The town of Boort was established around the banks of Little Lake Boort in the early 1840’s. Boort is the Aboriginal name meaning, “smoke from the hill”; however the town in recent times has become known as the “Northern Oasis” being surrounded by some of the healthiest wetlands in Northern Victoria.
Boort is situated within the Shire of Loddon, Victoria and is approximately 100km kilometres north of Bendigo and 250km North West of Melbourne.
Today the local community of Boort boasts a population of about 1,000 people and services a wider base of 2,300 people from the surrounding districts.
The local economy is very much agricultural based and until recently it had long been steeped in the fine traditions of grains sheep, wool and beef cattle. The Boort agricultural activities now includes olives, grapes, tomatoes and is continually diversifying to other opportunities.
For more information:
Loddon Shire Council loddon.vic.gov.au
Boort District School boortds.vic.edu.au
Boort Tourism boort.com.au
Six (and more) reasons to visit Boort
1. It’s Showtime!
In October every year, local people celebrate the Boort Show. The agricultural show, with information sessions such as “How to Prepare Your Chooks”, the Victorian Yard Dog Association state championships and a scone back off draw visitors from across Victoria. There is a wide range of exhibits both ultra-modern farm machinery and antique, sculpture competition, shearing competition to horse events and cookery, plants, photography, crop and vegetable exhibits. The show continues after dark with spit roasts, band and fireworks.
2. Spanner Sculptures
Displayed in the Piccoli country garden are over 25 unique life size and larger than life sculptures, including an iconic shearer, a family of deer, a pair of fighting stallions, a Mallee bull, intricate garden seats and many more. John Piccoli (dec 2021) made the sculptures by welding together antiques through to modern day spanners. The tallest sculpture, “The Marlin”, is over 7m tall, weighs 1200kgs and is made from 3500 spanners. Tours are available.
1314 Quambatook Road, Boort
3. Pickled green tomatoes, olives
Boort has a diverse range of local produce. As an example, producers welcome visitors at Simply Tomatoes and Aussie Wool Quilts and Salute Oliva. It is interesting to talk to the producers about their products and sampling is always good fun.
Contact: Simply Tomatoes and Aussie Quilts 5455 4237 and Saluté Oliva 5455 2652
4. Living memory
The museum in the former courthouse contains some important photographs of the local heritage including the local Aborigines and a great collection of artefacts of the early farming days in Boort.
5. Rich Aboriginal History
Lake Boort has an extensive collection of scarred trees. The site of the lake is where aboriginal people cut away pieces from the trees to make canoes. There are hundreds of trees in the area left by the Dja Dja Wurrung people, plus trees with toe holds where men climbed for possums and to collect eggs. It is hard to imagine that all this history is in the centre of Boort. Boort District Health is privileged to sponsor a scar tree located at Lake Boort.
6. Water Sports
During the Summer Months, Lake Little Boort becomes a hive of activity as boating enthusiasts take to the water. Many people enjoy water skiing or trying out the slalom course, kayaking or walking around our lake, the boardwalk and the bird view station.
The lake attracts many people who enjoy a picnic or a walk to see the birdlife and other attractions.
Contact www.boort.com.au
