Abbreviation: VIC
Capital city: Melbourne
Borders: New South Wales, South Australia
License plate motto: The Garden State; On The Move
Nickname of inhabitants: Mexicans
The second smallest State of Australia, Victoria (2003 population: 4,947,985) has an area of 227,620 km2. Notwithstanding its size, agricultural production in this State is second only to that of New South Wales.
Melbourne, the State capital, is located on the northern end of Port Phillip Bay near the mouth of the Yarra River. Other major cities include Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Mildura, Wangaratta and the border twin cities of Albury-Wodonga. Its industries include chemical and metal processing, textiles, paper products and printing. The Port of Melbourne, which has bulk and container-handling facilities, is the largest port and is used by coastal and overseas shipping. Brown coal is obtained from deposits at Morwell and Yallourn in the Latrobe Valley, and produces the highest yields of this fuel in the country. Wool, dairy products, beef, pig meat, poultry and honey are significant rural products.
James Cook was the first British navigator to sight the Victorian coast, when he began his examination of the eastern coast of Australia at Point Hicks. The Henty family formed a pastoral settlement on the shores of Portland Bay in 1834 and in the following year, John Batman explored Port Phillip and obtained about 234,000 ha from the Aborigines. In 1836, John Fawkner established the first permanent settlement on the banks of the Yarra River. Within two years, most of the Western District was occupied by graziers and sheep flock that numbered 310,000.
From 1901 - 1927, Melbourne was the nation's capital, before the purpose-built city of Canberra was constructed. In 1956, it also hosted what was known as the last 'honest' Olympic games, before commercialism started to rear its head.