Smeaton
VIC 3364 • Victoria
About Smeaton
Smeaton is a historic rural town in the Shire of Hepburn in central Victoria, located approximately 132 kilometres north-west of Melbourne and 32 kilometres north of Ballarat. With a 2021 Census population of 245 residents spread across 82.3 square kilometres, it is a small but historically significant community founded in the 1840s by Scottish squatter Captain John Hepburn. The area retains a notably older demographic, with a median resident age of 51 years, and has strong British and Australian heritage roots.
Smeaton's most famous landmark is The Cumberland Hotel — widely recognised as the oldest weatherboard pub in Victoria — alongside the heritage-listed Smeaton House (1849), a grand colonial homestead that speaks to the area's prosperous pastoral past during the gold rush era. The town once boasted seven hotels, two bakeries, and two banks, and today its quiet character and historic charm attract visitors and tree-changers alike. With easy access to the Daylesford and Hepburn Springs region, Smeaton appeals to those drawn to central Victoria's spa country lifestyle and rural heritage landscape.
Smeaton falls under postcode 3364 and is governed by the local council Council (LGA). For state elections, residents vote in the Ripon (Western Victoria) electorate.
Location
Transport & Commute
Bus Services
- Limited local rural services — Ballarat or Creswick 30-40 min to Ballarat
Commute to Melbourne CBD
🛣️ Midland Highway provides access south to Ballarat and north toward Maryborough
A small historic town with a single pub; most services require driving to Creswick or Ballarat
Supermarkets Nearby
No major supermarkets listed for this suburb.
Schools
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2701 Midland Highway
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Frederick Street