Digby, Victoria

Digby Victoria
Digby
Population:	369[1]
Postcode:	3309
Coordinates:	37°48′S 141°32′E / 37.8°S 141.533°E / -37.8; 141.533Coordinates: 37°48′S 141°32′E / 37.8°S 141.533°E / -37.8; 141.533
Location:	366 km (227 mi) W of Melbourne 47 km (29 mi) W of Hamilton 10 km (6 mi) S of Merino
LGA:	Shire of Glenelg
State District:	Lowan
Federal Division:	Wannon

Digby is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia. The town is in the Shire of Glenelg, 366 kilometres (227 mi) west of the state capital, Melbourne on Stokes River, a tributary of the Glenelg. At the 2006 census, Digby and the surrounding area had a population of 369.^[1] The town is named after Digby, Lincolnshire in England.^[2]

The Henty Brothers established the first European settlement in the Digby area in 1837. In 1843, The Woolpack Inn was establish near modern Digby; it burnt down in 1887. By 1847 the town consisted of the inn, a blacksmith and a series of huts. The town was officially surveyed in 1852.^[2]

In 1857, a second inn—the Digby Hotel—was established; the hotel still exists today, although rebuilt after fire in 1935.^[2] Shortly afterwards, on 1 June 1858, Digby Post Office opened. ^[3]

The Digby Mechanics Institute was built in 1868 and has continually operated since. The first sitting of the Supreme Court of Victoria outside Melbourne was in Digby in 1869.^[2] By 1874 the town had a post office, two hotels, four shops and a school.^[2]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Digby (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=SSC25477&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 2008-11-14. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Digby, Victoria, Australia : Settlement & Timeline". Ballarat Genealogy. http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/digby/timeline.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-14. 
3. ^ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&country=. Retrieved 2008-04-11.