Victoria (state)

**Victoria** is a state in Australia, in the south-east corner of the country. Its capital, largest and most-populated city is Melbourne. Geelong is Victoria's second biggest city, Ballarat is the third and Bendigo the fourth.

At the end of 2015 Victoria's  population was an estimated 5,996,400. After British settlement in Australia in 1788, it was called the Port Phillip District of New South Wales. In 1851, it became an independent colony. It was named after Queen Victoria. In 1901 it became a state in Australia.
The coldest temperature recorded in Victoria was -11.7&nbsp;°C at Omeo, on 15 June, 1965. Most of the plains were formed about six million years ago. There are about 400 volcanoes on the plains.

It is unknown exactly when humans settled in Victoria. A site near Keilor has evidence of Australian Aborigines living near on the Maribyrnong River more than 31,000 years ago. Victoria was one of the most populated areas of Australia. In the rivers, creeks and wetlands the Aboriginals had built large fish traps to catch both fish and eels. In the Yarra River wetlands, some of these traps had stone walls about  high. They had come from England to set up a colony because the British government was worried that the French may try to claim the area. However they were unable to find water and gave up the settlement within six weeks. They went further south and began the settlement of Hobart, Tasmania. While at Sorrento, a convict named William Buckley escaped. He lived with Aboriginal tribes until meeting with Europeans again when Melbourne was settled in 1835. On 12 December 1826, Captain Samuel Wright, Lieutenant Burchill, explorer William Hovell and 21 convicts tried to start a settlement near Corinella, on Westernport Bay. This was also unsuccessful and the group went back to Sydney on 19 February 1828.

Although the two official attempts to settle in Victoria had failed, there were a number of unofficial settlements along the coast. From 1820 small groups of people lived at various places along the south coast, including Phillip Island. and made a treaty. Under this treaty the Aboriginals agreed to allow Batman to use their land for his sheep. In return, they could continue to stay on the land, they would be provided with food and goods, and they would receive protection from other Europeans. On 26 August 1835, the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Richard Bourke, said the treaty was against the law. The land belonged to the crown, and did not belong to the Aboriginals.

At the end of 1835, the British government changed its policy on settlement in eastern Australia. People were allowed to use large areas of the country for sheep farming. If people paid a £10 fee, they could settle wherever they liked. These farmers became known as "squatters", as they "sat" on the land, which they did not own. The effect of this new policy meant that between 1835 and 1838, more land was settled than had been since 1788. It has been described as the fastest land occupation in history.

### Gold
Gold was found in Victoria at Clunes on 28 June 1851. With further discoveries at Ballarat, Bendigo and Castlemaine there was a huge increase in the population as people came from all around the world.

## References 
## Other websites 
* Postcode Tool - Victoria