(Flag) (Coat of Arms)
Motto: "Peace and Prosperity"
Nickname: Garden State, The Place To Be
Other Australian states and territories
Capital	Melbourne
Government Governor Premier	Const. monarchy John Landy Steve Bracks (ALP)
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	237,629 km² (6th) 227,416 km² 10,213 km² (4.3%)
Population (End of June 2005)  - Population  - Density	5,022,300 (2nd) 22.08/km² (2nd)
Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  - Product per capita	$222,022 (2nd) $44,443/person (4th)
Time zone	UTC+10 (+11 DST)
Federal representation  - House seats  - Senate seats	37 12
Elevation  - Highest  - Lowest	Mt Bogong (1,986 m) Sea Level (0m)
Abbreviations  - Postal  - ISO 3166-2	Vic. AU-VIC
Website	www.vic.gov.au

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. Victoria began as a farming community in the 1800s. The discovery of gold transformed it into a leading industrial and commercial centre. In June 2005, Victoria's population reached an estimated 5,022,300 - making it the second most populous Australian state, after New South Wales. 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). ... official emblem, fair use This file has been listed on Wikipedia:Possibly unfree images, because it is missing information on its source or copyright status. ... Flag Ratio: 1:2 The current state flag of Victoria was officially adopted in 1953. ... Victorian Coat of Arms (since 1974) The Coat of Arms of Victoria is the official symbol of the Australian state of Victoria. ... A motto is a phrase or a short list of words meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. ... The following is a list of Australian state and territory nicknames. ... 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. ... Australia, having a federal system of government, is divided into states and territories. ... In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ... List of Governors of Victoria See Governors of the Australian states for a description and history of the office of Governor. ... List of Premiers of Victoria Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in Victoria. ... A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchical government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. ... John Michael Landy AC MBE, (born April 12, 1930) is a former track athlete and the 26th Governor of Victoria, Australia. ... Steve Bracks (born October 15, 1954), Australian politician of Lebanese descent, has been Premier of Victoria since 1999. ... The Australian Labor Party or ALP is Australias oldest political party. ... ĝMedia:Example. ... By population By area By population density Category: Ranked lists of subnational entities ... Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Gross state product is a measurment of the economic output of a U.S. state or an Australian state. ... Time zones are areas of the Earth that have adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, the basis for civil time, differs by an integral number of seconds from atomic time and a fractional number of seconds from UT1. ... Daylight saving time (also called DST) is the North American term for a system intended to save daylight (the British observe summer time, and likewise the Europeans). ... The Parliament of Australia is the legislative branch of Australia. ... Australian House of Representatives chamber Entrance to the House of Representatives The Australian House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Australia. ... Australian Senate chamber Entrance to the Senate The Australian Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. ... Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... Mount Bogong, located in the Alpine National Park, is the highest mountain in Victoria, Australia. ... ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard. ... Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ... Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ...

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. ... Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ... 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. ... Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales and with a population of over four million people is the most populous city in Australia. ... Portland at dawn The town of Portland (38°20′ S 141°36′ E) is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. ... Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ... John Batman John Batman (21 January 1801 - 5 May 1839) was an Australian farmer and businessman who was one of the first settlers of the Melbourne area. ...

In 1851 gold was discovered at Anderson's Creek near Melbourne, at 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. Victoria grew rapidly in both population and economic power. The colony was granted independence from New South Wales in the same year. General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... Ballarat is the largest inland city in Victoria, Australia, approximately 120 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, with a population of 87,000 people. ... Bendigo (36°45′S 144°16′E) is a regional city in central Victoria (Australia), located in the City of Greater Bendigo. ... The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria in Australia between approximately 1851 and the early 1860s. ...

In 1901 Victoria became a state in the Commonwealth of Australia. Melbourne was the capital of Australia while Canberra was under construction. For other uses, see Canberra (disambiguation). ...

Government

Main article: Government 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. While Queen Elizabeth II is Victoria's head of state, it is in practice a ceremonial role. 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. ... The Westminster System - also called Parliamentary System is a democratic system of government modelled after that of the United Kingdom system, as used in the Palace of Westminster, the location of the British parliament. ... 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...

