Originally called Queenstown, the area was surveyed in 1858 and proclaimed a town on 25 February 1861. Located between Panton Hill and Kinglake, by 1865 it was also known as St Andrews, and the presence of large numbers of Scottish miners gave rise to the town being called both ‘Caledonia’ and ‘St Andrews’. It experienced population growth during the
Victorian gold rush, when
prospectors mined the hills around the town. St Andrews was the earliest goldfield in the area and by 1855 there were 3000 miners. Its progression toward the town centre was halted by a southerly wind change, which saved the rest of the town, but drove the fire front further east, destroying the towns of
Kinglake and
Marysville. == Facilities ==