Coordinates: 37°0′S, 144°0′E VIC is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below: A code for Victoria, Australia The Video Interface Chip from MOS Technology, used in the Commodore VIC-20 home computer (VIC sometimes colloquially refers to the VIC-20 computer itself, or to the VIC chips successor, VIC... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Victoria
Flag Coat of Arms
Slogan or Nickname: "Garden State", "The Place to Be"
Motto(s): "Peace and Prosperity"
Other Australian states and territories
Capital	Melbourne
Government	Constitutional monarchy
Governor	David de Kretser
Premier	John Brumby (ALP)
Federal representation
- House seats	37
- Senate seats	12
Gross State Product (2004-05)
- Product ($m)	$222,022 (2nd)
- Product per capita	$44,443/person (5th)
Population (End of June 2007)
- Population	5,205,200 (2nd)
- Density	22.92/km² (2nd) 59.4 /sq mi
Area
- Total	237,629 km² (6th) 91,749 sq mi
- Land	227,416 km² 87,806 sq mi
- Water	10,213 km² (4.3%) 3,943 sq mi
Elevation
- Highest	Mt Bogong 1,986 m (6,516 ft)
- Lowest	Sea Level
Time zone	UTC+10 (+11 DST)
Abbreviations
- Postal	VIC
- ISO 3166-2	AU-VIC
Emblems
- Floral	Common Heath[1]
- Aquatic	Weedy Seadragon
- Bird	Helmeted Honeyeater
- Faunal	Leadbeater's possum
- Colours	Navy Blue and Silver[2]
Web site	www.vic.gov.au

Swearing Allegiance to the Southern Cross at the Eureka Stockade on December 1, 1854 — watercolour by Charles Doudiet

Victoria is a state located in the south-eastern corner of Australia. It is the smallest mainland state in area, but the most densely populated and urbanised. White settlement in Victoria began in the 1830s as a farming community. The discovery of gold in 1851 transformed it into a leading industrial and commercial centre. Victoria is the second most populous Australian state, after New South Wales, with an estimated population of 5,205,200 as of June 2007^[3]. Melbourne is Victoria's capital and largest city, with more than 70% of all Victorians living there. Image File history File links Flag_of_Victoria_(Australia). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 The current state flag of Victoria in Australia is a British Blue Ensign defaced by the state badge of Victoria in the fly. ... Victorian Coat of Arms (since 1974) The Coat of Arms of Victoria is the official symbol of the Australian state of Victoria. ... The following is a list of Australian state and territory slogans. ... Image File history File links Victoria_locator-MJC.png Summary Map of Australia highlighting Victoria Made in Adobe Illustrator by me and released under the GFDL Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The states and territories of Australia make up the Commonwealth of Australia under a federal system of government. ... Each jurisdiction of Australia has its own capital, where local judicial, administrative and legislative duties are centred. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A constitutional monarchy or limited monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not... List of Governors of Victoria See Governors of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Governor. ... Professor David Morritz de Kretser AC (born April 27, 1939) is an Australian medical researcher, and the Governor of Victoria. ... List of Premiers of Victoria Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in Victoria. ... John Mansfield Brumby (born 21 April 1953), Australian politician, is the 45th Premier and outgoing Treasurer of Victoria. ... ALP redirects here. ... Type Bicameral Houses House of Representatives Senate Speaker of the House of Representatives David Hawker, Liberal Party since 16 November 2004 President of the Senate Alan Ferguson, Liberal Party since 14 August 2007 Members 226 (150 Representatives, 76 Senators) Political groups Liberal Party ALP National Party Country Liberal Party Greens... Type Lower house Speaker of the House David Hawker, Liberal since November 16, 2004 Members 150 Political groups ALP (85) Liberal Party (53) National Party (10) Last elections 24 November 2007 Meeting place Parliament House, Canberra, ACT Web site House of Representatives Entrance to the House of Representatives Judicial High... Type Upper house President Alan Ferguson, Liberal since 14 August 2007 Members 76 Political groups Coalition (39) ALP (28) Green (4) Democrat (4) FFP (1) Last elections 9 October 2004 Meeting place Parliament House, Canberra, ACT Web site Senate Entrance to the Senate Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State... This is a list of Australian States and Territories by Gross State Product. ... By population By area By population density Category: ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... ĝMedia:Example. ... This is a list of Australian states and mainland territories by ranking. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... Mount Bogong, located in the Alpine National Park, is the highest mountain in Victoria, Australia. ... This article is about a foot as a unit of length. ... For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... UTC+10 time zone Australia (AEST—Australian Eastern Standard Time) Australian Capital Territory**, New South Wales** (except Broken Hill, which observes South Australia time), Queensland, Tasmania** (which observes DST starting on the first weekend of October instead of the last), Victoria** Guam (Chamorro Standard Time via US Law) Federated States... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard. ... A typical pink heath in flower Pink heath (Epacris impressa or the common heath) is the official state flower of Victoria. ... Binomial name Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (Lacepède, 1804) Phyllopteryx taeniolatus range. ... Binomial name Latham, 1802 The Yellow-tufted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops) is a passerine bird found in the south-east ranges of Australia from south-east Queensland through eastern New South Wales and across Victoria into the tip of Southeastern South Australia. ... Binomial name Gymnobelideus leadbeateri McCoy, 1867 Leadbeaters Possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) is an endangered possum restricted to small pockets of remaining old growth Mountain Ash forests in the cool, misty highlands of Victoria, Australia. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Navy blue is an especially dark shade of the color blue. ... For other uses, see Silver (disambiguation). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 589 pixel Image in higher resolution (2112 × 1556 pixel, file size: 480 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This was a historical moment. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 589 pixel Image in higher resolution (2112 × 1556 pixel, file size: 480 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This was a historical moment. ... The Eureka Flag The Eureka Stockade was a gold miners revolt in 1854 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, against the officials supervising the mining of gold in the region of Ballarat. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Doudiet (1832 - June 13, 1913) was a Canadian artist and digger present at the Eureka Stockade, Ballarat, Australia, in 1854. ... The states and territories of Australia make up the Commonwealth of Australia under a federal system of government. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... NSW redirects here. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ...

