Red Cliffs, Victoria

Red Cliffs is a town in Victoria, Australia in the Sunraysia region. It is located on the Calder Highway, 16 km south of Mildura and 544 km north-west of Melbourne.

Red Cliffs
Victoria
Post office
Red Cliffs is located in Rural City of Mildura
Red Cliffs
Red Cliffs
Coordinates34°18′27″S 142°11′17″E
Population6,138 (2021 census)[1]
Postcode(s)3496
Location
LGA(s)Rural City of Mildura
RegionSunraysia
State electorate(s)Mildura
Federal division(s)Mallee
Suburbs around Red Cliffs:
Irymple New South Wales New South Wales
Cardross Red Cliffs New South Wales
Koorlong Carwarp Iraak

At the 2016 census, Red Cliffs had a population of 5,060.[1] The main industry is the growing of grapes and citrus. Red Cliffs takes its name from the 70 m cliffs 4.5 km east of the town that have a red/orange colour.

History

Following the First World War, over 700 soldiers settled in the town, and began work on establishing the vineyards which would become the town's chief industry. The post office opened on 4 August 1920.[3] The town and surrounding irrigation district was officially opened in 1921, and had its centenary celebration over the Melbourne Cup weekend in 2021.[4]

The Red Cliffs Magistrates' Court closed on 1 January 1990.[5]

In April 2022 Red Cliffs celebrated its centenary, postponed from November 2021 due to the pandemic.[6]

Culture

Schools

Red Cliffs has three primary schools, Red Cliffs Primary School, Red Cliffs East Primary School and St. Joseph's Primary School and one secondary school, Red Cliffs Secondary College.

Sport

The town has an Australian rules football team competing in the Sunraysia Football League.[7]

Golfers play at the course of the Red Cliffs Golf Club on 22nd Street.[8]

The town also has its own cricket association, the RCCA. The association has 2 grades and includes teams from the Sunraysia, Millewa and central Mallee areas.

Big Lizzie
"Big Lizzie", a large tractor
The cliffs at sunrise

Red Cliffs features a permanent public exhibit called Big Lizzie, a large tractor. Frank Bottrill was the designer, builder and operator of "Big Lizzie". One of its features was the use of the Bottrill Dreadnaught wheel which he designed, and which he also fitted to other machines. Bottrill was inspired by his experiences in the 1800s witnessing the suffering of camels carrying heavy loads. The wheel was designed to work in sandy soils. The design was effective but was later superseded by the caterpillar track. When it was built, "Big Lizzie" was the biggest tractor in Australia, and thought to be the biggest in the world, at 34 feet (10 m) high by 18 feet (5.5 m) wide, and weighing 45 tons. It had two trailers also fitted with Bottrill wheels.[9][10][11]

The tractor received an Engineering Heritage Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.[12]

Lunarfest

The Red Cliffs Lunarfest was held every March to celebrate the end of the grape harvest. The event included a street parade, musical performances, street market, bicycle race and an evening outdoor film screening.[13] It was organised by the Red Cliffs Rotary Club.

See also

References
  1. "Red Cliffs – 2021 Census All persons QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  2. "Travelmate". Archived from the original on 1 May 2001. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  3. Phoenix Auctions History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  4. "Red Cliffs Centenary 2021". www.facebook.com.
  5. "Review of Legal Services in Rural and Regional Victoria" (PDF). Parliament of Victoria Law Reform Committee. May 2001. pp. 291–292. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  6. It's time to celebrate Red Cliffs Centenary
  7. Full Points Footy. "Sunraysia Football League". FullPointsFooty.net. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
  8. Golf Select. "Red Cliffs". GolfSelect.com.au. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
  9. Henschke, Ian (3 September 2000). "Legendary tractor lives large in local folklore". Landline. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 April 2009.
  10. "Big Lizzie". George Negus Tonight. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 30 April 2009.
  11. "Big Lizzie". 4WDonline.com. 2008. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 30 April 2009.
  12. "Big Lizzie - 1916-". Engineers Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  13. Mildura Rural City Council. "Events 2011". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2010.

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