Ararat was founded in 1839 as the centre of an agricultural community. The town is near the Grampian Mountains and 203 km west of Melbourne. The first settler, Horatio S. Wills, arrived around 1841 and named Mt. Ararat when he wrote in his journal: ' like the Ark, we rested there'. In May 1857, the big Ararat rush began when a rich alluvial deposit was found at Canton Lead. At the height of the Canton boom Ararat's population soared to 20,000 and water cost sixpence a bucket. During the gold rush it was the site of what was known as the Canton Affair, where Chinese who discovered rich deposits were driven off by white miners. Ararat has the Langi Morgala Museum - the name is Aboriginal for 'home of yesterday'.

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1859
RENTON Anna Maria Parents: John Renton & Mary Leteshie Griffin

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1861
RENTON John Henry Parents: John Renton & Mary Leteshie Griffin

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1863
RENTON Robert Parents: John Renton & Mary Leteshie Griffin

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1865
RENTON Agnes Parents: John Renton & Mary Leteshie Griffin

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