Tarilta is a rural locality and former gold-mining town 12 km south of Castlemaine, 4 km north-west of Guildford and 3 km north-east of Vaughan. The last gold mining activity took place around the 1880s. It was originally Kangaroo Flat, being located where the Kangaroo Creek enters the Loddon River. It was surveyed and named in 1864. Gold was discovered at Tarilta in 1853. The Tarilta School was opened in 1860 in a Wesleyan chapel, and closed i n1925. In 1864 a township was surveyed and named Tarilta, the word being derived from an Aboriginal expression thought to mean kangaroo. In 1865 Bailliere’s Victorian gazetteer described Tarilta as being an alluvial and quartz gold-mining town with three quartz-crushing mills, three horse-puddling machines and two hotels. The elevated nature of the land around Tarilta made it accessible only by horse and dray, or on horseback. Colour photograph of Tarilta in Central Victoria. tarilta, central victoria, landcape

Colour photograph of Tarilta, Victoria.tarilta

Colour photograph of Tarilta, Victoria.tarilta

Colour photo Tarilta, Victoria.tarilta

Colour photograph of Tarilta, Victoria.tarilta

Colour photograph of Tarilta, Victoria.tarilta

Colour photograph of the bridge between Vaughan and Tarilta. It has been closed to traffic.vaughan, tarilta, bridge, river

Colour photograph of the bridge between Vaughan and Tarilta. It has been closed to traffic.vaughan, tarilta, bridge, river

Colour photograph of the bridge between Vaughan and Tarilta. It has been closed to traffic.vaughan, tarilta, bridge, river

Colour photograph of the bridge between Vaughan and Tarilta. It has been closed to traffic.vaughan, tarilta, bridge, river

Colour photograph of the bridge between Vaughan and Tarilta. It has been closed to traffic.vaughan, tarilta, bridge, river

Colour photograph of the bridge between Vaughan and Tarilta. It has been closed to traffic.vaughan, tarilta, bridge, river

Colour photograph of the bridge between Vaughan and Tarilta. It has been closed to traffic.vaughan, tarilta, bridge, river

Emma Mercer was born in 1870 and lived at Spring Vale (now Pittong) at the Mercer property "The Pines". Emma worked as a teacher and head teacher at several schools, including Mortchup, Chepstowe, Kiata and Tarilta. In 1916, after she had retired from teaching, she married James Brown, a widower, one of a large farming family at Chepstowe. They had no children. James' brother David was married to Emma's sister Elizabeth (Bessie), and after James Brown died in 1931, Emma moved to live near her sister at Pittong. Emma Brown died in 1954. Emma and her sister Bessie were very involved with the war effort during World War I, and after the war they were presented with certificates of appreciation by the Linton "Diggers". (Copies of certificates in the LDHS collection.)Black and white copy of a studio portrait showing a lady standing behind a wooden gate. She is wearing a white high collared blouse with brooch and pendant, and a dark coloured jacket and long skirt. (nee Mercer)"Emma Brown nee Mercer"emma brown née emma mercer

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