The Parliament of Victoria consists of the lower house Legislative Assembly, the upper house Legislative Council and the Queen of Australia. Eighty-eight members of the Legislative Assembly are elected to four-year terms from single-member electorates. The Legislative Council consists of 44 members elected to eight-year terms from 22 two-member electorates. Legislative Council elections are staggered so that half the members face election every four years. The Parliament of Victoria is a bicameral 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). ...

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 reserved for the states by the Australian Constitution, such as education, health and law enforcement. List of Premiers of Victoria Before the 1890s there was no formal party system in Victoria. ... A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... 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. ...

The Governor of Victoria has a ceremonial role representing 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. ...

Victoria has a written constitution. Enacted in 1975, but based on the 1855 colonial constitution, it establishes the parliament as the state's supreme law-making body. The Victorian Constitution can be amended by the parliament without voter approval.

From November 2006, Victorian voters will elect members to the upper house under a revamped system. The Legislative Council will consist of 40 seats, with five representatives each elected from eight new multi-member districts. Minor parties are expected to benefit most from the changes.

Politics

The Parliament of Victoria stands in Spring Street in Melbourne. It was built in 1856.

The centre-left Australian Labor Party, centre-right Liberal Party of Australia and rural National Party of Australia are Victoria's major political parties. Traditionally, Labor is strongest in Melbourne's inner, working class and western suburbs. The Liberals' main support lies in Melbourne's more affluent eastern and outer suburbs, and some regional centres. The Nationals are strongest in Victoria's regional and rural areas. The ALP government of Premier Steve Bracks has been in office in Victoria since 1999 and was re-elected in 2002. 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. ... The Australian Labor Party or ALP is Australias oldest political party. ... In politics, the term centre-right is commonly used to describe and denote political parties or organisations that are moderately right-wing. ... The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian liberal conservative political party. ... The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party. ... Steve Bracks (born October 15, 1954), Australian politician of Lebanese descent, has been Premier of Victoria since 1999. ...

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 2004, the ALP has held 19 Victorian house seats, the Liberals 16 and the Nationals two. The Liberals hold six senate seats, the ALP four and the Australian Democrats and Family First Party one each. The Parliament of Australia is the legislative branch of Australia. ... Australian House of Representatives chamber Entrance to the House of Representatives The Australian House of Representatives is one of the two houses (chambers) of the Parliament of Australia. ... Australian Senate chamber Entrance to the Senate The Australian Senate is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia. ... The Australian Democrats (in regular parlance, just the Democrats), is an Australian social liberal party formed in 1977 from the earlier Australia Party by Don Chipp, who left the Liberal Party of Australia to do so. ... The Family First Party is a political party in Australia. ...

Local Government

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. A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ... 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...

People

Melbourne, the state capital, is home to more than 70 % of Victorians.

The 2001 Australian census reported that Victoria had 4,644,950 people, an increase of 6.2 % on the 1996 figure. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that by June 2005 the state's population had reached 5,022,300. A Victorian Government estimate puts the figure at 5,024,529. 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 ageing rapidly. The government predicts that nearly a quarter of Victorians will be aged over 60 by 2021. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2100x1400, 928 KB) Summary The Yarra River flowing past the Royal Botanical Gardens on the left and towards Birrarung Marr on the right on its way through the CBD. Taken with a Canon 5D and 24-105mm F/4L IS lens... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2100x1400, 928 KB) Summary The Yarra River flowing past the Royal Botanical Gardens on the left and towards Birrarung Marr on the right on its way through the CBD. Taken with a Canon 5D and 24-105mm F/4L IS lens... The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is the Australian government agency that collects and publishes statistical information about Australia. ... Anglo-Celtic is a racial or cultural category, used to describe the majority of white Australians. ... World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Nations of 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. ...

More than 70 % of Victorians live in Melbourne, located in the state's south. The sprawling Melbourne metropolitan area is home to an estimated 3,641,254 people. Other important urban centres include Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, 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. Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ... Moorabool St, Geelong Geelong (38°09′S 144°21′E) is the largest regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia and is a major port city of approximately 190,000 people (est. ... Ballarat is the largest inland city in Victoria, Australia, approximately 120 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, with a population of 87,000 people. ... Bendigo (36°45′S 144°16′E) is a regional city in central Victoria (Australia), located in the City of Greater Bendigo. ... Shepparton is a country town located 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. The Indigenous Australians are the first inhabitants of the Australian continent and its nearby islands, continuing their presence during European settlement. ...

