Hepburn held under Government licence about 20,000 acres (80 km2) for his sheep and cattle run which he drove overland from Sydney.

[2] Smeaton House itself, remains a large and grand reminder of the power and wealth of the few members of the then ruling squattocracy of colonial pre-gold rush Victoria with its grand servants wings and family accommodation and remains in private hands.

Hepburn became a very high-profile figure in the district, promoted gold mines and became a Justice of the Peace before he died in 1860.

Now only the Smeaton Hotel, known as The Cumberland remains of the shopping area providing locals and travellers alike a cold drink, and a warm meal.

The local Primary School which opened in 1861, succumbed to dwindling student numbers and closed at the end of the 2013 school year in December [6] Smeaton is now home to two large seed and grain processors, one of which is a very large exporter of value added pulses, grains and seeds and is currently building a new oat mill to process an additional 60,000 tonne of oats a year.