Heathcote
Postcode: 3523
Heathcote is a town in central Victoria, Australia, situated on the Northern Highway 110 kilometres north of Melbourne and 40 kilometres south-east of Bendigo via the McIvor Highway. Its local government area is the City of Greater Bendigo, Heathcote is part of the federal electorate of Bendigo and is in the state electorate of Rodney. At the 2001 census, Heathcote had a population of 1,560.
Heathcote is the closest major town to the Heathcote-Greytown National Park and Lake Eppalock. The town hosts a rodeo at Easter and an agricultural show in November.
It is reputed as having the longest main street in Victoria. The town is the centre of the recognised Heathcote wine region, notable for its Shiraz wines.
The most famous incident during the gold rush era was the Melbourne Private Escort Robbery on 20 July 1853. This took place very close to where one of Australia’s worst aviation disasters occurred in 1945