Traralgon, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Traralgon is a regional city located in the Latrobe Valley
in the Gippsland
region of Victoria
, Australia. Traralgon is a city within the City of Latrobe.
The origin of the name Traralgon is uncertain. It is popularly believed to be derived from words from the Gunai language: tarra meaning "river" and algon meaning "little fish". However, these words are not reflected in modern linguists' knowledge of the Gunai language, where, for example, the word for river is wun wun or wurn wurn.
people for a period in excess of 2,000 years.
The area around Traralgon was first settled by Europeans in the 1840s soon after being explored by Count Paweł Strzelecki on his return from the Snowy Mountains
where he named Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko
. Due to the Latrobe Valley
having relatively high rainfall, the land is very fertile, and farming was quickly established. As with much of central and western Gippsland, this was mainly dairy farming.
The township was established in the early 1860s, the Post Office opening on 1 January 1861.
In 1877 the railway line from Melbourne
was completed with a railway station at Traralgon giving the town a major economic boost.
Traralgon was part of the area administered by the Rosedale Roads Board, before the Shire of Traralgon was established in 1879. In the latter part of the 19th century the Shire grew strongly.
It was not until the 1930s however that Traralgon began to move away from a farming based economy. In 1936 Australian Paper Manufacturers established a paper mill at Maryvale, around 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Traralgon.
In 1960 Traralgon's most famous son Sir Macfarlane Burnet
jointly won the Nobel Prize
for Physiology and Medicine.
Through the 1950s residents and councillors fought to separate the urban areas of Traralgon from the Shire of Traralgon
, which occurred in 1961 when Traralgon formed its own borough, the Borough of Traralgon. Traralgon was proclaimed a city in 1964. The City of Traralgon and Shire of Traralgon continued a separate existence until the Shire of Latrobe was created in 1994.
Further development resulted from the expansion of the power generation industry
following World War II, particularly through the now defunct SEC
. This included large expansions at Yallourn
and Hazelwood
Power Stations and the construction of the massive Loy Yang Power Station
in the 1970s and 1980s.
An Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
information processing centre was established in the early 1990s, at the time employing around 400 people.
Completion of the Loy Yang power stations, extensive voluntary departures from the electricity industry and privatisation of the Victorian electricity industry in the early 1990s had devastating effects on the economy of the Latrobe Valley
. Traralgon, with a more diversified economy, suffered to a lesser extent than the neighbouring towns of Morwell
and Moe
both of which relied almost exclusively on the power stations for their livelihood.
Traralgon grew strongly in the mid 2000s, with a figure of 2.7% making it the largest and fastest growing city in the Latrobe Valley.
The Traralgon central business district
is centred around Seymour and Franklin Streets. A sub-regional shopping centre - Stockland Traralgon
- has also been constructed, which has a thriving mix of tenants (mainly franchise and national brands), with the adjacent shopping centre filled with local businesses.
Traralgon, with its comprehensive mix of commercial, retail and national chain franchises, provides the amenities of city living, with the benefits of a five minute commute to the shopping areas from the residential area. The median price of land is approximately half that of Melbourne.
Although noticeably better than in past years, an unpleasant odour still sometimes pervades the CBD and "West End" residential areas. It is presumed to originate from the gas incinerators at the local paper mill. This smell is accepted by the majority of residents as a normal part of life in Traralgon. The Traralgon economy is still heavily reliant on the power industry and the paper mill for employment. Due to this dependence, complaining of the mill smells is frowned upon. Other significant employers include the Australian Securities and Investments Commission
(ASIC), Centrelink
and the Latrobe Regional Hospital.
The entertainment precinct which spans Kay, Grey and Franklin Streets attracts thousands of people to several nightclubs, bars and restaurants located there.
The local primary schools include Grey Street Primary School (formerly Traralgon Primary School), Kosciuszko Street Primary School, Liddiard Road Primary School, Stockdale Road Primary School, St Michaels Primary School, St Gabriels Primary School, Flinders Christian Community College (FCCC) and St Pauls Anglican Grammar School. Flinders Christian Community College and St Paul's Anglican Grammar School
are also secondary schools. In addition Traralgon has the Latrobe Special Developmental School catering for students from 5 to 18 years of age with an intellectual disability.
