Macedon Township
(image resolution has been reduced to save your load time)
Macedon
"A typical Road" within the township
With a population of approx. 1250,
Macedon is nestled at the foot of Mt Macedon.
Occasional light snow in winter,
Black ice and severe frosts,
with mostly milder and cooler summers than Melbourne
creates an "English" feel to the township.
Blackforest Drive - notable for black ice on the road
Bridges are heated and road sensors automatically turn the warning lights on to alert motorists when black ice might be present.
ASH WEDNESDAY FIRES
Macedon, along with Mt Macedon and other parts of Victoria were devastated by the Ash Wednesday Fires, 1983.
On the 16 th Feb 1983 approx 180 fires broke out in the State. Fires burnt out 159,000 hectares in South Australia also.
Approx 200,000 hectares of land was burnt out in Victoria.
The fires claimed 75 lives, 7 of these in Macedon/Mt Macedon.
2,000 homes were destroyed in Victoria and several hundred in South Australia with the fires destroying 728 homes in the Macedon area.
Approx 300 people huddled in the small country pub at Macedon (which has excellent meals, reasonably priced) to escape the fires whilst fire fighters continually showered water over the building to keep residents safe.
It wasn't long before donations started flooding in from all over Australia to provide for the countless families who had lost everything they owned. Donations included tents, caravans, campers and mobile homes.
Much has been learnt from the Ash Wednesday Fires and Public Education is a top priority in the prevention of fires
and the bush grows back
Macedon, a pretty town, colorful in Autumn with the back drop of the Macedon Ranges
The township consists of
A small supermarket, including bottle shop
Pizza Shop which makes excellent fire kilned pizzas (cooked in a real fire oven)
Bakery
Post Office
Newsagency
Hairdresser
Lavender Place Boutique
Photo Copying Office
Primary School
Child Care Centre
Nursery's
Hotel
Motel
Caravan Park
Fire Brigade and Emergency Management Australia Unit
The building is a nursery, one of the oldest in Victoria, with pine plantation behind
The area is home to koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, echidnas, gliders and possums, along with approx 150 species of birds.
As I took this pic, I was listening to a huge flock of cockatoos singing and squawking
Oh how I luv the bush... just cant get enough of it
Macedon Ranges and Spa Country Index
* Home * Links * Australia * Dedication * Waltzing Matilda *
* Map of Austalia * Aussie slang * Wild animals *
* Aust. National Anthem * Weather and Natural Phenomena *
* Snow * Autumn Leaves * Acknowledgements *