Casterton

The Glenelg Valley town of Casterton is central to a pastoral district producing wool, fat lambs and milk. The western Victorian town has been built on the banks of the Glenelg River whose local reaches provide good fishing and water-skiing. The river banks can also reward the patient fossicker.

The area was first settled in 1837, but trouble between whites and Aborigines culminated in a massacre of kooris a year later on their corroboree site now known as Murdering Flat.

Casterton boasts Australia's largest river red gum, Bilstons Tree, which is believed to be more than 800 years old, stands over 40 metres in height, has a girth of seven metres and is estimated to contain 258 cubic metres of timber.

Warrock Homestead, built by Scot George Robertson between 1843 and 1863, and 33 of about 40 original outbuildings have been restored to their original condition.

The amazing Warrock complex included a bakehouse, dairy, granary, a wool shed, abattoir and smokehouse, workers" quarters, a brick dog compound and a belfry and bell which summoned staff to the table. It was, in effect, a self-contained village which remains open to the public daily.