The local government secondary school, Traralgon College
, has two campuses, the junior campus (years 7–9) located on Liddiard Rd in Traralgon's east, with the senior campus (years 10–12) on Grey St in Traralgon's west. There is also a Catholic secondary school, Lavalla Catholic College
. Lavalla has two campuses in Traralgon's West end, and a third campus in Newborough, Moe. The junior campus, St Paul's, neighbours Traralgon College's senior campus on Grey St. The senior campus, Kildare, is located in Kosciuszko St. Flinders Christian Community College (FCCC) on Liddiard Rd is a P–12 school.
A number of Traralgon families also send their children to the three independent Anglican grammar schools in the region, two of which are about 40 minutes drive from Traralgon: St. Paul's Anglican Grammar School, which has a campus in Traralgon as well as Warragul, or Gippsland Grammar School
in Sale.
and Gippsland Power (Australian football). The Traralgon and District Junior Football League is also based in the town, with most games played from the West End Sporting Complex. Traralgon is represented by two soccer clubs in the Gippsland Soccer League(GSL), Traralgon Olympians and Traralgon City.
Traralgon has a horse racing club, the Latrobe Valley Racing Club, which schedules two race meetings a year including the Cup meeting in December.
The Traralgon Greyhound Racing
Club holds regular meetings at Glenview Park.
Golfers play at the course of the Traralgon Golf Club on the Princes Highway.
Local cricket league is the Traralgon and District Cricket Association [TDCA].
The Traralgon Harriers are a running club that runs 5 or 6 km races every Thursday night and also organise Victoria's oldest marathon, the Traralgon Marathon, held every June.
. The weekly Traralgon Journal is delivered to all homes on Tuesday nights; this paper is much smaller than the Express and usually has 12 pages of content.
Melbourne Newspapers such as The Age
and the Herald Sun
and national newspapers like The Australian
and The Australian Financial Review
are also available.
, Nine
and Ten) are all re-broadcast in the Latrobe Valley
by their regional affiliates - Prime7 (Seven), WIN Television
(Nine) and Southern Cross Ten
(Ten). The area was the first in Australia to receive its own regional television station, GLV-10 Gippsland (now Southern Cross Ten), when it launched on 9 December 1961.
WIN Gippsland provides a 30-minute local news bulletin on weeknights and Southern Cross Ten airs short local news updates on weekdays. All three commercial stations also carry local advertising. Most Melbourne channels (Seven, Nine and Ten) can also be received in analogue and more clearly in digital
in Traralgon with a suitable roof-top antenna.
New channels broadcast by the commercial networks in addition to the ones listed above are available on the digital service called Freeview (Australia)
to viewers in Traralgon and the Gippsland \ Latrobe Valley region. These channels include One HD, Eleven
, 7Two
, 7mate
, GEM
and GO!
.
Both national public broadcasters
, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(including channels ABC1
, ABC2
, ABC3
& ABC News 24
) and Special Broadcasting Service
(including SBS One & SBS Two), are also broadcast to the Latrobe Valley.
Subscription television service Austar
is available via satellite.
and GOLD 1242, both owned by ACE Radio
. The FM station is broadcast along with the television channels from Mt Tassie while GOLD 1242 is broadcast from an AM transmitter near Sale
. Warragul
radio stations Star FM and 3GG
also service this region. Most Australian Broadcasting Corporation
stations are rebroadcast locally and available in Traralgon, along with 774 ABC Melbourne
which is able to be received directly from Melbourne
.
runs through the city and close to the CBD which received heavy regional traffic (although a Traralgon Bypass road is undergoing planning). The Hyland Highway
also originates at Traralgon.
Rail transport is facilitated by the major railway station in Traralgon railway station which is on the Bairnsdale railway line. Traralgon is currently the terminus for VLocity trains as part of the Regional Fast Rail project
and Traralgon receives regular Melbourne bound train services.
Latrobe Valley Buslines provides local services around Traralgon and other cities in the Latrobe Valley.
