Lancefield is a town in the Shire of Macedon Ranges local government area in Victoria, Australia 69 kilometres (43 mi) north of the state capital, Melbourne and had a population of 2, 357 at the 2011 census.
Lancefieldis a town in the Shire of Macedon Ranges local government area in Victoria, Australia 69 kilometres (43 mi) north of the state capital, Melbourne and had a population of 2,357 at the 2011 census.
History
The area was used by the indigenous aboriginal people as a quarry site for the manufacture of stone axes and was first settled by European squatters in 1837. The main source of these stone tools was at Mount William, to the north east of Lancefield.
A Lancefield Post Office opened on 16 January 1858 in the Romsey/Five Mile Creek area, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to the south. In 1860 this was renamed Five Mile Creek when Lancefield Post Office opened in the present township.Lancefield's elevation and climate made it a popular summer resort in the 1880s.In recent years, many local wineries have been established in the area.
The town has a connection to the Kelly Gang; for it was here that Constable Fitzpatrick, the instigator of the Kelly Outbreak in 1878 was finally found by the Victorian police to be no good and for his actions was finally discharged from the force.Lancefield district had a reputation for some of the best fertile soils in Victoria. Prior to being cut up into small blocks during the early 1970s the region produced high yields per acre of potatoes, fat lambs, fat cattle, wheat and other cereal crops.
A large fossil deposit from the Pleistocene epoch was discovered at Lancefield Swamp, containing the remains of many species of extinct megafauna, including ; Macropus titan, a giant kangaroo; Diprotodon, a rhinoceros-sized wombat; and Genyornis, a giant flightless bird.
The local Australian rules football team, Lancefield Football Club competes in the Riddell District Football League.
Golfers play at the course of the Lancefield Golf Club on Heddle Road.
Weather
Things to do
