Sea Lake, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Sea Lake is a town in the Mallee district
of north-west Victoria
, Australia
and is situated on the southern shores of Lake Tyrrell
. The town is located on the Calder Highway
, 351 kilometres (218 mi) north-west of Melbourne
, and 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of Swan Hill. Sea Lake is in the heart of Australia's "wheat belt", and is the main township for a number of wheat farms in the region. At the 2006 census
, Sea Lake had a population of 634.
, from the Port Phillip area. Purportedly, the sea-like appearance of Lake Tyrrell
inspired Eyre. An alternative version of the naming of Sea Lake comes from a surveyors report of the time when planning the township (which lies to the south of Lake Tyrrell). It is purported that a surveyor mistook a mark on hand drawings "see lake" which had been used by the author of the drawings to mark a landmark.
Lake Tyrrell is the largest salt lake
in Victoria, covering approximately 70 square mile. Much of the time, Lake Tyrrell is dry. However, the lake is occasionally fed by Tyrrell Creek. There is a salt extraction plant located in Sea Lake, processing the lake's salt deposits.
A community was established after the arrival of the railway in 1893. The post office opened on October 2, 1895.
Sea Lake has a rich grain farming history and one of the first recorded stations in the area is Tyrrell Downs.
and Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
. The town of Sea Lake is known for its once-yearly rally car race called the Mallee Rally, held on the Queens Birthday holiday in June. Sea Lake's main newspaper is called the Times Ensign. The paper was established in 1897.
With its neighbouring townships Culgoa and Nandaly, Sea Lake has a football
team (Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers) competing in the Mallee Football League
.
Golfers play at the course of the Sea Lake Golf Club.
The township has two hotels, the Royal Hotel (locally known as the Top Pub) and the Sea Lake Hotel (locally known as the Bottom Pub). Both have a rich history with the Royal Hotel particularly being designed in a grand manner with generous accommodation facilities. It also has a motel - the Thisledome Motel.
At least two local footballers have played at VFL/AFL level. Geoff McMillan (Nandaly) who was recruited to Richmond (circa 1973) and Greg Daniels (Sea Lake) who was recruited to Collingwood (circa 1986).
To the south of Sea Lake (some 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)) lies the fresh water lake - Green Lake. This lake has served the surrounding communities well over the years for water sports recreation and as a holiday retreat. The lake was at its hey day in the 70s particularly when many speed boats and families spent hot summers at the lake. The lake is part of a natural depression and is fed by water by channel. It was dry for many years but around 2009 it was refilled.
now for many years.
The Mallee
The Mallee is the most northwesterly district in the state of Victoria, and also encompasses the agricultural district of South Australia. Definitions vary, however all are based on the Victorian distribution of mallee eucalypts...
of north-west Victoria
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...
and is situated on the southern shores of Lake Tyrrell
Lake Tyrrell
Lake Tyrrell is a shallow, salt-crusted depression located in the Mallee district of north-west Victoria. It covers approximately 180 square kilometres is 314 kilometres northwest of Melbourne. While much of the time it is dry, the lake is occasionally fed by Tyrrell Creek, a distributary of the...
. The town is located on the Calder Highway
Calder Highway
Calder Highway is a Highway linking Ravenswood South in Victoria, to Mildura. North of the Victoria/New South Wales border, the highway continues north to Broken Hill, Tibooburra and the New South Wales/Queensland border as the Silver City Highway, under the standard national route shield as far...
, 351 kilometres (218 mi) north-west of 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...
, and 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of Swan Hill. Sea Lake is in the heart of Australia's "wheat belt", and is the main township for a number of wheat farms in the region. 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,...
, Sea Lake had a population of 634.
History
The site upon which Sea Lake is situated was discovered in 1838. Sea Lake may have been given its name by an early settler, Edward EyreEdward John Eyre
Edward John Eyre was an English land explorer of the Australian continent, colonial administrator, and a controversial Governor of Jamaica....
, from the Port Phillip area. Purportedly, the sea-like appearance of Lake Tyrrell
Lake Tyrrell
Lake Tyrrell is a shallow, salt-crusted depression located in the Mallee district of north-west Victoria. It covers approximately 180 square kilometres is 314 kilometres northwest of Melbourne. While much of the time it is dry, the lake is occasionally fed by Tyrrell Creek, a distributary of the...
inspired Eyre. An alternative version of the naming of Sea Lake comes from a surveyors report of the time when planning the township (which lies to the south of Lake Tyrrell). It is purported that a surveyor mistook a mark on hand drawings "see lake" which had been used by the author of the drawings to mark a landmark.
Lake Tyrrell is the largest salt lake
Salt lake
A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water which has a concentration of salts and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes . In some cases, salt lakes have a higher concentration of salt than sea water, but such lakes would also be termed hypersaline lakes...
in Victoria, covering approximately 70 square mile. Much of the time, Lake Tyrrell is dry. However, the lake is occasionally fed by Tyrrell Creek. There is a salt extraction plant located in Sea Lake, processing the lake's salt deposits.
A community was established after the arrival of the railway in 1893. The post office opened on October 2, 1895.
Sea Lake has a rich grain farming history and one of the first recorded stations in the area is Tyrrell Downs.
Local interest
Sea Lake is located in fairly close proximity to several major national parks, including Wyperfeld National ParkWyperfeld National Park
Wyperfeld National Park is the third largest national park in Victoria . Declared in 1921 and expanded significantly since, it protects more than 3,500 km² of mallee, woodland, and heathland in Victoria's north-west, about 450 km northwest of Melbourne.Like most of north-western Victoria, Wyperfeld...
and Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
Hattah-Kulkyne National Park
Hattah-Kulkyne is a national park in Victoria, Australia, 417 km northwest of Melbourne. The nearest regional centre is Mildura. It is a popular destination for bushwalkers and school camping trips.-Description:...
. The town of Sea Lake is known for its once-yearly rally car race called the Mallee Rally, held on the Queens Birthday holiday in June. Sea Lake's main newspaper is called the Times Ensign. The paper was established in 1897.
With its neighbouring townships Culgoa and Nandaly, Sea Lake has a football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
team (Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers) competing in the Mallee Football League
Mallee Football League (Victoria)
The Mallee Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Mallee region of northwestern Victoria. It is not to be confused with the identically named Mallee Football League .-History:...
.
Golfers play at the course of the Sea Lake Golf Club.
The township has two hotels, the Royal Hotel (locally known as the Top Pub) and the Sea Lake Hotel (locally known as the Bottom Pub). Both have a rich history with the Royal Hotel particularly being designed in a grand manner with generous accommodation facilities. It also has a motel - the Thisledome Motel.
At least two local footballers have played at VFL/AFL level. Geoff McMillan (Nandaly) who was recruited to Richmond (circa 1973) and Greg Daniels (Sea Lake) who was recruited to Collingwood (circa 1986).
To the south of Sea Lake (some 10 kilometres (6.2 mi)) lies the fresh water lake - Green Lake. This lake has served the surrounding communities well over the years for water sports recreation and as a holiday retreat. The lake was at its hey day in the 70s particularly when many speed boats and families spent hot summers at the lake. The lake is part of a natural depression and is fed by water by channel. It was dry for many years but around 2009 it was refilled.
Flora, fauna, and environment
The Mallee fowl is found in Sea Lake. The region has been suffering from the effects of a long running droughtDrought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
now for many years.