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Stawell (pronounced /stɔːl/, "Stawl"), is an Australian town in the Wimmera region of Victoria west-north-west of the state capital, Melbourne. Located within the Shire of Northern Grampians local government area it is a seat of local government for the shire and its main administrative centre. At the , Stawell had a population of .〔 It was founded in 1853 during the Victorian gold rush and is one of few towns in Victoria retaining an active gold mining industry. Stawell is famed for the Stawell Gift, a professional foot race. It is also known as the gateway to the Grampians National Park. It is named after Sir William Foster Stawell (1815–89), the Chief Justice of Victoria. ==History== William McLachlan discovered alluvial gold at Pleasant Creek in May 1853, but the yield was not in sufficient volumes to attract much interest, as the Ballarat and Bendigo fields were known to be giving better results, and had already established the infrastructure to support the miners. There was however sufficient numbers for the area to support the beginnings of a settlement. The town site was first settled during 1853 and was named Pleasant Creek. The mining population of the Stawell field remained relatively small (averaging 200 or less) until 1857 when a series of new alluvial gold discoveries were made.〔(Historic Gold Mining Sites in the South West Region Of Victoria. pg5 ) Department Of Natural Resources & Environment. 1999. (Retrieved 7 March 2014.)〕 In August 1857 more extensive prospecting and mining occurred at what became known as Commercial Street, Pleasant Creek.〔(150 Years of Gold Mining in Victoria ) Stawell Historical Society. (Retrieved 7 March 2014)〕 Two Post Offices were opened, Pleasant Creek on 19 October 1857 and Quartz Reef, Pleasant Creek on 1 June 1859. In 1858 diggers opened the Great Western goldfield, which was worked by some 9,000 prospecters.〔 The prospecting spread to nearby Deep Lead, about 6 kilometres to northwest, and it was reported that at the height of the rush there were over 25,000 people in the area. At the same time, shafts were being sunk around Big Hill, becoming known as the Quartz Reefs. Much alluvial gold was found in the area but the 'fossicking' petered out by 1859.〔 In 1861, the township was renamed to honour Sir William Foster Stawell (1815–89), the Chief Justice of Victoria resulting in the name of the Pleasant Creek post office becoming "Stawell". The town was created a borough in 1869.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Local history of Stawell )〕 In 1870 Stawell post office was renamed Stawell West, and Quartz Reef, Stawell post office was renamed to Stawell. Stawell Town Hall was constructed in 1872, under the guidance of Stawell Shire Engineer, John D'Alton. The former Free Library and Mechanics Institute building at 170 Main Street was constructed in 1874 to the design of Stawell architect, George Inskip. The building has served as the location of the Mechanics Institute, School of Design (later School of Mines) and the Borough Library. It is now the headquarters of Australian Regional Education. The town's water supply system was designed by John D'Alton in 1875, diverting water from Fyan's Creek by tunnels and pipelines, construction was completed in 1881.〔Commemorative plaque on Big Hill〕 By the mid-1920s the gold mining had effectively ceased as the yields were found to be no longer commercial viable.〔 A Pioneer's memorial was erected on Big Hill in 1938. The town hall underwent significant postwar remodelling, culminating in the addition of the landmark clock tower in 1939. The Quartz Gold Memorial and Dane Memorial seat were erected on Big Hill in 1953 out of local quartz stone. Stawell's historical association with gold-mining was revived when full-scale mining recommenced in 1981. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Stawell, Victoria」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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