Traralgon also has an airport
- Latrobe Valley Airport
which is located between Traralgon and Morwell.
Traralgon has a modest bicycle infrastructure, with few segregated cycle facilities
. The future Gippsland Plains Rail Trail
connection to Traralgon will provide the city with a major off road path.
Latrobe Valley
The Latrobe Valley is an inland geographical region and urban area of Gippsland in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is east of the City Of Melbourne and nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Great Dividing Range to the north – with the highest peak to the north of the...
in the Gippsland
Gippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
region of 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. Traralgon is a city within the City of Latrobe.
The origin of the name Traralgon is uncertain. It is popularly believed to be derived from words from the Gunai language: tarra meaning "river" and algon meaning "little fish". However, these words are not reflected in modern linguists' knowledge of the Gunai language, where, for example, the word for river is wun wun or wurn wurn.
History
The Gippsland region was originally inhabited by the indigenous GunaiGunai
The Gunai or Kurnai is an Indigenous Australian nation of south-east Australia whose territory occupied most of present-day Gippsland and much of the southern slopes of the Victorian Alps. The nation was not on friendly terms with the neighbouring Wurundjeri and Bunurong nations...
people for a period in excess of 2,000 years.
The area around Traralgon was first settled by Europeans in the 1840s soon after being explored by Count Paweł Strzelecki on his return from the Snowy Mountains
Snowy Mountains
The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", are the highest Australian mountain range and contain the Australian mainland's highest mountain, Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches 2,228 metres AHD, approximately 7310 feet....
where he named Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Kosciuszko is a mountain located in the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National Park. With a height of 2,228 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Australia...
. Due to the Latrobe Valley
Latrobe Valley
The Latrobe Valley is an inland geographical region and urban area of Gippsland in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is east of the City Of Melbourne and nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Great Dividing Range to the north – with the highest peak to the north of the...
having relatively high rainfall, the land is very fertile, and farming was quickly established. As with much of central and western Gippsland, this was mainly dairy farming.
The township was established in the early 1860s, the Post Office opening on 1 January 1861.
In 1877 the railway line from 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...
was completed with a railway station at Traralgon giving the town a major economic boost.
Traralgon was part of the area administered by the Rosedale Roads Board, before the Shire of Traralgon was established in 1879. In the latter part of the 19th century the Shire grew strongly.
It was not until the 1930s however that Traralgon began to move away from a farming based economy. In 1936 Australian Paper Manufacturers established a paper mill at Maryvale, around 8 kilometres (5 mi) from Traralgon.
In 1960 Traralgon's most famous son Sir Macfarlane Burnet
Frank Macfarlane Burnet
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, , usually known as Macfarlane or Mac Burnet, was an Australian virologist best known for his contributions to immunology....
jointly won the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
for Physiology and Medicine.
Through the 1950s residents and councillors fought to separate the urban areas of Traralgon from the Shire of Traralgon
Shire of Traralgon
The Shire of Traralgon was a Local Government Area located about east-southeast of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1879 until 1994...
, which occurred in 1961 when Traralgon formed its own borough, the Borough of Traralgon. Traralgon was proclaimed a city in 1964. The City of Traralgon and Shire of Traralgon continued a separate existence until the Shire of Latrobe was created in 1994.
Further development resulted from the expansion of the power generation industry
Energy in Victoria
The primary energy source for the generation of electricity in the State of Victoria is brown coal - one of the largest contributors to Australia's total domestic greenhouse gas emissions. Brown coal is used for the generation of approximately 85 percent of Victoria's household, commercial and...
following World War II, particularly through the now defunct SEC
State Electricity Commission of Victoria
The State Electricity Commission of Victoria was a monopoly electricity generation, transmission and supply utility located in Victoria, Australia...
. This included large expansions at Yallourn
Yallourn Power Station, Victoria
Yallourn Power Station was a complex of six brown coal fuelled power stations built progressively from the 1920s to the 1960s. Located in Victoria's Latrobe Valley, the complex was situated beside the Latrobe River, with the company town of Yallourn located to the south west...
and Hazelwood
Hazelwood Power Station, Victoria
Hazelwood Power Station, in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, Australia is a brown coal fueled base-load power station built between 1964 and 1971. The power station is of 1,600 megawatt capacity, and supplies up to 25% of Victoria's base load electricity and more than 5% of Australia's total energy...
