Terang
is situated on the Princess
Highway, 141 km west of Geelong and 45 km north-east of Warrnambool in
the centre of a rich dairying district. Smaller centres around it such
as Kolora, Noorat,
GlenormistonDixie
and Ecklin have used Terang as a service town for many years. Local aboriginal
tribes were the first to discover the natural wealth through out the district
. They set up camps beside lake Terang which was home to an abundance of
fish, bird and animal life, thus providing them with food and water.
The first slab hut was erected in 1840 on the eastern bank of the lake
by Donald McNicol an employee of Neil Black of Glenormiston. After being
surveyed in 1858 land sales took place, homes and businesses were then
built, Horse and coach services operated by Sumper and Co as well as Cobb
and Co, provided daily transport to Geelong in the 1870’s. The journey
would take as long as 13 hours.
The
Railway line from Melbourne reached
Terang in 1887 and the construction of the link to Warrnambool was completed
two years later. Terang was the first town
in the Commonwealth to provide it's own Post Office tower and clock through
Public subscription in 1904. In 1907 a group of local families bought the
original grocery and produce business and formed the Terang & District
CO - Operative Society. This unique business is still operating from it's
prominent site opposite the Terang Post Office.
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© The Gateway BBS Camperdown Authors:Anton Art & John Hamilton.