Ripon Shire

Ripon shire (1863-1995) was, at its centre, about 45 km west of Ballarat. Its eastern boundary was at Lake Burrumbeet and its western boundary was at the Pyrenees Ranges. The northern part of the shire was crossed by the Western Highway through Beaufort, the shire’s administrative centre, and its southern boundary was near the Glenelg Highway.

Pastoral settlement in the shire occurred during the late 1830s, comprising several large estates which persisted into the 1900s. The last large estate, Carnghum, came under soldier settlement in the 1950s.