Wangoom is a town in the Western District of Victoria, 255 kilometres from the regional centre of Warrnambool. The population at the 2006 census was 378.
After European settlement of the area in the 1840s mixed farming was conducted by many landowners and leasees until the introduction of the milking machine followed by a period where most farms derived a large proportion of their income from dairying. Since 1970 most of the smaller dairies have ceased operating and the few remaining farms are considerably larger in size often using land previously used by smaller dairy farms.
Facilities
Wangoom hosts a general store and post office (first registered in 1877) which provides a range of services including Tea Rooms. Also located in the main thoroughfare is a memorial town hall, two tennis courts, CFA Fire Station and a disused milk depot.
The Wangoom Recreation Reserve (c1921) is the home of the Wangoom Cricket Club which has three senior and two junior teams competing in the Grassmere Cricket Association.. The reserve is also used by the Warrnambool Cyclist Club. The reserve was formally the home of the Wangoom Football and Women's Basketball Clubs both now in recess.
The Hopkins Falls at Wangoom is a popular tourist attraction and a site to be seen particularly when heavy inflows occur and torrents of water and foam roar over the falls. The Crawley (formally Hopkins Falls ) Bridge which crosses the Hopkins River above the falls at 304 feet (93 m) in length and containing six spans was completed in 1938. The Bridge was renamed in 1962 to honour the service to the Warrnambool Shire by members of the Crawley family.
The Wangoom Uniting Church (formally Presbyterian) on Hughs Road continues to conduct regular services. The Wangoom Methodist Church (formally Wesleyan) closed in 1963. This church was located on the corner of Wangoom and St Marys Roads. After the church was closed in 1963 the building was relocated to Simpson to be used as a Sunday School.
History
Family names that have long associations with Wangoom over the period 1852 to 2011 include Adams, Crothers, Melican, Lee, Flett, Giles, Rea, O'Keefe, Trigg, Dixon, Wright, Mahood, Wickham, Glasgow, Henderson and Bell.
Lake Wangoom was a popular attraction for locals and visitors alike to conduct activities such as fishing and boating in the early days of white settlement however at the turn of the 20th century the lake dried out naturally and could no longer be relied upon as a regular water course. The lake land was sold to adjoining landholders and a pumping station set up to drain water from the lake to the nearby Hopkins River. There is no current public access to the 'lake'.
The Wangoom State School (formally National School) operated from 1852 till its closure in 1992. The school building remains on site while the school house was sold and removed to Lake Gillear. The school grounds are now used as a 'Laser Strike' Venue.
From 1933 to 1948, the Warrnambool Plumpton Coursing Club held Field Coursing events at the Wangoom Enclosure located off St.Mary's Road. During this period,the club held many of the states major classic events including the Victorian Oaks and Derby and the St. Leger stakes.