Hopetoun is a town which serves as the major service centre for the Southern Mallee area of Victoria, Australia. Hopetoun is situated 400 kilometres north-west of Melbourne on the Henty Highway in the Shire of Yarriambiack. At the 2006 census, Hopetoun had a population of 589.
History
The town was named after the 7th Earl of Hopetoun, the Governor of Victoria from 1889 to 1895 and later the first Governor-General of Australia. The post office opened on 12 September 1891 when the township was established.
During the early 2009 Australian heatwave, the town experienced several days of intense heat, with a peak of 48.8 °C . The reading was the highest temperature nationwide during the event and also broke the record for highest temperature in Victoria.