History

Main article: History of Victoria

After the founding of the colony of New South Wales in 1788, the continent was divided into an eastern half - named New South Wales, and a western half, named New Holland, but under the administration of the colonial government in Sydney. Victoria's first settlement was at Portland, on the west coast of what is now Victoria. Melbourne was founded in 1835 by John Batman. This article describes the history of Victoria. ... NSW redirects here. ... Map of a part of New Holland made by William Dampier in 1699 New Holland is a historic name for the island continent of Australia. ... The term Administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to jurisdiction. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ... The city of Portland () is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... John Batman Statue of John Batman at former National Mutual Plaza off Collins Street in Melbourne unveiled 26 January 1979 John Batman (born 21 January 1801 - 5 May 1839) was an Australian farmer and businessman who was one of the first settlers of the Melbourne area and known for founding...

From settlement the region around Melbourne was known as the Port Phillip District, and this gained some administrative status prior to separation from New South Wales and declaration as the Colony of Victoria in 1851.

In 1851 gold was discovered near Ballarat, and subsequently at Bendigo. Later discoveries occurred at many sites across Victoria. This triggered one of the largest gold rushes the world has ever seen. The colony grew rapidly in both population and economic power. In ten years the population of Victoria increased sevenfold from 76,000 to 540,000. All sorts of gold records were produced including the "richest shallow alluvial goldfield in the world" and the largest gold nugget. Victoria produced in the decade 1851-1860 20 million ounces of gold, one third of the world's output^{[citation needed]}. GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... A view of Ballarat East and Eureka from Sovereign Hill. ... For the electoral division in the Australian House of Representatives, see Division of Bendigo. ... The Welcome Stranger Miners and their wives posing with the Welcome Stranger. ...

Immigrants arrived from all over the world to search for gold, especially from Ireland and China. Many Chinese miners worked in Victoria, and their legacy is particularly strong in Bendigo and its environs. Although there was some racism directed at them, there was not the level of anti-Chinese violence that was seen at the Lambing Flat riots in New South Wales. However, there was a riot at Buckland Valley near Bright in 1857. Conditions on the gold fields were cramped and unsanitary - an outbreak of typhoid at Buckland Valley in 1854 killed over 1,000 miners. For the electoral division in the Australian House of Representatives, see Division of Bendigo. ... Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Ethnocracy Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action Racial quota... The Roll Up banner around which a mob of about 1,000 men rallied and attacked Chinese miners at Lambing Flat in June 1861. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This is about the disease typhoid fever. ...

