Population:

8,500 +

Located 166km north west of Melbourne, Maryborough is a small city of over 8,500 people. Once a gold mining town, Maryborough is now a thriving industrial centre. The first Europeans were the Simson brothers who arrived in 1840 and set up a sheep station. Initially it was named "Charlotte Plains" after one of the brothers wives. The first settlement on the run was named Carisbrook.

Prospectors arrived to the town amidst the gold rush of 1851. A survey took place in 1854 and a police camp, methodist church and canvas hospital were set up. Initially the settlement was known as "Simson's" but was later named Maryborough by the gold commissioner John Daly after his birthplace in Ireland. Also established in 1854 was the Maryborough Advertiser, one of the state's longest running newpapers.

Maryborough became a borough in 1857 and the railway arrived in 1874. By 1875, Maryborough was a municipality.

1918 saw the close of the last gold mine in Maryborough, but by the 1920's the municipality had developed a strong manufacturing base. The Maryborough Knitting Mill opened in 1924 closely followed by a printery and several engineering enterprises. By 1961, Maryborough was a city and to present is one of the country's most industrialised regional locations.

Recent years have seen the emergence of the RACV Energy Breakthrough. First run in 1991, the Energy Breakthrough has become a drawcard for the city. From the first event run in 1991 which saw 33 entrants from 21 schools the Breakthrough now attracts more than 120 entries and caters for more than 3000 participants.