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In 1855 the name was shortened to Rochester, nine years later the railway line from Bendigo to Echuca was opened through the town, and the year after that a school was opened for the district\u2019s settlers.<\/p>\n
The Rochester district was part of the Echuca Shire (1871) which extended eastwards to Yarrawonga.<\/p>\n
Within 15 years a series of severances reduced Echuca Shire to an area which became Rochester Shire in 1909.<\/p>\n
As Echuca borough was a separate entity, Rochester became the shire\u2019s administrative centre by 1880.<\/p>\n
The township moved from east of the river to develop around the railway station on the other side.<\/p>\n
It had Presbyterian and Bible Christian churches, the shire hall, a flour mill, bank branches, several hotels and an array of shops.<\/p>\n
In 1893 the Rochester Waterworks Trust was formed to draw irrigation water from the Campaspe River.<\/p>\n
Between 1910 and World War Two Rochester\u2019s population was about 1500 people.<\/p>\n
It became a district centre for the irrigation area to its west, notwithstanding the growth of Lockington.<\/p>\n
A municipal saleyard was opened in 1911, a new bridge was built over the Campaspe River in 1915, the Strand picture theatre was opened in 1918 and Rochester\u2019s football team became a force in the Bendigo League after joining in 1915.<\/p>\n
In 1943 the Advance Rochester and District Association was formed, bringing a Housing Commission estate and a War Memorial hospital in 1952.<\/p>\n
The Returned Services League had opened a memorial hall in 1920, and in 1952 it acquired a two-storey mansion, Burneway House, for a war veterans\u2019 home.<\/p>\n
Rochester has a sports museum dedicated in part to endurance cyclist Sir Hubert Opperman who was born in the district.<\/p>\n
CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Rochester is 50-59 years with households being primarily childless couples and are likely to be repaying $1000 – $1399 per month on mortgages.<\/p>\n
In general, people in Rochester work in a managerial occupation.<\/p>\n
In 2011, 77.5 per cent of the homes in Rochester were owner-occupied compared with 76.3 per cent in 2016.<\/p>\n
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