In 1854 there was an armed rebellion against the government of Victoria by miners protesting against mining taxes (the "Eureka Stockade"). This was crushed by British troops, but some of the leaders of the rebellion subsequently became members of the Victorian Parliament, and the rebellion is still sometimes regarded as a pivotal moment in the development of Australian democracy^{[citation needed]}. The Miners Licence was the colonial governments response to the Australian gold rushes and the need to provide infrastructure including policing. ... The Eureka Flag The Eureka Stockade was a gold miners revolt in 1854 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, against the officials supervising the mining of gold in the region of Ballarat. ...

The first foreign military action by the colony of Victoria was to send troops and a warship to New Zealand as part of the Maori Wars. Troops from New South Wales had previously participated in the Crimean War. The term Māori Wars, now more commonly referred to as the New Zealand Wars, or sometimes The Land Wars, refers to a series of conflicts that took place in New Zealand between 1845 and 1872. ... Combatants Allies: Second French Empire British Empire Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,194 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease ~134,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1853–1856) was fought...

In 1901 Victoria became a state in the Commonwealth of Australia. As a result of the gold rush, Melbourne had by then become the financial centre of Australia and New Zealand. Between 1901 and 1927, Melbourne was the capital of Australia while Canberra was under construction. It was also the largest city in Australia at the time, and the second largest city in terms of population of the Empire (after London, England). Whilst Melbourne remains an important and influential financial centre, home to many national and international companies, it was slowly overtaken by Sydney in business importance around the 1970s and 1980s. Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is the sixth-largest country in the world, the only country to occupy an entire continent, and the largest in the region of Australasia/Oceania. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ... For a comprehensive list of the territories that formed the British Empire, see Evolution of the British Empire. ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ...

Government

Main article: Government of Victoria

The Victorian Parliament House, built in 1856, stands in Spring Street, Melbourne.

The Legislative Council Chamber, as photographed in 1878.

One of many local government seats, Geelong Town Hall

The form of the Government of Victoria is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1855, although it has been amended many times since then. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 821 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2288 × 1712 pixel, file size: 821 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Parliament House, Melbourne Parliament House, Melbourne, has been the seat of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia, since 1855, except for the years 1901 to 1928, when it was occupied by the Parliament of Australia. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 577 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 738 pixel, file size: 107 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 577 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 738 pixel, file size: 107 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Town Hall, Geelong, 2007 Geelong Town Hall is a civic building located on Gheringhap Street in central Geelong, Victoria. ... ALP redirects here. ... This article is about the modern Australian political party. ... The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party. ... The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party. ... The Democratic Labor Party (DLP) is a minor political party in Australia that espouses social conservatism. ...

Parliament of Victoria

Main article: Parliament of Victoria

Victoria has a parliamentary form of government based on the Westminster System. Legislative power resides in the Parliament consisting of the Governor (the representative of the Queen), the executive (the Government), and two legislative chambers. The Parliament of Victoria consists of the lower house Legislative Assembly, the upper house Legislative Council and the Queen of Australia. The Parliament of Victoria is a bicameral, or two-house, legislature. ... The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster, in London. ... The Parliament of Victoria is a bicameral, or two-house, legislature. ... The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of Victoria in Australia. ... The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia. ... Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, in 1952 and 2002 The title Queen of Australia has existed since 1973, when the Parliament of Australia passed the Royal Style and Titles Act (1973). ...

Victorian Legislative Assembly

Main article: Victorian Legislative Assembly

Eighty-eight members of the Legislative Assembly are elected to four-year terms from single-member electorates. The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of Victoria in Australia. ...

Victorian Legislative Council

Main article: Victorian Legislative Council

In November 2006, the Victorian Legislative Council elections were held under a new multi-proportional representation system. The State of Victoria was divided into eight electorates with each electorate represented by five representatives elected by Single Transferable Vote proportional representation. The total number of upper house members was reduced from 44 to 40 and their term of office is now the same as the lower house members — four years. Elections for the Victorian Parliament are now fixed and occur in November every four years. The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia. ... This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ... Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies). ...

