Birchip Visitor Information
Birchip
Primarily an agricultural land, Birchip is a rural town in the state of Victoria. Situated along the southern edge of the Mallee Region, the community is located some 310 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. The area, which has a significant role in Victoria's grain-growing industry, has an estimated population of 822 residents.
There is a peculiar story behind Birchip's naming. Apparently, the town's original settlers made several attempts at various points in its history to make written approximations of the area's name. Some of the most remembered renderings are "Wirrumbirchip", "Wurmburcheep", and "Wirmbirchep". Finally, in 1896, the abbreviated form, Birchip, was adopted as the community's official name. The Aboriginal word from which the name was derived is believed to mean "one way".
Birchip, which was established in 1882 initially as a surveyors' campsite, is within the Local Government Area of the Shire of Buloke. The town, which is one of the last regions in Victoria to be settled, is part of the State District of Swan Hill (in the Victorian Legislative Assembly) and the Federal Division of Mallee (in the Australian House of Representatives).
While Birchip is a rural community, it is not without features for locals and visitors to appreciate. Thanks to its attractions that are of cultural, historical, and visual significance, there is much in town for people to experience and enjoy. Some of the area's notable locales include Birchip History Museum, Lake Tchum, Mallee Bull Sculpture, Pioneer Fountain, and Soldiers Memorial Park.