Local Information

Mansfield          
Tourist Information          
Things to see         
Mansfield Visitor Information Centre          
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Fire Information

Local Information  

Mansfield – About our town and district

Location: 185 km north-east of Melbourne via the Melba, Goulburn Valley and Maroondah Highways. 
Elevation: 316 m above sea-level. 
District population: 8000  

Beautiful and practical   Mansfield is a picturesque sub-alpine town of wide streets, old buildings and well-established trees.  The Mansfield area is one of the State's beauty spots, with a wealth of waterways, mountains and forest areas close by. 
The Mansfield township is situated on Fords Creek, in a pretty valley, surrounded by the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, and is near the north-eastern tip of Lake Eildon.  It has a good range of local services and facilities, with the locally-based Mansfield Shire Council as the local government body.

It comes as no surprise that Mansfield and the surrounding district is a popular holiday destination.

With Lake Eildon, Maindample, Bonnie Doon, Ancona and Merton to the west;
Barjarg, Nillahcootie and Swanpool to the north;
Merrijig, Mirimbah, Mt Stirling and Mt Buller to the east;
Barwite and Tolmie to the north east;
and Piries, Goughs Bay, Macs Cove, Howqua Inlet, Jamieson, Kevington and Woods Point to the south,
the Mansfield area is full of possibilities.

Settlements large and small   Farming, gold exploration and timber led to the development of many townships, each with their own story to tell.   A roadside sign is all that is left of some of them.  Others are now home to residents or holidaymakers, keen to make the most of what the area offers.

Place names   A1 Mine Settlement, Alpine Ridge, Barwite, Booroolite, Bridge Creek, Delatite, Gaffneys Creek, Goughs Bay, Howes Creek, Howqua, Howqua Hills, Howqua Inlet, Jamieson, Kelvin View, Kevington, Macs Cove, Mahaikah, Mansfield, Merton, Merrijig, Mirimbah, Mt Buller, Mountain Bay, Nillahcootie, Piries, Sawmill Settlement, Swanpool, Tatong, Timbertop, Toombullup, Tolmie, Woods Point

One big beauty spot   Whatever the season, whatever the reason, a stay in Mansfield is the perfect way to relax and revive. The Mansfield area is renowned for its spectacular national parks, state forests, mountains, lakes and rivers, and historic links. The beauty of the local scenery has attracted filmmakers who have used it as the setting for the two “The Man From Snowy River” films, “The Far Country” and “Cool Change” as well as various documentaries.

Changing with the times   Mansfield's sense of history and adventure is still evident in the homes and buildings that have graced the landscape for several generations.  New industries with more of a tourism focus have given visitors and residents alike many more reasons to stay in the area.

Outdoor Adventure   The rivers, lakes and mountains await lovers of the great outdoors; the shops, galleries, restaurants and wineries welcome lovers of the great indoors.  Go driving, hiking, camping, biking, horse riding, or in winter, skiing.  See the sweeping views from Mt Buller and Mt Stirling, Blue Range, or The Paps.  Meander through the towering timber forests in the Tolmie hills where Ned Kelly used to roam.  Perhaps you prefer to explore the waters of the Goulburn, Delatite and Howqua rivers, or Lakes Eildon and Nillahcootie where you can snooze on the bank, paddle, swim, fish, sail, watch the birdlife, or in some places, water ski.

Indoor Pleasure   If you enjoy life at a quiet stroll, acquaint yourself with the range of shops, galleries and dining establishments, or taste, without haste, at the several wineries throughout the area.  Discover historic surprises with self-guided walking tours of the townships of Mansfield, Jamieson and Woods Point.

Stay a while   Accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets make the Mansfield area the ideal place any time of year for singles, couples, families or groups in search of a good time. Wherever you stay – and there is everything from camping to five star pampering – the atmosphere is welcoming and friendly.

Play a while   In recent years, the Mansfield district, which was once predominantly farming and timbering, now caters for a wide range of interests and activities.  Besides outdoor adventure activities, the area boasts a zoo, brewery, berry farm, olive orchards, lavender farms, historic sites and buildings, as well as a selection of art galleries, cellar door wineries, dining establishments and interesting shops.  These are either right in Mansfield or within a few minutes drive.  A visit to the Visitor Information precinct at the entrance to Mansfield is a must.