Prior to the 2006 Election the Legislative Council consisted of 44 members elected to eight-year terms from 22 two-member electorates.

Premier and Cabinet

See also Premiers of Victoria

The Premier of Victoria is the leader of the political party or coalition with the most seats in the Legislative Assembly. The Premier is the public face of government and, with Cabinet, sets the legislative and political agenda. Cabinet consists of representatives elected to either house of parliament. It is responsible for managing areas of government that are not exclusively the Commonwealth's, by the Australian Constitution, such as education, health and law enforcement. The current premier of Victoria is Mr John Brumby. List of Premiers of Victoria Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in Victoria. ... List of Premiers of Victoria Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in Victoria. ... This article is about the governmental body. ... The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (in full, An Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia) is the primary constitutional text of the Commonwealth of Australia. ...

Governor of Victoria

Main article: Governors of Victoria

Executive authority is vested in the Governor of Victoria who represents and is appointed by Queen Elizabeth II. The post is usually filled by a retired prominent Victorian. The Governor acts on the advice of the Premier and Cabinet. List of Governors of Victoria See Governors of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Governor. ... List of Governors of Victoria See Governors of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Governor. ... Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The... A premier is an executive official of government. ...

Victoria's constitution

Victoria has a written constitution. Enacted in 1975, but based on the 1855 colonial constitution, it establishes the parliament as the state's law-making body for matters coming under state responsibility. The Victorian Constitution can be amended by the parliament of Victoria. Under new provisions to be enacted, changes to the Victorian Constitution will be subjected to a plebiscite of votes, voting in a referendum.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Victoria

The centre-left Australian Labor Party (ALP), the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia and the rural-based National Party of Australia are Victoria's major political parties. Traditionally, Labor is strongest in Melbourne's inner, working class and western and northern suburbs, Morwell, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong. The Liberals' main support lies in Melbourne's more affluent eastern and outer suburbs, and some rural and regional centres. The Nationals are strongest in Victoria's North Western and Eastern rural regional areas. The ALP government of former Premier Steve Bracks has been in office in Victoria since 1999 and was re-elected in 2002 and on 25 November 2006. See Victorian legislative election, 2006, and 2006 Victorian election campaign. The Australian state of Victoria has a bicameral parliament. ... In politics, the term centre-left is commonly used to describe and denote political parties or organisations that stretch from the centre to the left or are moderately left-wing, as opposed to extreme left wing beliefs such as communism. ... ALP redirects here. ... The centre-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote political parties or organizations (such as think tanks) that stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. ... This article is about the modern Australian political party. ... The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party. ... Stephen Philip Bracks (better known as Steve Bracks) (born 15 October 1954), Australian politician, was the 44th Premier of Victoria, holding the position for eight years, from 1999 to 2007. ... The state election for the 56th Parliament of Victoria is scheduled for 25 November 2006. ... Main article: Victorian legislative election, 2006 This article is about the campaigns of contesting political parties and independent candidates for the 2006 Victorian State election in Australia in chronological sequence from the pre-election phoney campaign through the official election campaign which commenced after writs were lodged. ...

Following the 2006 Victorian election, the balance of power in the Legislative Council is now held by the Australian Greens. This means that by combining with the Liberal and National Party members, the Greens can defeat proposed Government legislation. The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party. ...

On July 27, 2007, Premier Steve Bracks announced his resignation from politics, saying that he needed to spend more time with his family.^[4] The deputy premier, John Thwaites, announced later that day that he too would resign. Former Treasurer John Brumby was elected unopposed by the Labor caucus as the new leader and became the 45th Premier of Victoria on Monday 30 July 2007. is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Hon John Thwaites, election day November 2002 Johnstone William (John) Thwaites (born 15 October 1955), Australian politician, is Deputy Premier of the state of Victoria. ... John Mansfield Brumby (born 21 April 1953), Australian politician, is the 45th Premier and outgoing Treasurer of Victoria. ... List of Premiers of Victoria Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in Victoria. ...

