Nhill is a town in the Wimmera, in western Victoria, Australia. Nhill is located on the Western Highway, halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne. At the , Nhill had a

population of 1,949. or "white mist rising from the water".

Nhill is the administrative headquarters for Shire of Hindmarsh and residents are mainly employed in either farming or food processing, most notably in grain and fowl.

The town is home to a community of Karen people,<!-- this article previously - pre-August 2013 - said there was a "large community of Karen people" but 2011 census records 34 people from Burma - 1.5% of population, therefore not "large"; maybe significant? --> the first of whom came to Australia as refugees, and who settled in Nhill in the early 2010s to work at the Luv-a-Duck food processing facility. In 2012, there were over 100 Karen residents in Nhill.

thumb|War memorial and park in the middle of the [[Western Highway (Victoria)|Western Highway as it passes through Nhill, November 2010]]

History

The formally recognised traditional owners for the area in which Nhill sits are the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagik Nations. These Nations are represented by the Barengi Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.

The area has been home to the Aboriginal people for thousands of years and was first visited by Europeans in 1845. The famous Aboriginal tracker and cricketer, Dick-a-Dick, later claimed to have been present at the first meeting between the Wotjobaluk and Europeans.

Cobb and Co coaches serviced Nhill from 1883.

Nhill was the first Victorian town after the state capital, Melbourne, to be supplied with electricity. Electric lighting was installed by 1892.

thumb|Post Office

Climate

Nhill has a temperate semi-arid climate bordering on an oceanic climate (Köppen: BSk), with very warm, dry summers and cool, slightly wetter winters. Average maxima vary from in January to in July while average minima fluctuate between in February and in July. Mean average annual precipitation is low , and is spread between 101.8 precipitation days. There are 90.5 clear days and 119.7 cloudy days annually. Extreme temperatures have ranged from on 13 January 1939 to on 16 August 1905.

Demographics

As of the 2016 census, 1,749 people resided in Nhill. The median age of persons in Nhill was 48 years. Children aged 0–14 years made up 14.5% of the population. Included in its displays of rare pinball related artwork and memorabilia is the largest selection of pinball machines available to play in Australia.

Sport

Nhill has an Australian Rules football and netball club, with multiple teams competing in the Wimmera Football League. Nhill is also the base of the Cricket competition known as the West Wimmera Cricket Association. Nhill & District Sporting Club which includes football, netball, hockey and cricket.

Also it has a Tennis Club and Pony Club. Nhill has a golf course at the Nhill Golf Club on Netherby Road.

Nhill was the birthplace of Masters Australian football (a.k.a. "Superules").

The horse racing club, the Wimmera Racing Club, holds the Nhill Cup meeting on Boxing Day (26 December).

The Nhill RSL Gift was a sprint race run over 130 yards was established in 1938 and initially won by Tim Bolton. Jim Williams from Western Australia won the 1939 Gift race.

Notable people

The indigenous cricketer Dick-a-Dick was born near Nhill about 1834.

Nhill is the hometown of former Australian rules football player Jason McCartney, who suffered severe injuries during the 2002 Bali terrorist bombing, and later recovered enough to make a comeback to the sport.

Nhill is the birthplace of Janet Powell, leader of the Australian Democrats between 1990 and 1991, and Senator for Victoria between 1986 and 1993.

Nhill is the birthplace of David Leyonhjelm, former NSW senator of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Former Essendon footballers David Flood and Dean Wallis are from Nhill.

Former National Soccer League defender Manny Gelagotis, who played over 100 NSL matches for the Gippsland Falcons, was also born in Nhill.

Nhill is the hometown of Lucy Stephan, a rower who has represented Australia, winning a bronze medal in the Women's Four event at the 2013 Rowing World Championships in Korea and won Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Women's Coxless Four.

Other references

Two feature films have been made that centrally involve driving to Nhill - 1985's Wrong World and 1997's Road to Nhill.

The name Nhill has been used for a crater on the planet Mars. The name was adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 1991, commemorating a "Town in Victoria, Australia".

References

  • Nhill College Website