Easter is a busy time in the Mansfield area, with art walks and exhibitions, the Mansfield and Jamieson bush markets, Agfest and various other fun activities in the surrounding towns.  More details on See and Do and What's On.

Mansfield offers something special to visitors whatever the season, and it is easy to see why so many return to the area time after time.

Read about Mansfield's early days on the Local History page.

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Tourist Information 

The Mansfield Visitor Information Centre is in a new impressive building opened in June 2006, which was designed by the award-winning architect, Greg Burgess.

The Mansfield Visitor Information Centre

Mansfield Visitor Information Centre (also called the Mansfield Interpretive Centre)
Railway Station Precinct,
167 Maroondah Highway,
Mansfield  Victoria  3722
Telephone: 1800 039 049
Fax: (03) 5775 2518
Email: reservations@mansfield-mtbuller.com.au
Website: http://www.mansfield-mtbuller.com.au   

Open daily from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm

The Centre offers an accommodation booking service and can advise on the availability of horse riding, bushwalking, canoeing, waterskiing, trout fishing, sail boarding, gold panning, fossicking, hot-air ballooning, 4WD tours, ski and equipment hire, mountain-bike riding and white-water rafting and any other activities you may wish to undertake. 

It has a large selection of information brochures, including a booklet outlining the town's historic buildings as well as a comprehensive guide of the area - "Adventures in the High Country, Mansfield and Mt Buller".   As well, the Visitor Centre provides information about accessibility to venues and services for wheelchairs and disabled persons.

Mansfield 's annual events include a Harvest Festival on the Labour Day long weekend in March; a Mountain Country Festival in late October-early November and the Agricultural Show on the third Sunday of November.

Several large bushmarkets are held on the Highett Street median strip during the year as well as smaller ones opposite the Post Office on the third Sunday of each month.

Poles outside the Mansfield Visitor Information Centre depicting significant things of the area	Detail of the Bogong Moth sculptures on their pole

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Things to see:

Monument      Highton Manor      Lake Nillahcootie      Goughs Bay      Bonnie Doon     Powers Lookout      Mt. Samaria State Park      Merrijig      Howqua Hills Historia Area     Howqua      Other Activities

Monument

The centre of the roundabout at the intersection of High and Highett Streets, Mansfield features an imposing marble monument.  It was erected in 1880 as a tribute to Constables Lonigan and Scanlon and Sergeant Kennedy, who were killed by Ned Kelly at Stringybark Creek, near Tolmie, in 1878.  They are buried in the Mansfield Cemetery, which is situated at the end of Highett St.

Highton Manor

The imposing Highton Manor, in Highton Lane, was the town's first two storey brick home.  Built in 1896, it features impressive stained-glass windows.  Its original owner, Francis Highett, was a Victorian tennis champion.  He was also a notable singer and he performed duets with Dame Nellie Melba and sang in St Paul's Cathedral in London.  Highett was given to long bouts of solitary meditation in the tower, where he communicated with his family through a speaking tube, which remains in the Manor.  Highton Manor is now a guesthouse.

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Lake Nillahcootie

Sailing, fishing, canoeing and boating can be enjoyed on Lake Nillahcootie, and picnics and swimming are popular around the shores.   Lake Nillahcootie is 20 km north of Mansfield, adjacent to the Midland Highway.

Goughs Bay

Goughs Bay, on Lake Eildon, is 20 km south of Mansfield, off the road to Jamieson.  Nearby is the Delatite Arm Reserve.  This is a good area for boating, water-skiing, fishing and camping.

Bonnie Doon

Bonnie Doon is a small town of approximately 300 people, at the northern end of the lake, 21 km west of Mansfield, on the Maroondah Highway.  Various types of accommodation are available there.   Ahh, the serenity!