Federal government

Victorian voters elect 49 representatives to the Parliament of Australia, including 37 members of the House of Representatives and 12 members of the Senate. Since 2007, the ALP has held 21 Victorian house seats, the Liberals 14 and the Nationals two. As of July 1, 2008, the Liberals will hold six senate seats, the ALP five and the Family First Party one. Type Bicameral Houses House of Representatives Senate Speaker of the House of Representatives David Hawker, Liberal Party since 16 November 2004 President of the Senate Alan Ferguson, Liberal Party since 14 August 2007 Members 226 (150 Representatives, 76 Senators) Political groups Liberal Party ALP National Party Country Liberal Party Greens... Type Lower house Speaker of the House David Hawker, Liberal since November 16, 2004 Members 150 Political groups ALP (85) Liberal Party (53) National Party (10) Last elections 24 November 2007 Meeting place Parliament House, Canberra, ACT Web site House of Representatives Entrance to the House of Representatives Judicial High... Type Upper house President Alan Ferguson, Liberal since 14 August 2007 Members 76 Political groups Coalition (39) ALP (28) Green (4) Democrat (4) FFP (1) Last elections 9 October 2004 Meeting place Parliament House, Canberra, ACT Web site Senate Entrance to the Senate Judicial High Court Lower Courts Constitution State... The Family First Party is a political party in Australia. ...

Local government

Main article: Local Government Areas of Victoria

Victoria is incorporated into 79 municipalities for the purposes of local government, including 39 shires, 32 cities, seven rural cities and one borough. Shire and city councils are responsible for functions delegated by the Victorian parliament, such as city planning, road infrastructure and waste management. Council revenue comes mostly from property taxes and government grants. Municipalities of Greater Melbourne City of Banyule City of Bayside City of Boroondara City of Brimbank Shire of Cardinia City of Casey City of Darebin City of Frankston City of Glen Eira City of Greater Dandenong City of Hobsons Bay City of Hume City of Kingston City of Knox City... A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. ... Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state or province. ...

People

Melbourne, the state capital, is home to more than seven in ten Victorians.

The 2006 Australian census reported that Victoria had 4,932,422 people resident at the time of the census usually called Victoria 'Home', an increase of 6.2% on the 1996 figure. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that by June 2007 the state's population reached 5,205,200 and may well reach 7.2 million by 2050. Victoria's founding Anglo-Celtic population has been supplemented by successive waves of migrants from southern and eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and, most recently, the Horn of Africa and Middle East. Victoria's population is aging in proportion with the average of the remainder of the Australian population. The government predicts that nearly a quarter of Victorians will be aged over 60 by 2021. The 2006 census reveals that Australian average age has crept upward from 35 to 37 since 2001 which reflects the population growth peak of 1969-72. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... Australian Bureau of Statistics logo The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is the Australian government agency that collects and publishes statistical information about Australia. ... Anglo-Celtic is a macro-cultural term[1] used to collectively describe the cultures native to the British Isles, and the significant diasporas located in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States. ... Exactly when Immigration to Australia began is unknown but estimates typically range from 40,000 - 50,000 years ago,[1] when the ancestors of Australian Aborigines arrived on the continent via the islands of the Malay Archipelago and New Guinea. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... The Horn of Africa. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Theoretical Human population increase from 10,000 BC – AD 2000. ...

More than 70% of Victorians live in Melbourne, located in the state's south. The greater Melbourne metropolitan area is home to an estimated 3.64 million people. Leading urban centres include Geelong , Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Mildura, Warrnambool and the Latrobe Valley. Victoria is Australia's most urbanised state, with nearly 90% of residents living in cities and towns. Since 1871, more than half of all Victorians have lived in urban areas. Today, just over 12% of Victorians live in rural areas. The drift of people into Melbourne continues despite government efforts to encourage Victorians to settle in regional areas. This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre (also known as The CBD). ... This article is about the Victorian city; the name may also refer to City of Geelong or Geelong city centre. ... A view of Ballarat East and Eureka from Sovereign Hill. ... For the electoral division in the Australian House of Representatives, see Division of Bendigo. ... Shepparton is a country town located in Victoria, Australia. ... Mildura is a city in Victoria, Australia. ... Warrnambool is a regional city of 29,500 people on the south-western coast of Victoria, Australia, located in the municipality City of Warrnambool. ... The Latrobe Valley is nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges and the Great Dividing Range in Victoria, Australia. ...

