Australian locations- TERANG

| date = 8 July 2024}}

}}

• John Robertson Duigan MC, the pioneer aviator who built and flew the first Australian-made aircraft, was born in Terang in 1882.
• Tom Skeyhill, Gallipoli campaign veteran and biographer of Sergeant Alvin York WW1 Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Terang in 1895.
• The Australian immunologist and Nobel laureate Frank Macfarlane Burnet grew up in Terang, whilst his father was a bank manager.
• Author, business advisor and media commentator Bernard Salt was born in Terang and attended Terang High School.
• AFL footballer and Essendon premiership player Chris Heffernan.
• Footscray footballer Dick Wearmouth.
• Collingwood footballer and four-time grand finalist Ronnie Wearmouth.
• Melbourne footballer Jordie McKenzie.
• The Standardbred racehorse Gammalite, who was the first Standardbred to win A$1 million in Australia.
• Ten Eyewitness News news presenter Candice Wyatt.
• James MacKinnon, cricketer.
• Adam Harvey, country music singer.
• Con Chrisoulis, academic and graphic novel biographer of David Bowie and the Smiths, was born in Terang.

• Lake Terang
• Terang railway station

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• [https://www.corangamite.vic.gov.au/Council/About-Corangamite-Shire/Towns/Terang Terang - Corangamite Shire]

{{Towns in Corangamite Shire}}

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Category:Towns in Victoria (state)

Category:Shire of Corangamite

Category:Western District (Victoria)