Malmsbury is a town in central Victoria, Australia. It lies on the Old Calder Highway, 96 km north west of Melbourne and 11 km north west of Kyneton. Situated close by the Coliban River, Malmsbury is in the north western area of the Shire of Macedon Ranges local government area.
European settlement began with squatters raising sheep and cattle. Gold was discovered in 1858 and the town became a service centre for diggers travelling to Bendigo and Castlemaine. Malmesbury Post Office opened on 9 November 1854, closed within two months, reopened in 1856, and was renamed Malmsbury around 1896, although the name Malmesbury remains in occasional use.
The Malmsbury area is known for its deposits of bluestone, used in the construction of notable buildings both locally and throughout the state. The town also houses the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre, a custodial centre for young adult males aged 18-21 deemed too vulnerable for adult prison.
Malmsbury has a railway station on the Melbourne to Bendigo railway line. The railway viaduct over the Coliban River, constructed in 1859, is classified “A” by the National Trust. The town’s school uses the viaduct as its emblem. A stretch of the Calder Freeway (M79) bypassing Malmsbury was officially opened on 12 April 2008.
Constructed as part of the nationally significant Melbourne – Mount Alexander and Murray River Railway, the Malmsbury Railway Viaduct is itself an outstanding engineering work.
Constructed of rusticated and finely dressed bluestone, it is the largest masonry bridge in Victoria, and when completed in 1862, it was Australia’s longest stone bridge.
This magnificent bridge has five 18.3 metre spans, is about 25 metres high, and carries two railway tracks over the Coliban River at Malmsbury. It is still one of Australia’s finest early bridges.