About 72% of Victorians are Australian-born. This figure falls to around 66% in Melbourne, but rises to higher than 95% in some rural areas in the north-west of the state. Around two-thirds of Victorians claim Australian, English or Irish ancestry. Less than 1% of Victorians identify themselves as Aboriginal. The largest groups of people born outside Australia came from the United Kingdom, Italy, Vietnam, Greece and New Zealand. For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Language(s) Several hundred Indigenous Australian languages (many extinct or nearly so), Australian English, Australian Aboriginal English, Torres Strait Creole, Kriol Religion(s) Primarily Christian, with minorities of other religions including various forms of Traditional belief systems based around the Dreamtime Related ethnic groups see List of Indigenous Australian group... Italian Australian is the third largest ethnic group in Australia, numbering 800,256 or 3. ...

Religion

About 60.5 percent of Victorians describe themselves as Christian. Roman Catholics form the single largest religious group in the state with 27.5 percent of Victorian population, followed by Anglicans and members of the Uniting Church. Catholics and Protestants (including Anglicans) in Victoria each form around 30% of the population. Buddhism, the state's largest non-Christian religion, is also the fastest growing with 132,634. Victoria is also home of 109,370 Muslims and 41,105 Jews. Around 20% of Victorians claim no religion.^[5] Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Logo of the UCA The Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) was formed on June 22, 1977 when the Methodist Church of Australasia, Presbyterian Church of Australia and Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union document. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Buddhism is a variety of teachings, sometimes described as a religion[1] or way of life that attempts to identify the causes of human suffering and offer various ways that are claimed to end, or ease suffering. ... Islam in Australia is the second largest minority religion after Buddhism. ... ...

Education

Primary and secondary

The University of Melbourne is Victoria's oldest university.

The State Library of Victoria forecourt.

Victoria's state school system dates back to 1872, when the then colonial government legislated to make schooling both free and compulsory. The state's public secondary school system began in 1910. Before then, only private secondary schooling was available. Today, a Victorian school education consists of seven years of primary schooling, including one preparatory year, and six years of secondary schooling. The final years of secondary school are optional for children aged over 15 (16 as of 2007). Victorian children generally begin school at age five. On completing secondary school, students earn the Victorian Certificate of Education. Students who successfully complete their secondary education also receive a tertiary entrance ranking, or ENTER score, to determine university admittance. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (858x578, 146 KB) Summary Melbourne University South Lawn Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (858x578, 146 KB) Summary Melbourne University South Lawn Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... The University of Melbourne, is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2150x1433, 1359 KB) Summary A photo taken on a warm spring day at lunch time. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2150x1433, 1359 KB) Summary A photo taken on a warm spring day at lunch time. ... A panoramic view of the library facade, forecourt and lawns from Swanston Street The State Library lit up at night. ... The term public school has three distinct meanings: In the USA and Canada, elementary or secondary school supported and administered by state and local officials. ...

Victorian schools are either publicly or privately funded. Public schools, also known as state or government schools, are funded and run directly by the Victoria Department of Education [1]. Students do not pay tuition fees, but some extra costs are levied. Private fee-paying schools include parish schools run by the Roman Catholic Church and elite independent schools similar to English public schools. Independent schools are usually affiliated with Protestant churches. Victoria also has several private Jewish and Islamic primary and secondary schools. Private schools also receive some public funding. All schools must comply with government-set curriculum standards. The form of the Government of Victoria is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1855, although it has been amended many times since then. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... The term public school has two contrary meanings: In England, one of a small number of prestigious historic schools open to the public which normally charge fees and are financed by bodies other than the state, commonly as private charitable trusts; here the word public is used much as in... An independent school is a school which is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges, gifts, and perhaps the investment yield of an endowment. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination of these attributes. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (help· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ...

