Woodend trip planner

Woodend is a small town in Victoria, Australia. The town is in the Shire of Macedon Ranges local government area. It is bypassed to the east and north by the Calder Freeway (M79) and is located about halfway between Melbourne and Bendigo. At the, Woodend had a population of 5,413.HistoryWoodend was first surveyed in 1836 by Major Thomas Mitchell, who opened it up for settlement. When gold was discovered in the area (towards Bendigo and Ballarat), Woodend became the main thoroughfare through the Black Forest, and accommodated many gold-diggers and their families. Woodend Post Office opened on 20 July 1854, closed in December of that year, then reopened in the township on 1 of our houses. But then the five mile creak started getting polluted and the fish started dyingTourism and attractionsWoodend is close to such attractions as Mt Macedon and Hanging Rock located at nearby Newham, and numerous waterfalls. The area supports a large horse-racing community. Woodend's location in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range means that, unlike most of Australia, snowfalls are not uncommon. The Woodend Winter Arts Festival, held on the Queen's Birthday Weekend in June, is an event where artisans from around Australia gather to perform. The annual Melbourne Autumn Day (MAD) ride is held in Woodend by the Melbourne Bicycle Touring Club. Woodend Children's Park in the centre of the town provides a meeting place for young and old, locals and visitors: A park to explore, to enjoy, to play. Woodend Children's Park opened behind the service station in October 2009.