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Powers Lookout

Powers Lookout is situated off the Mansfield-Whitfield Road to the north-east of town, and offers spectacular scenery of the King River Valley.  The name is derived from the fact that it was once a vantage point for bushranger Harry Power.  A 15-year-old Ned Kelly was charged as being an accomplice of Power in 1870, but the charges were dismissed for want of evidence.  Head north-east along the Mansfield-Whitfield Rd for 44 km and turn right onto the gravel road.  The lookout is approximately km away.

Mt. Samaria State Park

Mt. Samaria State Park (7600 ha) is an attractive and forested semi-remote area, which encloses a rugged plateau to the north of Mansfield. It was long used by Aborigines prior to the grazing and logging practices of the European settlers. Wildlife is abundant, as are wildflowers in Spring.  There are waterfalls, magnificent stands of trees, scenic views and abundant birdlife. Visitors can enjoy scenic walks and drives, picnics, camping, bushwalking and photography.  Access can be gained by heading north along the Whitfield Rd for 10 km.  At Bridge Creek, continue ahead instead of following the bitumen road veering right, towards Whitfield.  After 4 km, take the turnoff on the right to Blue Range Rd.  For details ring the Department of Natural Resources on (03) 5761 1611 or Parks Victoria on 131 963.  The park can also be accessed from the north.

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Merrijig

Merrijig, 19 km south-east of Mansfield on the Mt Buller Rd, is a small town which has a resort complex.  The area to the north of town was used in the filming of “The Man From Snowy River” and its sequel.  A major rodeo is held there on the Labour Day weekend in March.  A variety of accommodation options is available in the area including bed-and-breakfasts, guesthouses, cottages and cabins, and the resort.  
There are picnic areas beside the Delatite River at Merrijig and further east on the Mt Buller Rd at Sawmill Settlement and Mirimbah.

Howqua Hills Historic Area

The Howqua Track heads south-east from Merrijig to the Howqua Hills Historic Area.  The Howqua River was used as a major trade and war route across the Great Dividing Range for the Aborigines.  They used the hard greenstone outcrops along the river for manufacturing spearheads, stone axes and cutting tools.  
This land was taken up as part of the Howqua run by the Watson and Hunter Pastoral Company in the 1830s and it is still being used for grazing purposes.

Gold was discovered in the valley in the 1860s and a major reef was located the following decade.  Three large companies were established and the township of Howqua was proclaimed in 1888.  There was an hotel, a post office, some boarding houses, a blacksmith's and a butcher's.  Mining ceased with the closure of the “Great Rand” in 1905 and the village was deserted.  A number of relics remain from the gold-mining days.  There is a brick chimney associated with a smelting furnace.  Further east is a 100-metre tunnel which was cut through Tunnel Spur to bring water from the Howqua River to a 4-km water race.  The race, which conveyed the water to an 18-metre waterwheel located near the chimney, can be seen above the road which links Tunnel Spur and the chimney.

Fry's Hut and Pickering Hut were both built by local bushman Fred Fry whose life formed the basis of Nevil Shute's novel “The Far Country”, which was later filmed in the area.  They cannot be used for overnight camping.  However, camping is permitted at Sheepyard Flat where shepherds yarded their sheep at night.  Fry's Flat has summer access only and Davon's Flat is a day visitor and horse camping area with horse yards.  The historic area is ideal for camping, bushwalking, fishing and horse riding.

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Howqua

Howqua is not actually a town but rather a locality on the edge of Lake Eildon, near the junction of the lake and the Howqua River.  It is a popular spot for waterskiing, boating and fishing. There is a caravan park with a general store, which also hires out houseboats.  Other accommodation possibilities are also offered.  There are boat-launching facilities on the lake 's edge.

Horse riding, Camel Treks, Water sports and Other Activities

The excellent alpine and lakeside scenery of the area lends itself to excellent trail riding and there are a number of outfits to cater to that .

Abseiling, mountain-bike riding, trekking, white-water rafting etc. can also be pursued.   Joy flights are available from the airport, high country 4WD tours are available from November to May, and trout-fishing tuition and camping trips are available as well.   Hot Air Ballooning is another popular thing to do.

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Thank you:

Many thanks to www.walkabout.com.au who have kindly allowed us to use some information from their site, http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/VICMansfield.shtml