Donald is a small town of about 1700 people. It is largely a service centre for the agricultural industry that is carried on the plains which surround it.

The town has a well equipped hospital as well as an outstanding elderly citizens complex; 3 schools - two primary and one secondary, a dentist and two doctors. The town boasts excellent sporting facilities for a wide variety of sports, and has numerous clubs ranging from service clubs, a theatrical group, book clubs, sports clubs and youth oriented clubs.

Donald is probably best known through Victoria for Lake Buloke and the ducks it attracts, but the Donald and District has a number of places of interest that visitors like to to see. Three of the better known examples are the Bullock's Head, Lake Buloke, and the Old Train.

Places of Interest to Visitors

 

Lake Buloke is found along the Borung Highway just a little way outside Donald. It is a large wetland area that is filled by the flood waters of the Richardson River. Its size can be very large or relatively small - depending upon where the level of flooding. The Lake is well known in Victoria because of the publicity it receives when the duck hunting season opens - since it is very popular with a large number of hunters. It is, however, a very beautiful area that is home to a large variety of water birds. In fact at the end nearest the township there is a large wetlands bird sanctuary. In the right time of the year the lake can provide fishermen with large quantities of delicious "yabbies" (a fresh water crustacean), and if there is sufficient water, an abundance of fish.

The Train is found in a small park on the Borung Highway, opposite the Primary School. For a long time Donald was a very large rail centre where trains refueled and drivers changed over on the long trip between Melbourne and Mildura. At one stage at least 60 families in the town were dependent on the railways for employment. To recognize the importance of rail to Donald, a steam locomotive was placed in a park near the railway yards for the enjoyment of the public. Many local children visit the train and play on it, while travelers passing through find it a great place to stop for a breather and let the children climb over it.

The Bullock's Head is found at the end of Byrne Street and is a natural, but unusual piece of growth on a gum tree by the river. The tree is very old, but the feature was only "rediscovered" a relatively short time ago when and old, visiting, ex-resident told some locals of its existence. The area around the tree has been cleared and a look-out fence and signs erected. The growth, as you will have guessed, has an uncannily similar appearance to a bulls head. The locals jokingly use it as a measure of the floods when the river rises - if it is not too big a rise, the bullock is getting its feet wet; at high water levels it is said to be taking a drink; and at even higher levels it is said to be swimming. The Bullocks Head has became a symbol many things around the small town of Donald, including emblem of the Donald Primary School, for example.

The train is an old J524 class steam locomotive and was built by Thompson Bros. Foundry in Castlemaine. Further developments are already underway to extend the park into open display of carraiges, trains and railway machinery that the public will be able to board and examine. A new "adventure" playground and bar-b-que have also been added to the park recently.

Donald District Donald High Home