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Coordinates: 36°22′S 146°19′E / 36.36°S 146.32°E / -36.36; 146.32
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== Transport ==
== Transport ==
The [[Wangaratta railway station, Victoria|station]] is on the main [[railway]] line between [[Sydney]] and [[Melbourne]] and is usually served by [[V/Line]] services between [[Melbourne]] and [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]] as well as a twice daily [[Countrylink]] XPT service in both directions between [[Melbourne]] and [[Sydney]]. Two railway gauges ran in parallel to Melbourne and Albury; the Victorian broad gauge of 1600&nbsp;mm (5' 3") and the standard gauge of 1435&nbsp;mm (4' 8½"). The broad gauge line closed in 2008 and will be converted to standard gauge as part of a track renewal programme. Buses are replacing V/Line services for the duration of the project, while XPT services continue to operate. <ref>[http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/DOI/Internet/Freight.nsf/AllDocs/1D8166BA0058F470CA256E050006A18E?OpenDocument Department of Transport: North East Rail Revitalisation Project</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/28/2402983.htm ABC:Buses replace trains for rail standardisation project]</ref>
The [[Wangaratta railway station, Victoria|station]] is on the main [[railway]] line between [[Sydney]] and [[Melbourne]] and is usually served by [[V/Line]] services between [[Melbourne]] and [[Albury, New South Wales|Albury]] as well as a twice daily [[Countrylink]] XPT service in both directions between [[Melbourne]] and [[Sydney]]. Two railway gauges ran in parallel to Melbourne and Albury; the Victorian broad gauge of 1600&nbsp;mm (5' 3") and the standard gauge of 1435&nbsp;mm (4' 8½"). The broad gauge line closed in 2008 and will be converted to standard gauge as part of a track renewal programme. Buses are replacing V/Line services for the duration of the project, while XPT services continue to operate. <ref>[http://www.transport.vic.gov.au/DOI/Internet/Freight.nsf/AllDocs/1D8166BA0058F470CA256E050006A18E?OpenDocument Department of Transport: North East Rail Revitalisation Project], retrieved 2009-06-18</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/28/2402983.htm ABC:Buses replace trains for rail standardisation project, retrieved 2009-06-18]</ref>


There was a branch line commenced in 1873, running east to [[Beechworth]], reaching the town in September 1876, but this was closed in January 1977. (Larsen, ''MayDay Hills Railway''). Another branch line ran to [[Bright]] until its closure. This has since been converted into a cycling and walking track, known as the [[Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail]]. Another short branch line ran west to a wheat silo located on the north side of the Ovens River at [[Boorhaman]].
There was a branch line commenced in 1873, running east to [[Beechworth]], reaching the town in September 1876, but this was closed in January 1977. (Larsen, ''MayDay Hills Railway''). Another branch line ran to [[Bright]] until its closure. This has since been converted into a cycling and walking track, known as the [[Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail]]. Another short branch line ran west to a wheat silo located on the north side of the Ovens River at [[Boorhaman]].

Revision as of 02:18, 18 June 2009

Wangaratta
Victoria
Aerial view from the south-east, Hume Freeway bypass at bottom, rivers to the right
Population15,683 (2006)[1]
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST)AEST (UTC+11)
Location230 km (143 mi) from Melbourne
LGA(s)Rural City of Wangaratta
CountyMoira, Delatite, Bogong
State electorate(s)Murray Valley
Federal division(s)Indi
Location of Wangaratta in Victoria (red)

Wangaratta (Template:Pron-en[2]) is a cathedral city of about 15,685 people in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, about 230 km (140 mi) from Melbourne along the Hume Highway, with Benalla 45 km (28 mi) to the southwest, and Albury-Wodonga 72 km (45 mi) to the northeast. It is located at the junction of the Ovens and King rivers which flow from the Victorian Alps. It is within the municipality of Rural City of Wangaratta.