As of August 2005, Victoria had 1,613 public schools, 484 Catholic schools and 208 independent schools. Just under 537,000 students were enrolled in public schools, and 289,000 in private schools. Nearly two-thirds of private students attend Catholic schools. More than 455,000 students were enrolled in primary schools and more than 371,000 in secondary schools. Retention rates for the final two years of secondary school were 77% for public school students and 90% for private school students. Victoria has about 60,200 full-time teachers.

Tertiary

Victoria has nine universities. The first to offer degrees, the University of Melbourne, enrolled its first student in 1855. The largest, Monash University, has an enrolment of nearly 56,000 students - more than any other Australian university. Both the University of Melbourne and Monash University are purportedly ranked highly among the world's best universities requiring a fairly high entry score, passing of mature age entrance exams or direct payment for student admission into their courses. The number of students enrolled in Victorian universities was 241,755 at 2004, an increase of 2% on the previous year. International students made up 30% of enrolments and account for the highest percentage of pre-paid university tuition fees. The largest number of enrolments were recorded in the fields of business, administration and economics, with nearly a third of all students, followed by arts, humanities, and social science, with 20% of enrolments. This is a list of Australian universities and other higher education institutions in Australia. ... The University of Melbourne, is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. ... Robert Menzies Building at the Clayton Campus Monash University is a public university with campuses located in Australia, Malaysia and South Africa. ... In economics, a business (also called firm or enterprise) is a legally recognized organizational entity designed to provide goods and/or services to consumers or corporate entities such as governments, charities or other businesses. ... This article is about business administration. ... Face-to-face trading interactions on the New York Stock Exchange trading floor. ... The Arts is a broad subdivision of culture, comprised of many expressive disciplines. ... For other uses, see Humanities (disambiguation). ... The social sciences are groups of academic disciplines that study the human aspects of the world. ...

Victoria also has 19 government run TAFE institutes. The first tertiary institution in the state was the Melbourne Mechanics Institute (established in 1839), which is now the Melbourne Athenaum. The oldest institution still offering courses is Swinburne University of Technology, whose oldest antecedent was founded in 1854. In Australia, Technical and Further Education or TAFE institutions are those which offer a wide range of post-secondary education and training, generally in vocational fields (such as hospitality, tourism, construction, woodwork, secretarial skills, community work, etc), often at a level of difficulty below that of a corresponding or related... The Athenaeum or Melbourne Athenaeum is the oldest public institution in Victoria, Australia, founded in 1839. ... Swinburne University of Technology is a university based in a number of campuses in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. ...

More than 1,000 adult education organisations are registered to provide recognised TAFE programs. In 2004, there were about 480,700 students enrolled in vocational education programs in the state. A blacksmith is a traditional trade. ...

Libraries

The State Library of Victoria is the State's research and reference library. It is responsible for collecting and preserving Victoria's documentary heritage and making it available through a range of services and programs. Material in the collection includes books, newspapers, magazines, journals, manuscripts, maps, pictures, objects, sound and video recordings and databases. A panoramic view of the library facade, forecourt and lawns from Swanston Street The State Library lit up at night. ...

Economy

The Victorian economy is the second largest in Australia, accounting for a quarter of the nation's gross domestic product. The total gross state product at current prices for Victoria was at just over A$222 billion, with a GSP per capita of A$44,443. The economy grew by 3.4% in 2004, less than the Australian average of 5.2%. Finance, insurance and property services form Victoria's largest income producing sector, while the community, social and personal services sector is the state's biggest employer. Despite the shift towards service industries, the troubled manufacturing sector remains Victoria's single largest employer and income producer. GDP redirects here. ... Gross state product is a measurment of the economic output of a U.S. state or an Australian state. ... The field of finance refers to the concepts of time, money and risk and how they are interelated. ... Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. ... Real estate is a legal term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings. ... Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, making by hand) is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale. ...

1990s economic slump

Victoria experienced an economic slump from 1989 to 1992 during the term of John Cain's government. This was largely attributable to lagging property markets, reduced protection of manufacturing sectors as well as a financial crash involving industry giants such as the Pyramid Building Society and the collapse of The State Bank of Victoria, in particular its merchant banking arm Tricontinental. The result was a loss of employment and a drain of population to New South Wales and Queensland. John Cain (born 26 April 1931), Australian politician, was Labor Premier of the state of Victoria from 1982 to 1990. ... The Pyramid Building Society was an Australian building society, headquarted in Geelong, Victoria which collapsed in 1990 with debts in excess of AUD$2billion. ... The State Bank of Victoria was a bank that existed from the 1870s until 1991 when it was taken over by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. ... NSW redirects here. ... Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Motto(s): Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Anna Bligh (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd...

