Located in the shadows of Mount Disappointment, 40 minutes North of Melbourne, Kilmore is Victoria's oldest inland town, a beautiful country town set among rolling green paddocks and wooded hills.

The first travellers to venture into the Kilmore district were the Wurrenjerri, a section of the Woiworung Aboriginal tribe who have traditional and hereditary rights to the area. Aboriginal heritage is strongly linked with the Kilmore district and it is known that Aboriginals from all areas came to Kilmore to use rock from Mount William. Rock from this site was able to be sharpened and made particularly good axe heads. Axe heads from Mount William have been found in areas around Echuca, Goulbourn, Geelong and Mansfield.

The first European explorers in the area were Hume and Hovell who passed through Kilmore in 1824 on their epic journey that pioneered the route between Sydney and Melbourne. Hume and Hovell battled the thick woods of Mount Disappointment hoping to catch a glimpse of the sea, because they could not the mountain has been known as Mount Disappointment since.

Following Hume and Hovell the overlanders came to the district. During the 1830s the overlanders pitched their tents beside the Kilmore Creek and set to pasturing their stock on the rich grazing county.

In 1841 when the what is now Victoria was still apart of New South Wales, William Rutledge, paying one pound per acre, purchased from the New South Wales government 5120 acres of land. The South East corner of Rutledge's Special Survey included much of what is today knows as the town of Kilmore.

Kilmore comes from the Gaelic word meaning 'great church', the town was named by Rutledge who had family links with Kilmore in County Cavan Ireland. Kilmore was surveyed and subdivided in 1841.

In the wake of the overlanders came the true pioneers of the district men and women who settled and farmed the land providing the meat and grain to meet the demands of the city growing in the south. By 1844 the township had its own blacksmith, shoe maker, a boarding house and at least one legal pub.

However Kilmore was destined to be more than a farming area and during the 1850s, Kilmore like so many of Victoria's regional townships was transformed by the discovery of gold. As Melbourne emptied with the majority of city dwellers travelling north in search of their fortunes all passed through the Kilmore Shire and as a result of its location on the fringe of the gold diggings the shire was to reap great benefits.

Kilmore became a convenient layover point for weary travellers and developed into a supply centre for the diggings. The increased in population and trade saw Kilmore emerge as the natural site for public administration and as the town prospered facilities including a court house, a gaol and police barracks were built.

Today Kilmore offers visitors all the advantages of a rural town in terms of clean air and open spaces but also all the modern conveniences. There are a number of attractions to visit in the district including historical attractions, museums, markets and a range of sporting and recreational options.

Historical Attractions
Kilmore boasts a range of magnificent heritage buildings and historical attractions including the Old Mill. Originally the Albion Mill, the mill was built in 1856 and operated as a flour mill until 1894. It is now a private residence having undergone extensive renovations.

Assumption College is another of the town's historical attractions. The central part of the College was completed in 1890 and was originally a boarding and day school for girls run by the Sisters of Mercy. In 1914 the Sisters exchanged sites with the Marist Brothers' School in White Street and the building became known as the Assumption College. A part of the original Marist School is still standing and visitors are also able to view the old St Joseph's Convent building.

Other historical attractions include the town Post Office, the old Kilmore Hospital a superb blue stone building which dates back to the 1960s, and a 20 metre high monument to Hume and Hovell. The monument was once a lookout tower in the old Kilmore Gaol, but in 1924 the tower was dismantled carried up the hill and rebuilt as a monument to the great explorers.

Kilmore's Uniting Church built in the late 1850s and Bindley House are other notable heritage buildings. Bindley House was originally built in 1862 for one of Kilmore's prominent citizens, Dr Frank Bindley. The home which is built in classical colonial villa style was later occupied by Thomas Dudley.

Other historic homes in the district include the beautiful Victorian era Whitburgh Cottage. Whitburgh was built in 1857 by a Scottish blacksmith, William Smeaton who had set out from Melbourne for the goldfields. The Smeaton family continued to occupy the cottage for 113 years until it was acquired by Kilmore Council in 1968. Many items in the cottage are the original Smeaton furnishings while other items have been donated by the families of some of Kilmore's other pioneers.

The old Police Barracks which were used by Kilmore's mounted police date back to 1890s. Designed and built by the Public Works Department the building is made from red brick and is one of the town's major reference points. The building is easy to locate as its awkward style easily distinguishes it from other buildings within the town.

Next to the old Barracks is one of Kilmore's most impressive heritage buildings, the old Court House. Built in 1864 this stylish building complete with holding cells, operated as a district court until 1989. The Court House now serves as the district Tourist Information Centre and there is also a small museum within the centre.

Designed in a similar grand style to the Court House is the 1894 built Old Town Hall. The Town Hall building has an imposing interior with magnificent council chambers and anterooms all with original fittings and furnishings. The Town Hall is a splendid heritage attraction.

Kilmore like all gold towns once had a plethora of hotels, today only three remain and the rogue bushranger Ned Kelly is said to have taken a drink in all. The Red Lion, the Royal Oak and Mac's are all wonderful pubs well worth visit for their architectural and historical value and the atmosphere.

Just outside the town the old Kilmore Gaol with its grim bluestone walls is another interesting site for visitors. Built in 1857, the gaol once held various members of the Kelly clan, the notorious bushranger gang led by the infamous Ned Kelly. The Gaol closed in 1892 when the building was then used as a butter factory.

Natural Attractions

Kilmore has a number of gardens to visit as well as a Leisure Centre were visitors can swim and enjoy a number of facilities including spa and sauna. Apex Park is home of one of Kilmore's fun attractions a miniature Railway while Hudson Park is a popular picnic spot for locals and visitors. Hudson Park has a playground, picnic and BBQ facilities and on Sundays the Tramway Museum operates vintage tram rides.

Kilmore is also famous for its horses. Within the district visitors can enjoy superb horseriding through spectacular countryside as well as see a number of great racing events at the Kilmore racecourse.

Events

One Sunday every month Kilmore hosts a Craft market which attracts a large number of stall holders offering and interesting array of goods

5 of a possible 5 points from 1 votes