History

Gold was found in the surrounding area during the 1850s and this is reflected in the name of a nearby town of Eldorado where the remains of an old dredge can still be seen today. The Post Office in the area opened on 1 February 1843 as Ovens, and moved to the township and was renamed Wangaratta in 1854. The Ovens office, and the Kilmore office which opened the same day, were the fifth and sixth to open in the Port Phillip District and the first two inland offices.[3]

The nearby small town of Glenrowan located some 10 km away is known as the site of the final shootout that led to the capture of Australia's most famous bushranger, Ned Kelly.

Geography and landmarks

Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral
The striking Art deco court house at Wangaratta

The geographical layout of the city is unusual in that the business district is located at the north-eastern extremity of the urban area, with outlying suburbs extending only to the south and west. The reason for this arrangement is that the area beyond the rivers, to the north and east of the business district, was until the 1990s prone to flooding and so unsuitable for building. Levees were constructed in the 1990s to alleviate the flooding, however development in this area has been slow.

Wangaratta is the closest city or town of any size to Falls Creek and Mount Hotham, two of Victoria's three major snowfields.

Notable buildings include the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral and its Cathedral Close, St. Patrick's Catholic Church and the eccentric art déco courthouse.

Industry

There is a considerable wine and gourmet food industry in the nearby Milawa and King Valley region.

Culture and sport

The main annual event is the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz, which has been attended by thousands each year since 1990.

There is one football team in Wangaratta, the Wangaratta City Football Club. Founded in 1951, they compete in the Albury Wodonga Football Association.

There are three Australian rules football clubs in Wangaratta, the Wangaratta Football Club, the Wangaratta Rovers Football Club (both competing in the Ovens and Murray Football League), and the North Wangaratta Football Club, which competes in the Ovens and King Football League. The close proximity of the Rovers and Wangaratta grounds reflects the historical sectarian split in membership of the clubs; Rovers membership being predominantly Catholic and Wangaratta being predominantly Protestant/Anglican.[4][5]

The city hosted several games for the 2005 Australian Football International Cup event, with several countries competing in the sport of Australian rules football. The event was played at the City Oval and Showgrounds and set the attendance records for the tournament to date.

Cricket in Wangaratta is organised by the Wangaratta and District Cricket Association. Clubs include Wangaratta Rovers United, Wangaratta Magpies and City Colts.[6]

Wangaratta has a horse racing club, the Wangaratta Turf Club, which schedules around eleven race meetings a year including the Wangaratta Cup meeting in April. [7]

The Wangaratta Greyhound Racing Club holds regular meetings at the same venue, Avian Park.[8]

Golfers play at the course of the Wangaratta Golf Club on Yarrawonga Road,[9] or at the course of the Jubilee Golf Club at Wangandary nearby. [10] A nine hole course is at Boorhaman to the north of Wangaratta.[11]

Education

Wangaratta has three secondary schools: Galen Catholic College (private), Cathedral College (private) which has two campuses and Wangaratta High School which has three campuses.

The Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE has two Wangaratta campuses. The Docker street campus offers a broad range of courses from business studies to music with a central area containing a cafeteria, library and student services. The Christensen Lane campus on the outskirts of Wangaratta is the home for the National Centre for Equine Education as well as providing courses in horticulture.

Nomenclature

Historically, there was disagreement about whether the first syllable should be pronounced 'Wong' or 'Wang'. The 'Wong' pronunciation was never used by a majority of the population, and never received any wide currency outside the district. It was officially disavowed by the Wangaratta City Council's declaration in favour of the 'Wang' pronunciation in the 1980s. Some locals, particularly the elderly, continue to use the 'Wong' pronunciation.

The city's name may be informally abbreviated to "Wang", analogously to "Shep" (Shepparton), "Yack" (Yackandandah) and "Yarra" (Yarrawonga).

