Donald

Overview

Donald known for its Duck Country is located 3 hours north of Melbourne on banks of the Richardson River and a couple of kilometres from Lake Buloke.  The climate is mild and dry in winter warm and dry in the summer.

History

Donald was originally settled by squatters in the 1840s with large acerages and then the government opened the land for selection in the late 1860s.  In 1863 the Johann August Meyer built a store and from there the Township started to grow.  In 1882 the railways reached Donald and this gave the town a real fillip with better freight opportunities for produce from the district to be transported to Melbourne.

Donald became a hub for Railways and when the railway line eventually reached Mildura, Donald became a changeover point for drivers and a large crew of railway workers were based in Donald.  This large railway contingency remained in the town until the mid seventies when the railways took a new direction and most of the railway jobs have now left the town.

Places of interest

Lake Buloke
The Buloke’s Head on the Richardson River
Donald Police Camp
Georgie Ah Ling’s Market Garden and House
Scilleys Island
Mount Jeffcott Flora and Fauna Reserve
York Plains natural river landscape
50 Kilometre off road racing track

Accommodation

Donald offers a range of comfortable accommodation including:

The Riverside Motel (03) 5497 1488
The Donald Motor Inn (03) 5497 1700
Bullock’s Head Apartments (03) 5497 1302
Donald Caravan Park (03) 5497 1764
Donald Hotel (03) 5497 1410
Shamrock Hotel (03) 5497 2210
Jeffcott Hotel (03) 5497 1011

For further information please contact the Visitor Information Centre on (03) 5497 1707

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