Woods Point is a small town in Victoria, Australia and is located on the banks of the Goulburn River.
Woods Point is a small town in Victoria, Australia and is located on the banks of the Goulburn River. At the 2016 census, Woods Point and the surrounding area had a population of 37, down from 94 in 2006.
History
The town began as a general store built by Henry Wood, to service the gold diggings around the recently discovered Morning Star Reef. Wood's Point Post Office opened on 1 December 1862. By 1864, only three years after the discovery of the gold reef, the area had become a thriving town with 36 hotels. The town was subdivided into numerous suburbs, such as Waverly, Piccadilly, Killarney, Richmond, and Morning Star Hill. Communication was established via a telegraph line to Jamieson, and two local papers were in circulation.
From the 1870s to 1890s, mining activity declined, and the population dropped to between 100 and 200. The mining industry was revived in the 1890s, and the population grew once again, with four hotels servicing the town. Much of the town had to be rebuilt following devastating bushfires in 1939. The Morning Star Mine continued operations until its closure in 1963.
The Woods Point Magistrates' Court closed on 1 November 1981, not having been visited by a Magistrate since 1970.On 22nd September, 2021 at just after 9:15am, an earthquake with magnitude 5.9 struck near Woods Point, approximately 10km below the surface. The earthquake was felt across the nation, including in Adelaide, Canberra and Launceston. Although this was the largest earthquake ever recorded in Victoria, it did not cause any significant damage in Woods Point
Weather
At an elevation of 680 m and latitude of 37° S, Woods Point holds one of the colder climates in Australia. Summer daytime temperatures are warm, but with very cool mornings; winters are cold and very wet, with regular snowfalls.
Things to do