Religion

About 65 out of every 100 Victorians describe themselves as Christian. Roman Catholics form the single largest religious group in the state, followed by Anglicans and members of the Uniting Church. Catholics and Protestants in Victoria each form around 30 % of the population. Buddhism, the state's largest non-Christian religion, is also the fastest growing. Victoria is also home to around 93,000 Muslims and 40,000 Jews. Around 17 % of Victorians claim no religion. Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus, the Christ, as recounted 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. ... A replica of an ancient statue of Gautama Buddha, found from Sarnath, near Varanasi. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ...

Education

Primary and Secondary

Victoria's public 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 two years of secondary school are optional for children aged over 16. Victorian children generally begin school at age five. On completing secondary school, students earn the Victorian Certificate of Education. The term public school has different meanings: In Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and most other English-speaking nations, a public school is a school which is financed and run by the government and does not charge tuition fees. ... The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the credential given to students who have completed Year 11 and Year 12 of their secondary schooling, in the state of Victoria, Australia. ...

Victorian schools are either publicly or privately funded. Public schools, also known as state or government schools, are funded and run directly by the Victorian government. Students do not pay tuition fees, but are 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 Roman Catholic Church (commonly known as the Catholic Church) is the Christian Church which is led by the Pope, the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that it is the one holy catholic and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ. ... 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 2004, Victoria had 1,618 public schools, 500 Catholic schools and 206 independent schools. About 530,000 students were enrolled in public schools, and 286,000 in private schools. Nearly two-thirds of private students attend Catholic schools. More than 455,000 students were enrolled in primary schools and just under 367,000 in secondary schools. Retention rates for the final two years of secondary school were 81 % for public school students and 92 % for private school students. Victoria has about 30,834 full-time teachers.

Tertiary

Melbourne University is Victoria's oldest tertiary institution.

Victoria has nine universities. The oldest, 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. 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. 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. 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. ... This is a list of universities and other higher education institutions in Australia. ... The University of Melbourne   The Old Quad Building, formerly Old Law The University of Melbourne, located in Melbourne, Victoria, is the second oldest university in Australia, behind the University of Sydney, and is one of the countrys most prestigious universities. ... Monash University Monash University is Australias largest university with over 55,000 students. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Look up Administration in Wiktionary, the free dictionary The word administration is from the Middle English administracioun, deriving from the French administration, which is itself derived from the Latin administratio: a compounding of ad (to) and ministratio (to give service). In modern usage, the word has particular meanings in particular... Economics (from the Greek οίκος [oikos], house, and νομος [nomos], rule, hence household management) is a social science that studies the production, distribution, trade and consumption of goods and services. ... A precise definition of the arts can be contentious, but the following areas of activity are usually included: Art / Visual arts Architecture Crafts Dance Drawing Film Literature Music Painting Photography Pottery Sculpture Theater Unlike art, design focuses less on the aesthetics of a thing and more on the functionality of... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ... Terms like SOSE (Studies of Society & the Environment) not only refer to social sciences but also studies of the environment. ...

Victoria also has 19 technical or TAFE institutes. 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. 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... A blacksmith is a traditional trade. ...

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 $A222 billion, with a GSP per capita of $A44,443. 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, manufacturing remains Victoria's single largest employer and income producer. ECONOMICS IS COOL CLASS NOTTY-D MASSIVE The most common approach to measuring and understanding GDP is the expenditure method: GDP = consumption + investment + exports − imports Consumption and investment in this equation are the expenditure on final goods and services. ... Gross state product is a measurment of the economic output of a U.S. state or an Australian state. ... Finance studies and addresses the ways in which individuals, businesses and organizations raise, allocate and use monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed in their projects. ... Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of potential financial loss. ... Real estate is a legal term that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Agriculture

Victoria is Australia's leading farming state. 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 km² of Victorian land. This comprises more than 60 % of the state's total land surface. Victorian farms range from small horticultural outfits to largescale livestock and grain productions. A quarter of farmland is used to grow consumable crops. A farmer in Germany working the land in the traditional way, with horse and plough. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ... The word grain has several meanings, most being descriptive of a small piece or particle. ...

