Bonnie Doon is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Maroondah Highway, in the Shire of Mansfield. Bonnie Doon is 168 kilometres north-east of Melbourne via the Melba Highway. At the 2021 census, Bonnie Doon township had a population of 666.[1]

Bonnie Doon
Victoria
The old town site of Bonnie Doon, prior to the construction of Lake Eildon
Bonnie Doon is located in Shire of Mansfield
Bonnie Doon
Bonnie Doon
Coordinates37°01′S 145°51′E / 37.017°S 145.850°E / -37.017; 145.850
Population666 (2021 census)[1]
Postcode(s)3720
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Mansfield
State electorate(s)Eildon
Federal division(s)Indi

History

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The township was established subsequent to gold discoveries in the area. It was originally named Doon after the town of that name in Ireland. The Post Office opened on 1 October 1866 and was renamed Bonnie Doon in 1891 coinciding with the arrival of the railway.[2]

Much of the original town of Bonnie Doon was flooded by the construction of Lake Eildon in the 1950s. The township was relocated; some buildings were picked up and moved, whilst others were able to remain in their original site, such as the churches.

Tourism

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Aerial photo

Lake Eildon makes Bonnie Doon a minor tourist town for water activities, and the surrounds of Bonnie Doon, which has a rail trail, are somewhat popular for weekend holidaymakers. This popularity was satirised in the Australian comedy, The Castle, with popular quotes such as "How's the serenity?" and its catch-phrase song "We're going to Bonnie Doon".

 
Bon Crescent

Lake

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References

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  1. ^ a b "2021 Census Bonnie Doon". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. ^ Phoenix Auctions History, Post Office List, retrieved 20 January 2021
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