From here you can listen to podcasts, request information, and learn about – or become involved in - the life and history of our town and surrounding districts.

For thousands of years, the country on which Trentham and its surrounding districts lie was inhabited by the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples, in particular the Kri baluk clan. The Dja Dja Wurrung had a distinctive language and their own country to which they were bound by religious beliefs that were expressed in the notion of the Dreaming.

Trentham, at the southern border of Dja Dja Wurrung country, bordering on the Woi Wurrung nations, is a product of its history and geography. Since white settlement, its fortunes have been shaped by factors such as isolation, altitude (700m), proximity to the forest and notoriously harsh weather. It was not an easy location and Trentham developed as a modest, hardworking community that was strongly linked to its surrounding district, and which needed to constantly adapt to survive.  

The gold rush of the early 1850s played a part but it was big timber from the forest, needed for the gold mines and the growth of major towns following the gold rush that shaped the town, along with farming - especially potato growing - something we still celebrate. In the twentieth century, manufacturing, such as the internationally-renowned Trewhella Foundry, also became influential.

Farming remains important to members of the community, although most people today know Trentham for its great food and wonderful historic ambiance. It has retained an innate sense of timelessness, with simple houses, open spaces and an historic main street. For residents and visitors who love the peace and natural beauty, it has become an oasis – a place to wander and enjoy.

If you would like to know more about Trentham’s history see our timelines.