Transport

The station is on the main railway line between Sydney and Melbourne and is usually served by V/Line services between Melbourne and Albury as well as a twice daily Countrylink XPT service in both directions between Melbourne and Sydney. Two railway gauges ran in parallel to Melbourne and Albury; the Victorian broad gauge of 1600 mm (5' 3") and the standard gauge of 1435 mm (4' 8½"). The broad gauge line closed in 2008 and will be converted to standard gauge as part of a track renewal programme. Buses are replacing V/Line services for the duration of the project, while XPT services continue to operate. [12][13]

There was a branch line commenced in 1873, running east to Beechworth, reaching the town in September 1876, but this was closed in January 1977. (Larsen, MayDay Hills Railway). Another branch line ran to Bright until its closure. This has since been converted into a cycling and walking track, known as the Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail. Another short branch line ran west to a wheat silo located on the north side of the Ovens River at Boorhaman.

A second rail branch was a narrow gauge (762 mm, 2' 6") line from Wangaratta to Whitfield constructed during the late 1890s and opened in 1899. The line operated until 1953 and was famous for its special engines imported from Baldwin Locomotive Works in the USA. Some of these 2-6-2T locomotives now operate on the Puffing Billy Railway outside Melbourne.[14] A book, Focus on Victoria's Narrow Gauge, with photos, maps along the line and of Wangaratta station with its dual track gauges was published in 2002[15]

Wangaratta is also serviced by a small regional airport, Wangaratta Airport. A city bus service runs every half an hour during the day on weekdays and on Saturday mornings on a route covering Wangaratta's West End, the business district, Yarrunga and more recently, Yarrawonga Road.

Radio stations

See also: List of Australian radio stations

Famous residents and former residents

Bibliography

  • Larsen, Wal. The Mayday Hills Railway, Wal Larsen, Bright, 1976.
  • O'Callaghan, Bill and Bill Findlay (1984). "Wangaratta, 1959–1984: A Silver City", City of Wangaratta.
  • O'Brien, Antony. Shenanigans on the Ovens Goldfields: the 1859 Election, Artillery Publishing, 2005.
  • Oberg, Leon. Railways of Australia, Reed, Sydney, 1975.
  • Thompson, John E. Focus on Victoria's Narrow Gauge Whitfield Line, Puffing Billy Society, Belgrave, 2002.
  • "Wangaratta: Capital of North Eastern Victoria", (1927) Committee of the Back to Wangaratta Celebrations.
  • Whittaker, D. M. (1963). "Wangaratta: Being the History of the Township that sprang up at Ovens Crossing and grew into a modern City", Wangaratta City Council.
  • Why Wangaratta, and Moments in Jazz (books on the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues).

References

  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Wangaratta (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2007-10-01.
  2. ^ Macquarie ABC Dictionary. The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. 2003. p. 1111. ISBN 0 876429 37 2. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  3. ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 2008-04-11
  4. ^ Strevens, Steve (2004). Bob Rose: a Dignified Life. Allen & Unwin. p. 111. ISBN 1741144655. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  5. ^ Daffey, Paul (2006-12-22). "The History of the Wangaratta Rovers FNC". Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  6. ^ "Wangaratta and District Cricket Association". Retrieved 2009-05-11.
  7. ^ Country Racing Victoria, Wangaratta Turf Club, retrieved 2009-05-07
  8. ^ Greyhound Racing Victoria, Wangaratta, retrieved 2009-04-15
  9. ^ Golf Select, Wangaratta, retrieved 2009-05-11
  10. ^ Golf Select, Jubilee, retrieved 2009-05-11
  11. ^ Golf Select, Boorhaman, retrieved 2009-05-11
  12. ^ Department of Transport: North East Rail Revitalisation Project, retrieved 2009-06-18
  13. ^ ABC:Buses replace trains for rail standardisation project, retrieved 2009-06-18
  14. ^ (Oberg, pp.90-91)
  15. ^ John E. Thompson,Focus on Victoria's Narrow Gauge Whitfield Line, Puffing Billy Society, Belgrave, 2002.

Maps

  • Dept of Minerals and Energy, Wangaratta, 8125, 1:100,000 (1971)(shows the district as it was in the 1960s with railways and before major sub-division redevelopments)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wangaratta, Victoria.

36°22′S 146°19′E / 36.36°S 146.32°E / -36.36; 146.32

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