Picola, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Picola is a town in northern Victoria
, Australia
. The town is located in the Shire of Moira Local Government Area, 246 kilometres (153 mi) from the state capital, Melbourne
. At the 2006 census
, Picola had a population of 754.
Picola Post Office opened on 24 August 1878 and closed in late 2010. The Australia Post outlet was for a short time taken over by the Picola Hotel, until early 2011. The hotel remains a community postal agent.
The picola hotel offers a variety of services, from meals and functions, weekly raffles, and is now the local milk bar, community postal agent and Vline ticket agent.
The town was once a railhead
for loading of wheat, livestock and timber from the nearby Barmah National Park
.
Today the Picola district is an irrigated, mixed farming area. It is serviced by two return V-Line coach services on weekdays, both connecting with train services to Melbourne Southern Cross in Shepparton, a 45 min drive away. This service originates in Barmah (see V-Line website or contact the Picola hotel (03)58691207 for timetables)
The town hosts a popular old time dance once a month throughout the year, in its public hall. The dance features local bands and musicians who provide a great social evening for families and friends. The program includes a range of more structured dances as well as fun dances and a fox trot monte carlo. There is also special themed dances around Easter and Christmas times. The hall itself has an interesting history, after originally being built over a hundred years ago it has burnt down twice, meaning the current hall is the third hall the town has had, rebuilt by a hardworking local community.
The town is home to Picola United Football Club
competing in the Picola & District Football League
and the Picola Bowls Club competing in the Murray Bowls Association.
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 in the Shire of Moira Local Government Area, 246 kilometres (153 mi) from the state capital, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. 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,...
, Picola had a population of 754.
Picola Post Office opened on 24 August 1878 and closed in late 2010. The Australia Post outlet was for a short time taken over by the Picola Hotel, until early 2011. The hotel remains a community postal agent.
The picola hotel offers a variety of services, from meals and functions, weekly raffles, and is now the local milk bar, community postal agent and Vline ticket agent.
The town was once a railhead
Railhead
The word railhead is a railway term with two distinct meanings, depending upon its context.Sometimes, particularly in the context of modern freight terminals, the word is used to denote a terminus of a railway line, especially if the line is not yet finished, or if the terminus interfaces with...
for loading of wheat, livestock and timber from the nearby Barmah National Park
Barmah National Park
Barmah National Park is a national park in Victoria, Australia. The park is located on the Murray River near the town of Barmah. The park was one of four established by the State Government of Victoria in 2009, ostensibly in response to increased pressure on remnant River Red Gum forest...
.
Today the Picola district is an irrigated, mixed farming area. It is serviced by two return V-Line coach services on weekdays, both connecting with train services to Melbourne Southern Cross in Shepparton, a 45 min drive away. This service originates in Barmah (see V-Line website or contact the Picola hotel (03)58691207 for timetables)
The town hosts a popular old time dance once a month throughout the year, in its public hall. The dance features local bands and musicians who provide a great social evening for families and friends. The program includes a range of more structured dances as well as fun dances and a fox trot monte carlo. There is also special themed dances around Easter and Christmas times. The hall itself has an interesting history, after originally being built over a hundred years ago it has burnt down twice, meaning the current hall is the third hall the town has had, rebuilt by a hardworking local community.
The town is home to Picola United Football Club
Picola United Football Club
The Picola United Football Club, nicknamed the Blues, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Picola & District Football League...
competing in the Picola & District Football League
Picola & District Football League
The Picola & District Football Netball 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 Jerilderie in the north and consists of teams...
and the Picola Bowls Club competing in the Murray Bowls Association.