In the mid to late 1990s, the Victorian state government of Premier Jeff Kennett (LIB) sought to reverse this trend with massive cuts to state expenditure, shrinking of the state public sector and the aggressive development of new public works, mainly centred around the state capital of Melbourne. These included the Melbourne Museum, Federation Square, the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (nicknamed "Jeff's Shed"), Crown Casino, capital works such as the CityLink tollway, the sale of state assets (including the State Electricity Commission and some state schools), the pruning of state services and a public relations campaign promoting Melbourne's merits, aimed at Melbourne residents and visitors alike. List of Premiers of Victoria Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in Victoria. ... Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC (born 25 July 1948), Australian politician, was the 43rd Premier of Victoria (6th October, 1992 to 20th October, 1999). ... This article is about the modern Australian political party. ... Exhibition space Museum hall The Melbourne Museum is located in the Carlton Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. ... Federation Square (also colloquially known as Fed Square) is a cultural precinct in the city of Melbourne, Australia. ... View from Crown Casino The Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre is not located in Hong Kong, China 50000km north of the Central Business District. ... Crown Casino is the largest casino in Australia and it relocated to the Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex at Southbank in 1997. ... CityLink is a tolled freeway system in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... SEC Logo The Electricity Commissioners were established by an act of parliament in 1918 and became the State Electricity Commission (known as the SEC, or SECV) in 1921 . ...

Under the government of former Premier Steve Bracks (ALP), there was less emphasis on capital works and more on expansion of public services. Population drain has eased, and now outstrips the national trend. Stephen Philip Bracks (better known as Steve Bracks) (born 15 October 1954), Australian politician, was the 44th Premier of Victoria, holding the position for eight years, from 1999 to 2007. ... ALP redirects here. ...

Agriculture

During 2003-04, the gross value of Victorian agricultural production increased by 17% to $8.7 billion. This represented 24% of national agricultural production total gross value. As of 2004, an estimated 32,463 farms occupied around 136,000 square kilometres (52,500 sq mi) of Victorian land. This comprises more than 60% of the state's total land surface. Victorian farms range from small horticultural outfits to large-scale livestock and grain productions. A quarter of farmland is used to grow consumable crops. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants, animals and other life forms. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... The word grain has several meanings, most being descriptive of a small piece or particle. ...

More than 26,000 square kilometres (10,000 sq mi) of Victorian farmland is sown for grain, mostly in the state's west. More than 50% of this area is sown for wheat, 33% for barley and 7% for oats. A further 6,000 square kilometres (2,300nbsp;sq mi) is sown for hay. In 2003-04, Victorian farmers produced more than 3 million tonnes of wheat and 2 million tonnes of barley. The state also grows about half of Australia's tobacco. Victorian farms produce nearly 90% of Australian pears and third of apples. It is also a leader in stone fruit production. The main vegetable crops include asparagus, broccoli, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. Last year, 121,200 tonnes of pears and 270,000 tonnes of tomatoes were produced. Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat Wheat For the indie rock group, see Wheat (band). ... For other uses, see Barley (disambiguation). ... Species References ITIS 41455 2002-09-22 Oats are the seeds of any of several cereal grains in the genus Avena. ... This article is about the metric tonne. ... Species Pyrus calleryana P. pyrifolia et al Pears are trees of the genus Pyrus and the edible fruit of that tree. ... For other uses, see Apple (disambiguation). ... The peach is a typical drupe (stone fruit) In botany, a drupe is a type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp or skin and mesocarp or flesh) surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. ... For the botanical genus, see Asparagus (genus). ... Broccoli is a plant of the Cabbage family, Brassicaceae (formerly Cruciferae). ... Binomial name Daucus carota A carrot (Daucus Carota) is a root vegetable, typically orange or white in color with a woody texture. ... Binomial name Solanum tuberosum L. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a perennial plant of the Solanace