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The Macedon Ranges is a region in Central Victoria, known for its expansive native forests, vibrant arts scene, thriving food and wine industries (including weekly farmers' markets) and natural attractions such as Hanging Rock and Mount Macedon. It is located in between the cities of Bendigo and Melbourne. It includes the towns of Clarkefield, Gisborne South, Gisborne, Kyneton, Lancefield, Macedon, Malmsbury, Mount Macedon, New Gisborne, Riddells Creek, Romsey and Woodend. It is governed and administered by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council.
The region has, per capita, more working artists than anywhere else in Victoria.
Macedon Ranges was one of the highest-rated areas in Australia in the Quality of Life Index 2008, and was the highest rated in Victoria (outside Melbourne), ranking 13th of 590 Australian local government areas.
About 35 per cent of people who live in Macedon Ranges live outside a town boundary in a rural setting, preferring to live sustainably through the use of rainwater, solar panels and home-grown vegetables, fruit and eggs.
The region covers an area of 1,747 square kilometres (675 sq mi). The highest peak in the region is Mount Macedon's Camel's Hump, which is often covered in snow in winter due to its high elevation (1,011 metres or 3,317 ft). The area experiences colder winters and hotter summers than the state capital Melbourne.
Europeans arrived around 1834 when explorer John Aitken came to the area now known as Gisborne, bringing merino sheep to the area from Tasmania. Many pastoralists followed Aitken's lead and began arriving from both Tasmania and New South Wales. Early interactions between Kulin people Aboriginal people and European settlers were mixed: while there were reports of cooperation between the groups, there were also several massacres of Aboriginal people reported in the 1830s and 40s.
In the 1850s, gold was discovered north of the Macedon Ranges in the areas now known as Castlemaine, Ballarat and Bendigo in the Victorian Goldfields. As the Macedon Ranges is located between the state capital Melbourne and the Goldfields, Middle Gully, now Macedon, became a hub of activity and provided inns, beer houses, coffee tents, blacksmiths’ forges and stores for the crowds of Gold mining.
The gold rush of the 1850s-1870s ensured that the area continued to flourish, and the construction of the railway between Melbourne and Bendigo from 1858 to 1862 brought many new residents to the region.
Throughout the late 19th and early 20th century, Melbourne's wealthy social elite began to settle the area in earnest due to large blocks of land on the south side of Mount Macedon being released to them by the government. As a result, many grand Victorian homes with extensive ornamental gardens were established as summer residences. The proliferation of historic gardens and iconic architecture helped make the region a popular destination for holiday houses and tourists - a designation which remains today.
A number of media reports have made reference to the influx of young professionals, artists and 'hipsters' to the region, drawn by the region's natural environment, proximity to the city and access to city-style cafes and restaurants.
Macedon was depicted in Picnic at Hanging Rock, the 1975 mystery movie based on the novel of the same name.
Scenes in Where the Wild Things Are were filmed in the forest surrounding Mount Macedon.
The 2009 Nicolas Cage film Knowing was shot in Macedon and nearby in Mount Macedon.
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