[4] Major Thomas Mitchell, New South Wales Surveyor-General crossed and named the Campaspe River near present-day Kyneton on his 1836 expedition.
[6] In June 1838 the Waterloo Plains massacre of 8 - 23 Djadjawurrung people occurred on the newly established Barfold sheep run north of Kyneton.
At this time, Kyneton was a growing rural centre, and served as a major stop for those heading to the gold rushes at Mount Alexander and Bendigo.
[9] In November 1857, the humanitarian Caroline Chisholm moved her family to Kyneton, where her husband Archibald sat on the magistrates' bench and their two elder sons ran a store.
Kyneton Mounted Rifle Corps was formed in 1859, as one of the volunteer brigades set up when Britain was involved in wars in Afghanistan, Crimea and India.
Although the individual volunteer units had been disbanded by Federation (1901), many members became part of the 4th and 12th regiments of Light Horse at the Battle of Beersheba (1917) against Turkish troops of the Ottoman Empire.
[1] [3]Kyneton's main locally produced newspaper is the Midland Express, which also serves the surrounding region.
The town receives television from Mount Alexander, and is served by a community radio station, 100.7 Highlands FM, based in Woodend.
Kyneton offers tourists several points of interest locally including the Botanic Gardens (established in the mid-1800s[15]) and several walks along the Campaspe River.
The township also serves as a starting point for many nearby destinations, such as Trentham Falls and Hanging Rock in Newham.
Being located well away from any heavily populated areas and their inherent light pollution, Kyneton is also a destination for astronomers seeking a clear view of the Southern Hemisphere night skies due to relatively low light pollution levels as opposed to Australian cities.
[citation needed] Kyneton, with the beauty in the changing seasons and enthusiastic cafe culture, is a hub for artists and crafts people.
Kyneton is centrally located among several outlying towns and serves as an educational hub for primary and secondary students.