Mandurang

Mandurang is a rural/residential and hobby farm locality 8 km south-east of Bendigo. The name is thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word meaning black cicada.

Mandurang was a goldfield settlement, along with timber cutters who harvested trees from the Mandurang forest (now a State Forest). A Methodist school was opened in 1861, and was replaced by a government school in 1877. There were Methodist and Catholic (1871) churches.

A prominent settler of Mandurang was Jean De Ravin, vintner, whose cellars (1866) were restored by descendents and continue under its original name, Chateau Dore. It is west of Sheepwash Creek in the vicinity of Pentlands and Mandurang Roads.

Mandurang occupies a fairly narrow valley along the Sheepwash Creek which runs north and then east through the picturesque Tannery Lane area. (The tannery, which closed in 1904, employed 30 workers).

A prominent ridge north of the creek is named One Tree Hill, and has a reserve and a lookout.

Mandurang has four wineries, an arts pavilion, a recreation reserve and a public hall. The school closed in 1994.

Mandurang’s census populations have been: