Mortlake is a town in the Western District of Victoria, Australia on the Hamilton Highway, north-east of Warrnambool. It is in the Shire of Moyne local government area and the federal Division of Wannon. At the 2001 census, Mortlake had a population of 941, rising to 996 in 2006, and to 1,073 in 2011. Mortlake is situated at the foot of a dormant volcano, Mount Shadwell, formed 25,000 years ago. It is believed that it last erupted about 5,000 years ago. Self-proclaimed as the Olivine capital of Australia, large ejected rocks from Mt Shadwell are called volcanic bombs. They are often egg shaped because they cooled as they were being thrown through the air. These bombs can contain olivine, a green crystal also known as peridot, the birthstone for August. The town is also known for its bluestone buildings, with several fine examples dating back to the 1850s visible from the Hamilton Highway. History Various groups of Aboriginal Victorians lived in the area before European colonisation and settlement. The area was inhabited by Kirrae, Djab wurrung and Gunditjmara peoples, who built homes in small villages, sometimes using stone in their construction, and lived a settled life. The Mortlake area was probably first surveyed by Major Thomas Livingston Mitchell when he passed through the area in 1836–37. The town is based at the foot of a mount, as are many towns across the volcanic plains. The mount, Mount Shadwell, was named after his friend Major Thomas Henry Shadwell Clerke, and the nearby Hopkins River was named after Major John Paul Hopkins. The first white settlers to arrive in Mortlake were probably David Fisher and his party in 1839, who set up a station which was left under the charge of Thomas Anderson. An influx of settlers initially attracted to the 1850s Victorian gold rush and after their lack of success headed for the rich volcanic soil around Mt Shadwell. Establishment of Mortlake as a settlement occurred in the 1850s and 1860s. The town was formally surveyed in 1853. The Post Office opened 2 February 1859. Many of the original bluestone buildings include those in the Shaw Street Bluestone Precinct, such as the former Mortlake courthouse and the former shire offices. The historic Mill (now privately owned) is located in Mill Street. In the late 1870s, an area of swamp was drained and established as the Mortlake Botanical Gardens, which at its