More than 26000 km² 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 km² 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. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat (Triticum spp. ... Binomial name Hordeum vulgare L. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is a major food and animal feed crop, a member of the grass family Poaceae. ... Species References ITIS 41455 2002-09-22 Oats are the seeds of any of several cereal grains in the genus Avena. ... 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. ... Binomial name Asparagus officinalis L. Asparagus is the name of a vegetable obtained from one species within the genus Asparagus, specifically the young shoots of Asparagus officinalis. ... Cultivar Group Brassica oleraceaItalica Group 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 Solanaceae, or nightshade, family, grown for its starchy tuber. ... Binomial name Solanumlycopersicum Linnaeus ref. ...

More than 14 million sheep and 5 million lambs graze over 10 % of Victorian farms, mostly in the state's north and west. In 2004, nearly 10 million lambs and sheep were slaughtered for local consumption and export. Victoria also exports live sheep to the Middle East for meat and to the rest of the world for breeding. More than 108,000 tonnes of wool clip was also produced - one-fifth of the Australian total. Species See text. ... 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. ... Wool in a shearing shed Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, AR Wool sheep, Royal Melbourne Show Wool is the fibre derived from the hair of animals of the Caprinae family, principally sheep and goats, but the hair of other mammals...

Victoria is the centre of dairy farming in Australia. It is home to 60 % of Australia's 3 million dairy cattle and produces nearly two-thirds of the nation's milk, almost 6.4 million litres. The state also has 2.4 million beef cattle, with more than 2.2 million cattle and calves slaughtered each year. In 2003-04, Victorian commercial fishing crews and aquaculture industry produced 11,634 tonnes of seafood valued at nearly $A109 million. Blacklipped abalone is the mainstay of the catch, bringing in $A46 million, followed by southern rock lobster worth $A13.7 million. Most abalone and rock lobster is exported to Asia. Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or more properly, an animal husbandry enterprise, raising female cattle for long-term production of milk, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy for processing and eventual retail sale. ... Dairy cattle, generally of the species Bos taurus, are domesticated animals bred to produce large quantities of milk. ... A glass of cows milk Milk most often means the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle (called cows in vernacular usage) are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... Fishing industry is the commercial activity of fishing and producing fish and other seafood products. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ... A piece of abalone shell The outside of an abalone shell The inside surface of an abalone shell The raw meat of abalone Abalone is the American English variant of the Spanish name [Abulón] used for various species of shellfish (mollusks) from the Haliotidae family (genus Haliotis). ... Rock Lobster was the B-52s first single, released in 1978 and placed on the bands self-titled debut album one year later. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Manufacturing

More than 15 out of every 100 Victorian workers are employed in manufacturing industries. Victoria has 318,000 manufacturing workers. The state is marginally behind New South Wales in the value of manufacturing output. Machinery and equipment manufacturing is the state's most valuable activity, followed by food and beverage manufacturing and petroleum, coal and chemical manufacturing. Melbourne is the centre of manufacturing in Victoria. Geelong is the second manufacturing city. Energy production has aided industrial growth in the Latrobe Valley. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Mining

Mining in Victoria contributes around $A3 billion to the gross state product, but employs less than 1 % of workers. The Victorian industry is concentrated on energy producing minerals. Brown coal, petroleum and gas account for nearly 90 % of local production. Oil and gas industries are centred off the coast of Gippsland in the state's east. Crude oil worth more than $A2 billion and natural gas worth nearly $A700 million were the state's most valuable minerals. In 2003-04, offshore gas production increased, while crude oil production continued to decline as reserves dry out. An average 120,000 barrels of oil are produced each day, down from a peak of 450,000 in the mid-1980s. But Victoria still produces nearly a third of Australia's crude oil. The El Chino Mine located near Silver City, New Mexico is an open-pit copper mine This article is about mineral extraction. ... Coal Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by mining. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Petroleum (from Greek petra – rock and elaion – oil or Latin oleum – oil ), crude oil, sometimes colloquially called black gold or Texas Tea, is a thick, dark brown or greenish liquid. ... Natural gas, commonly referred to as gas, is a gaseous fossil fuel consisting primarily of methane. ... Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. ...

