The Winchelsea Heritage Trail was developed with assistance from the Winchelsea Historical Society, Surfcoast Tourism, Community Support Fund and the Winchelsea & District Tourism & Traders Association (now the Winchelsea Business & Tourism Association).

The Heritage Trail offers a glimpse of Winchelsea's rich history, see the map below and the list of sights and sites along the trail. Winchelsea (originally known as Austin's Ford) was founded in 1837. Its existence came about as Thomas and James Austin, who were travelling with Hugh Murray's party, discovered a natural ford on the river while passing between Geelong and Colac.

In 1842, two enterprising young men Chas Beal and Prosper Trebeck established the first commercial building, the Barwon Hotel.

Even though Winchelsea is inland, it shares its name with an ancient English coastal town. As Governor of Victoria, Sir Arthur Stanley paid an official visit to Winchelsea. Subsequently he procured the right for the town to use the famous banner of its namesake. This can be seen in the Shire Hall.

The township was laid out in 1850. A wooden bridge was constructed near the ford which effectively improved transport and communication lines. By 1864 there were two churches, a police station, a doctor, a vicarage and approximately 50 houses and businesses. Cobb and Co. coaches, carrying both passengers and the mail, stopped in Winchelsea each day. And in 1867 their most famous passenger in a specially supplied coach was HRH the Duke of Edinburgh when he visited Winchelsea.

Today Winchelsea is considered the gateway to the rich Victorian Western District which supports a broad range of stock and crop enterprises.

The town and district holds many historic buildings as you can see on the Winchelsea Heritage Trail. The shady banks of the river offer a pleasant place for a quiet stroll or a peaceful picnic lunch.

Courtesy of the Winchelsea Historical Society

1. 300 Year Old Red Gum Tree -this eucalyptus tree has an oval section on the trunk from where it is believed members of the Walhaurong people carved out the bark to make a shield or coolamon.
2. Barwon Park - maintained by the National Trust, this magnificent mansion features a wide, elegant staircase and is furnished with beautiful antiques. It was built in 1869 for Thomas and Elizabeth Austin.
3. Bluestone Shop, Austin Street - this was built by Mr & Mrs Fendon Murrell as a General Store in 1860.
4. Grandstand - built as a memorial to local soldiers who died in WWI, this building was constructed in 1923 using the "Knitlock" precast concrete block system, patented by famous architect Walter Burley Griffin.
5. Globe Theatre - Mr William Lawrence built this hall in 1926 where his daughter Marjorie Lawrence, the world-famous opera singer, performed on her visits home from her European engagements.
6. Winchelsea's First Church - in 1846, this building was erected and doubled as a school and a church. The small stone that the ladies used to mount their horses side-saddle can still be seen protruding from the wall beside the chimney.
7. Information Center ("Library") - to house Winchelsea's collection of 2,500 books originally kept in the Barwon Hotel across the bridge, the library was built with the financial support of Mrs R C Montague Smith in 1894.
8. Barwon Hotel - built in 1842, in the first few years the hotel also served the community by housing the post office, the original library and being the stop-over point for Cobb & Co.'s carriages.
9. First Bank Building - designed by architect George Robbin, this purpose-built bank was built in a classical Victorian style for the Colonial Bank of Australia in 1883.
10. Railway Station - the Melbourne to Warrnambool track reached Winchelsea in 1876. The original station building still stands today including the ticket office, the waiting room and the accommodation rooms for the station-master and family.
11. Shire Offices - in 1864, the first Shire Office was constructed on this site but it deteriorated and had to be demolished. The present building, with its magnificent mahogany wood panelling, was built in 1909 and was used as Council chambers until 1994.
12. Vicarage - this fine bluestone house was built in 1855 on land originally owned by another early landholder, Thomas Austin. It is now a private residence.
13. Gold Course - former site of the Winchelsea Racecourse.