MARYBOUROUGH Maryborough is a bustling, busy large town (city), not far from either Ballarat or Bendigo. Maryborough though is a standalone successful and vibrant commercial destination. The narrow streets add to this busyness. Maryborough as is the case with a number of towns in the region owes its beginnings to the gold rush era. The first Europeans to settle were the Simson brothers, who established a sheep station, known as Charlotte Plains, in 1840. Gold was discovered at White Hill, 4 kilometres north of Maryborough, in 1854, leading to prospectors rushing to the area. At its peak, Maryborough had a population of up to 50,000. The settlement was originally known as Simsons, but later changed to Maryborough by the gold commissioner James Daly, after his Irish birthplace. One of Victoria's earliest newspapers, The Maryborough Advertiser, was established in 1854. Land sales commenced in 1856, and Maryborough became the administrative and commercial centre of the area. The town became a borough in 1857. The last gold mine in Maryborough closed in 1918. In 1924 the Maryborough Knitting Mills opened, which established the town as a centre for the wool industry. Maryborough became a city in 1961. The Churches in Maryborough are all old and century plus buildings. A number of grand buildings are currently not in use. The hotels in Maryborough are well spread and active entities. There is no specific museum, but an active society and Flower Mill The Maryborough War Memorials are near the PO. Maryborough is a great and active location and stop over at a minimum is essential to get the most out of the town and community.