Brown coal is Victoria's leading mineral, with 66 million tonnes mined each year for electricity generation in the Latrobe Valley, also in Gippsland. The region is home to world's largest known reserves of brown coal. Despite being the historic centre of Australia's gold rush, Victoria today contributes just 1 % of national gold production. Victoria also produces some gypsum and kaolin. The Latrobe Valley is nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges and the Great Dividing Range in Victoria, Australia. ... The Victorian gold rush was a period in the history of Victoria in Australia between approximately 1851 and the early 1860s. ... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... Gypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. // Chemical structure Gypsum from New South Wales, Australia Heating gypsum above approximately 150°C (302°F) partially dehydrates the mineral by driving off exactly 75% of the water contained in its chemical structure. ... Kaolin Kaolinite (Aluminium Silicate Hydroxide) Kaolinite is a mineral with the chemical composition Al2Si2O5(OH)4. ...

Services

The service industries sector is the fastest growing component of the Victorian economy. It includes the wide range of activities generally classified as community, social and personal services; finances, insurance and property services, government services, transportation and communication, and wholesale and retail trade. Most service industries are located in Melbourne and the state's larger regional centres. As of 2004-05, service industries employed nearly three-quarters of Victorian workers and generated three-quarters of the state's GSP. Finance, insurance and property services, as a group, provide a larger share of GSP than any other economic activity in Victoria. More than a quarter of Victorian workers are employed by the community, social and personal services sector. Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ...

Geology and geography

Main article: Geology of Victoria

Victoria's northern border is the south bank of the Murray River, the river itself being part of New South Wales. It also rests at the southern end of the Great Dividing Range, which stretches along the east coast and terminates west of Ballarat. It is bordered by South Australia to the west. In this space are topographically, geologically and climatically diverse areas ranging from the wet, temperate climate of Gippsland in the southeast to the snow-covered Victorian alpine areas which rise to almost 2000 m (with Mount Bogong the highest peak at 1986 m) and extensive semi-arid plains to the west and north-west. The Australian state of Victoria rests at the southern end of the Great Dividing Range, which stretches along the east coast and terminates near Ballarat. ... The Murray River, or River Murray, is Australias second-longest river in its own right (the longest being its tributary the Darling). ... Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Governor Premier Const. ... The Great Divide runs around the entire eastern and south-eastern edge of Australia The Great Dividing Range (a. ... Ballarat is the largest inland city in Victoria, Australia, approximately 120 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, with a population of 87,000 people. ... Motto: United for the Common Wealth Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Governor Premier Const. ... Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. ... The Australian Alps viewed from Mount Buffalo The Australian Alps is a general term for the highest mountain ranges in south_eastern Australia. ... The metre (Commonwealth English) or meter (American English) (symbol: m) is the SI base unit of length. ... Mount Bogong, located in the Alpine National Park, is the highest mountain in Victoria, Australia. ...

There is an extensive series of river systems in Victoria owing to its relatively high (relative to the rest of Australia) rainfall. Most notable is the Murray River system. Other rivers include: Ovens River, Goulburn River, King River, Campaspe River, Loddon River, Wimmera River, Elgin River, Barwon River, Thomson River, Snowy River, Latrobe River, Yarra River, Maribyrnong River, Mitta River and Kiewa River. The Murray River, or River Murray, is Australias second-longest river in its own right (the longest being its tributary the Darling). ... The Campaspe River is a river in Australia. ... The Loddon River rises near Trentham in the hills north of Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. ... The Barwon River rises in the Otway Ranges of Victoria, Australia, runs through Geelong, where it is joined by the Moorabool River, and enters the sea at Barwon Heads, west of Port Phillip. ... The Snowy River below McKillops Bridge The Snowy River is a major river in south-eastern Australia. ... Melbourne as seen from south-east side along the Yarra River, home of many rowers and active crew teams The Yarra River is a river in southern Victoria (Australia), originally called Birrarung by the Wurundjeri people who occupied the Yarra valley prior to European settlement. ... Maribyrnong river at West Essendon The Maribyrnong River rises about 50 km north of Melbourne Victoria (Australia), near Mount Macedon. ... The Mitta Mitta River is a major tributary of the Murray River in Australia and the source of approximately 40% of the Murrays flow. ... The Kiewa River is a major tributary of the Murray River in Australia and the source of approximately 40% of the Murrays flow. ...

The state symbols include the Pink Heath (state flower), Leadbeater's Possum (state animal) and the Helmeted Honeyeater (state bird). A typical pink heath in flower Pink heath (Epacris impressa or the common heath) is the official state flower of Victoria. ... 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. ...

