Nathalia, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Nathalia is a town in northern Victoria
, Australia
. The town is located within the Shire of Moira Local government area on the banks of Broken Creek
and on the Murray Valley Highway
. At the 2006 census
, Nathalia had a population of 1,431.
Prior to European settlement, the area around Nathalia was occupied by the Yorta Yorta people
. In 1838, Charles Sturt was the first European to explore the area
, following the Murray River
downstream.. The squatter
, W.J Locke established Kotupna station
on the future site of Nathalia in 1843. The station was broken up for closer settlement in 1869. A selector
, Richard Blake took up the townsite in 1875 and established a sawmill and flour mill soon after. Hotels, a post office (opened on 7 September 1878), schools and churches followed and Nathalia was officially gazette
d as a village in 1880. The railway arrived in 1888, allowing local production to increase and a butter factory was established in 1895.
The main industries in Nathalia are dairy farming, cropping and grazing.
Nathalia has both a government high school and primary school as well as a regional Catholic college and a Catholic primary school. There is also a campus of the Glenvale School, an independent primary and secondary school
The town is also well known for quality sporting facilities for its size. Notable sporting clubs in Nathalia include Nathalia Football Club
competing in the Murray Football League
.
Golfers play at the course of the Nathalia Golf Club on Paynes Road.
The annual agricultural show
is held on the first Saturday in October. The Nathalia and Lower Moira Agricultural Pastoral and Horticultural Association held its first agricultural show in 1888, after a prolonged drought in the district. A New Year's Eve
carnival is held every year.
Nathalia is developing its creative arts tourist potential through the Nathalia Living Arts/ Rural Arts Project under the guidance of internationally recognised resident artist William Kelly
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The town is located within the Shire of Moira Local government area on the banks of Broken Creek
Broken Creek
Broken Creek is a creek in northern Victoria, Australia. The creek diverges from Broken River immediately downstream from the former Lake Mokoan near Benalla and flows in a north-west direction. The creek passes through the towns of Numurkah and Nathalia before entering the Murray River upstream...
and on the Murray Valley Highway
Murray Valley Highway
The Murray Valley Highway is a popular tourist route, which follows the south side of the Murray River in Victoria, Australia. The route effectively acts as the northern-most highway in Victoria...
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Nathalia had a population of 1,431.
Prior to European settlement, the area around Nathalia was occupied by the Yorta Yorta people
Yorta Yorta people
The Yorta Yorta people are the Indigenous Australians who traditionally lived around the junction of the Goulburn and Murray Rivers in present-day northeast Victoria....
. In 1838, Charles Sturt was the first European to explore the area
European exploration of Australia
The European exploration of Australia encompasses several waves of seafarers and land explorers. Although Australia is often loosely said to have been discovered by Royal Navy Lieutenant James Cook in 1770, he was merely one of a number of European explorers to have sighted and landed on the...
, following the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
downstream.. The squatter
Squatting (pastoral)
In Australian history, a squatter was one who occupied a large tract of Crown land in order to graze livestock. Initially often having no legal rights to the land, they gained its usage by being the first Europeans in the area....
, W.J Locke established Kotupna station
Station (Australian agriculture)
Station is the term for a large Australian landholding used for livestock production. It corresponds to the North American term ranch or South American estancia...
on the future site of Nathalia in 1843. The station was broken up for closer settlement in 1869. A selector
Selection (Australian history)
Selection referred to "free selection before survey" of crown land in some Australian colonies under land legislation introduced in the 1860s. These acts were similar to the United States Homestead Act and were intended to encourage closer settlement, based on intensive agriculture, such as...
, Richard Blake took up the townsite in 1875 and established a sawmill and flour mill soon after. Hotels, a post office (opened on 7 September 1878), schools and churches followed and Nathalia was officially gazette
Gazette
A gazette is a public journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.In English- and French-speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name Gazette since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers bear the name The Gazette.Gazette is a loanword from the...
d as a village in 1880. The railway arrived in 1888, allowing local production to increase and a butter factory was established in 1895.
The main industries in Nathalia are dairy farming, cropping and grazing.
Nathalia has both a government high school and primary school as well as a regional Catholic college and a Catholic primary school. There is also a campus of the Glenvale School, an independent primary and secondary school
The town is also well known for quality sporting facilities for its size. Notable sporting clubs in Nathalia include Nathalia Football Club
Nathalia Football Club
The Nathalia Football Club, nicknamed the Purples, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Murray Football League.The club is based in the town of Nathalia located in north east Victoria.Nathalia joined the Murray Football League in 1931....
competing in the Murray Football League
Murray Football League
The Murray Football League is an Australian rules football league affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League.The league covers a large area of northern Victoria and southern New South Wales from Shepparton in the south to Deniliquin in the north.It covers much the same area as the...
.
Golfers play at the course of the Nathalia Golf Club on Paynes Road.
The annual agricultural show
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
is held on the first Saturday in October. The Nathalia and Lower Moira Agricultural Pastoral and Horticultural Association held its first agricultural show in 1888, after a prolonged drought in the district. A New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
carnival is held every year.
Nathalia is developing its creative arts tourist potential through the Nathalia Living Arts/ Rural Arts Project under the guidance of internationally recognised resident artist William Kelly
William Kelly (artist)
William Kelly is an American artist, humanist and human-rights advocate. He was born in Buffalo, New York and received his artistic training at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and the National Gallery School in Melbourne, Victoria . He is also a Fulbright Fellow and former Dean of the...