Mansfield is a small town in the foothills of the Victorian part of the Australian Alps. It is approximately 180 km north-east of Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Mansfield had a population of 4052.

Mansfield is the centre of a large shire; it was amalgamated with the nearby town of Benalla (60 km) to form Delatite Shire but after community action became the first de-amalgamation in Victoria. Mansfield was formerly heavily dependent on farming and logging, but is now a tourist-centre. It is the support town for the large Australia ski resort Mt Buller. It is associated with the High Country tradition of alpine grazing, celebrated in the film The Man from Snowy River, which was made around Mansfield (based on a poem by Banjo Paterson with the same name).

History

Mansfield, originally known as Mount Battery, was at the boundary of a number of pastoral runs, and a township was surveyed in 1851 and named after Mansfield in Nottinghamshire, England. Settlement came after the discovery of gold nearby and the Post Office opened on January 1, 1858.

The railway to Mansfield arrived in the town from Tallarook in 1891, being closed on November 18, 1978.The last passenger service was on May 28, 1977.

The area round Mansfield named as Banbury was also the location of the novel The Far Country by Nevil Shute which featured logging on Mount Buller and previous forest fires, which having swept through Howqua obliterated almost all traces of a former settlement.

John Pearson Rowe

Dr. John Pearson Rowe (1810-1878) was a military surgeon and squatter who owned the 'Loyola Run' (also known as Mt Battery) near Mansfield. Reputed as the first catholic resident of the district, it is recorded that nearby Rochester was named after J.P.Rowe as he owned land on the Campaspe river (Ebsworth p.489). Rowe was a principal founder of Melbourne University. He fired a shot at a 14 year old Ned Kelly accompanied by bushranger Harry Power (27 May 1869); (Jones, p.34). Rowe stood for the Upper House seat of the Murray District in 1859 and was defeated. (O'Brien, Chs. 4-5) In October 1878 Rowe supplied information to police Sergeant Kennedy on the whereabouts of a wanted man, Ned Kelly. Acting on Rowe's verified advice, Kennedy and his police party rode into the Wombat Ranges, where three of them were killed; and the Kelly Gang was born (McQuilton, p.95).

Recreation

Mansfield is very close to two large lakes, Lake Eildon and Lake Nilacootie. During the summer these sites are popular waterskiing destinations.

The nearby mountains Mount Buller and Mount Stirling offer attractions all year round. During winter they are visited for skiing, lifted and back country respectively. In the summer hiking and mountain biking are popular. Ski lifts operate year-round at Mount Buller allowing bikers to easily get to the top of downhill mountain biking runs.

The bushland around Mansfield is used for horse riding, trail biking and four wheel driving on extensive tracks throughout the region.

In past years, the "Mansfield Balloon Festival" celebrated hot air balloons, and drew crowds and enthusiasts from across the state. The ballon Festival hasn't been to Mansfield for several years.

Mansfield is also the home to the Mansfield Eagles football club, an Australian Rules team competing in the Goulburn Valley Football League.

Mansfield has a horse racing club, the Mansfield District Racing Club, which schedules two race meetings a year including the Mansfield Cup meeting on Boxing Day (26 December).

Golfers play at the course of the Mansfield Golf Club on Kidston Parade.

Notable residents

Josh Fraser - Collingwood football player
Victoria Mitchell - Athlete
Sarah Hodgson - Chlamydia research Activist
David Mensch - Previously an AFL player at the Geelong Football Club
Simon Gerrans - Professional road bicycle racer