The state's capital, Melbourne, contains approximately 70% of the state's population and dominates its economy, media, and culture. For other cities and towns, see List of localities (Victoria) and Local Government Areas of Victoria. Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ... This is a list of places in the State of Victoria, Australia. ... 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...

Satellite image of Victoria Western (left) and eastern (right) Victorian cities, towns, settlements and road network Climate Victoria's climate is generally temperate but subject to regional variation. The state's semi-arid north is warmer and drier than the rest of Victoria due to winds blowing from nearby deserts. Victoria's central hill country and mountainous north-east are cooler and wetter. The state's southern coastal region, home to most Victorians, has the state's mildest climate. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2735x1902, 294 KB) Summary Victorian Government - Department of Infrastructure. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2735x1902, 294 KB) Summary Victorian Government - Department of Infrastructure. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2100x1300, 226 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2100x1300, 226 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Highways of western Victoria The Highways in Victoria are the highest density in any state in Australia due to its historical, population and economic reasons. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... Rainfall varies widely throughout the state. Rain is most reliable in the fertile Western District and heaviest in the Victorian Alps. Snow only falls in mountainous areas in the east of the state. Rainfall is lowest in north-west Victoria. The Western District is a region in the south-west corner of Victoria (Australia), extending to Ballarat in the east and as far north as Ararat. ... The Australian Alps viewed from Mount Buffalo The Australian Alps is a general term for the highest mountain ranges in south_eastern Australia. ... The average January maximum temperature is more than 30ºC in the north-west, less than 24ºC on the coast and below 21ºC in the north-east mountains. Average July maximum temperatures range between 12 and 15ºC throughout state, but are cooler in the state's centre. Victoria's highest maximum temperature of 47.2ºC (117.0ºF) was recorded in Mildura on 10 January 1939. The state's lowest minimum temperature of -12.8ºC (9.0ºF) was recorded at Mount Hotham on 13 August 1947 [1]. Mildura is a locality in northwestern Victoria, Australia. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Mount Hotham is a ski resort in Victoria, Australia. ... August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Average January temperatures Victoria's north is always hotter than coastal and mountainous areas. Average July temperatures Victoria's hills and ranges are coolest during winter. Snow also falls there. Average yearly precipitation Victoria's rainfall is concentrated in the mountainous north-east and coast. Image File history File links Victoria_summer. ... Image File history File links Victoria_summer. ... Image File history File links Victoria_winter. ... Image File history File links Victoria_winter. ... Image File history File links Victoria_rainfall. ... Image File history File links Victoria_rainfall. ... Source: Bureau of Meteorology Tourism The Twelve Apostles The Great Ocean Road, just south of Lorne Some major tourist destinations in Victoria include: Ballarat, Beechworth, Bendigo, Buchan Caves, Echuca, Fairy penguins, Geelong, Gippsland Lakes, Gliding, Great Ocean Road, Maldon, Melbourne Casino, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Murray River golf clubs, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Puffing Billy, Skiing in Victoria, Sovereign Hill, The Twelve Apostles. Other popular activities include whale watching, hang-gliding and hot air ballooning. Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia (looking west) Replaces previous image Image:Twelve Apostles. ... Twelve Apostles on the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia (looking west) Replaces previous image Image:Twelve Apostles. ... The Twelve Apostles are a collection of natural limestone stacks standing just off shore in the Port Campbell National Park, on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. ... Great Ocean Road (just south of Lorne) Replaces previous Image:Great Ocean Road 1. ... Great Ocean Road (just south of Lorne) Replaces previous Image:Great Ocean Road 1. ... Great Ocean Road Main Gate at Eastern View The Great Ocean Road stretches along the South Eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Geelong and Warrnambool. ... Ballarat is the largest inland city in Victoria, Australia, approximately 120 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, with a population of 87,000 people. ... Beechworth is a well-preserved historical town located in the north-east of Victoria, Australia, having experienced major growth during the Gold Rush days of the mid-1800s External Links Beechworth tourist profile Categories: Australia geography stubs | Towns in Victoria ... Bendigo (36°45′S 144°16′E) is a regional city in central Victoria (Australia), located in the City of Greater