Castlemaine

Located at the heart of a substantial fruit-growing area, Castlemaine initially became famous as a rich gold-mining area. Over the last century, though, the town has built a reputation as a thriving cultural centre, showcasing some of the best food, art and antiques that regional Victoria has to offer.

Castlemaine is in the Mount Alexander Shire area.

Location information

Climate

In summer (January), Castlemaine's average minimum temperature is 11.4 degrees, and the average maximum is 28.3. In winter (July) average temperatures range from a minimum of 2.4 to a maximum of 12.1. The town's average annual rainfall is 558.7mm.

Population

7248 (Source: ABS Census 2006).

Cultural diversity

Around 17 percent of people living in Castlemaine were born outside Australia.

Migrants have settled in Castlemaine from:

  • England (3.2%)
  • Germany (0.4%)
  • New Zealand (1.0%)
  • Netherlands (0.3%)
  • Scotland (0.4%)

Around 14 percent of people living in Castlemaine speak a language other than English at home.

Languages spoken in Castlemaine include:

  • German (0.3%)
  • Mandarin (0.2%)
  • Italian (0.2%)
  • Filipino (0.2%)
  • French (0.2%)

Finding a job

Key industries and employers

The top five industries by employment in Castlemaine are:

Industry Meat manufacturing Hospitals School education Cafes, restaurants & takeaway food stories Supermarket & grocery stores
% 9.1 6.9 6.1 3.6 3.3

Local skill shortages

There is no specific information available on skills shortages in Castlemaine. Information on skills shortages in the Loddon Mallee region is available on the North West Victoria map page.

Job search links

To see jobs currently available in Castlemaine, visit:

Lifestyle information

Housing and accommodation

In the year to April 2008, the median price of houses sold in Castlemaine was $220,000.

In December 2007, the median rent for a two-bedroom house in Castlemaine was $188 per week, and the median rent for a three-bedroom house was $205 per week.

For information about local hotels, motels and caravan parks, visit the Castlemaine and Maldon accommodation directory.

To find a local real estate agent, visit the REIV agent directory, type 'Castlemaine' into the search box, select 'suburb' and then press 'search'.

Healthcare

Mt Alexander Hospital is the main health service in Castlemaine. For information about healthcare providers in the Castlemaine area, please visit the Victorian Better Health Channel's health services directory.

More information on Victoria's healthcare system can be found in the Health & Medical section.

Schools

For information on schools in Castlemaine, visit the Schools Online website and search for ‘Castlemaine’. More information on Victoria's education system can be found in the Education & Childcare section.

Travel

Distance and travel time

Castlemaine is 119km north west of Melbourne. You can travel from Castlemaine to Melbourne by:

  • car (1 hour 45 minutes)
  • coach (2 hours)
  • train (2 hours)

Nearby towns are:

Public transport

Buses operate around Castlemaine, and between the town and surrounding areas. For specific routes and timetables, please visit the regional bus information on VicLink and select from the drop down list.

Places of worship

For information about where you can practice your faith, please visit your religion's Australian website. To find it, visit Google, type in the name of your religion, and select 'pages from Australia'.

Sport and recreation

For more information about sport and recreation in Castlemaine, please visit the Mount Alexander Shire website.

Castlemaine attractions

  • Spend time browsing the Gold Interpretive Centre
  • Visit the Buda Historic Home with its magnificent 1800's gardens
  • Dine in one of the many magnificent local restaurants
  • Harcourt Applefest (March)
  • Castlemaine State Festival (November)

Also See

Last updated: 22 January 2009

Back to Top

State Government of Victoria