Bendigo. ... Echuca in Victoria (Australia) is a town of about 10,000 people situated on the Murray River (Moama is on the northern side in NSW). ... Binomial name Eudyptula minor (J.R.Forster, 1781) Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor) have several common names. ... Moorabool St, Geelong Geelong (38°09′S 144°21′E) is the largest regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia and is a major port city of approximately 190,000 people (est. ... Gippsland Lakes is a network of lakes, marshes and lagoons in east Gippsland, Victoria, Australia covering an area of about 600 km sq, The largest of the lakes are Lake Wellington, Lake King and Lake Victoria. ... Gliding (or soaring) is a recreational activity and competitive sport where individuals fly un-powered aeroplanes known as gliders or sailplanes. ... Great Ocean Road Main Gate at Eastern View The Great Ocean Road stretches along the South Eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Geelong and Warrnambool. ... Crown Casino and Enertainment Complex is a casino and entertainment precinct on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia. ... The MCG situated in Yarra Park The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is an iconic Australian sporting venue located in Yarra Park in inner Melbourne, home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. ... One of the Puffing Billy steam locomotives. ... Skiing in Victoria, Australia The major ski resorts in Victoria are: Falls Creek Mt Hotham Mt Buller (Each of these resorts have websites: .......) Minor resorts are: Mt Buffalo - run by national parks. ... Sovereign Hill is a popular attraction, depicting Ballarats first ten years after the discovery of gold, in 1851. ... The Twelve Apostles are a collection of natural limestone stacks standing just off shore in the Port Campbell National Park, on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. ... Whale watching off the coast of Bar Harbor, Maine. ... Hang gliding is an air sport. ... Hot air balloons are the oldest successful human flight technology, dating back to the Montgolfier brothers invention in Annonay, France in 1783. ... Culture and sport Australian Rules Football Victoria is the home of Aussie Rules, with 10 of the 16 clubs of the major league (see Australian Football League) based in Victoria, and the traditional Grand Final held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the last Saturday in September. Australian football at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. ... This is a page about the national league in Australian Rules Football. ... The MCG situated in Yarra Park The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is an iconic Australian sporting venue located in Yarra Park in inner Melbourne, home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. ... Surfing Each Easter, Bells Beach hosts the Rip Curl Pro World Championship. Surfing outside Kaneohe Bay, Hawai‘i. ... Bells Beach Bells Beach is an internationally famous surfing beach in Victoria. ... See also Geelong - Second largest city Highways in Victoria History of Victoria List of localities (Victoria) Melbourne - State capital, largest city Parliament of Victoria Politics of Victoria Protected areas of Victoria (Australia) State Cricket Team (Bushrangers) Victorian Certificate of Education Victorian Alps External links Australian Places - a gazetteer of Australian cities, towns and suburbs, many of which are in Victoria Government website Victorian Information and History Official tourism website Public Transport Photos of Victoria - - Nickname: City by the Bay Geography Area: 1,240 km² Coordinates: Time Zone UTC +10:00 Population (2003) 200,067 Among Australian cities: Density: persons/km² Political Mayor: Shane Dowling Governing body: City of Greater Geelong Geelong is a port city of 200,067 people (2003 census) located on Corio... Highways of western Victoria The Highways in Victoria are the highest density in any state in Australia due to its historical, population and economic reasons. ... This article describes the history of Victoria. ... This is a list of places in the State of Victoria, Australia. ... Melbourne is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia (after Sydney), with a population of approximately 3. ... The Parliament of Victoria is a bicameral legislature. ... The Australian state of Victoria has a bicameral parliament. ... Victoria is the smallest mainland state in Australia. ... The Victorian Bushrangers are an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, Victoria. ... The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the credential given to students who have completed Year 11 and Year 12 of their secondary schooling, in the state of Victoria, Australia. ... The Australian Alps viewed from Mount Buffalo The Australian Alps is a general term for the highest mountain ranges in south_eastern Australia. ...   States and territories of Australia States and mainland territories Australian Capital Territory | New South Wales | Northern Territory | Queensland | South Australia | Tasmania | Victoria | Western Australia Jervis Bay Territory External territories Ashmore and Cartier Islands | Australian Antarctic Territory | Christmas Island | Cocos (Keeling) Islands | Coral Sea Islands | Heard Island and McDonald Islands | Norfolk Island