Power Stations and the construction of the massive Loy Yang Power Station
Loy Yang Power Station, Victoria
Loy Yang Power Station is a brown coal fired power station located on the outskirts of the city of Traralgon, in south eastern Victoria, Australia. Loy Yang is a base load supply station, and produces about one third of Victoria's electricity requirements...
in the 1970s and 1980s.
An Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission is an independent Australian government body that acts as Australia's corporate regulator...
information processing centre was established in the early 1990s, at the time employing around 400 people.
Completion of the Loy Yang power stations, extensive voluntary departures from the electricity industry and privatisation of the Victorian electricity industry in the early 1990s had devastating effects on the economy of the Latrobe Valley
Latrobe Valley
The Latrobe Valley is an inland geographical region and urban area of Gippsland in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is east of the City Of Melbourne and nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Great Dividing Range to the north – with the highest peak to the north of the...
. Traralgon, with a more diversified economy, suffered to a lesser extent than the neighbouring towns of Morwell
Morwell, Victoria
-Transport:The main form of transport in Morwell is the automobile. The Princes Freeway now bypasses the town to the south while the old Princes Highway which once passed through east-west through its centre is now Princes Drive and Commercial Road. The highway connects Morwell with other...
and Moe
Moe, Victoria
Moe is a city in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is about east of Melbourne and at the 2006 census had a population of 15,582 . It is administered by the City of Latrobe council....
both of which relied almost exclusively on the power stations for their livelihood.
Traralgon grew strongly in the mid 2000s, with a figure of 2.7% making it the largest and fastest growing city in the Latrobe Valley.
Royal visit
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Traralgon on 3 March 1954. The president of the Shire of Traralgon, Cr Clem Little met and welcomed the Queen, who was flown by the RAAF from Sale. She then travelled back to Melbourne by train.Modern Traralgon
Perhaps due to its rapid development, Traralgon has retained little of its historical architecture. Notable heritage buildings are the Post Office and Courthouse erected in 1886 and Ryans Hotel erected in 1914, both in Franklin Street.The Traralgon central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
is centred around Seymour and Franklin Streets. A sub-regional shopping centre - Stockland Traralgon
Stockland Traralgon
Stockland Traralgon is a shopping centre located in the CBD of Traralgon, Victoria.Opened in 1985 it was originally named Traralgon Centre Plaza, until acquisition by Stocklands during the 2000s precipitated a name change....
- has also been constructed, which has a thriving mix of tenants (mainly franchise and national brands), with the adjacent shopping centre filled with local businesses.
Traralgon, with its comprehensive mix of commercial, retail and national chain franchises, provides the amenities of city living, with the benefits of a five minute commute to the shopping areas from the residential area. The median price of land is approximately half that of Melbourne.
Although noticeably better than in past years, an unpleasant odour still sometimes pervades the CBD and "West End" residential areas. It is presumed to originate from the gas incinerators at the local paper mill. This smell is accepted by the majority of residents as a normal part of life in Traralgon. The Traralgon economy is still heavily reliant on the power industry and the paper mill for employment. Due to this dependence, complaining of the mill smells is frowned upon. Other significant employers include the Australian Securities and Investments Commission
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
The Australian Securities & Investments Commission is an independent Australian government body that acts as Australia's corporate regulator...
(ASIC), Centrelink
Centrelink
Centrelink is the trading name of the Commonwealth Service Delivery Agency , a statutory authority responsible for delivering human services on behalf of agencies of the Commonwealth Government of Australia. The majority of Centrelink's services are the disbursement of social security payments...
and the Latrobe Regional Hospital.
The entertainment precinct which spans Kay, Grey and Franklin Streets attracts thousands of people to several nightclubs, bars and restaurants located there.
Schools
Traralgon features a number of primary and secondary schools, including state, catholic and independent schools.The local primary schools include Grey Street Primary School (formerly Traralgon Primary School), Kosciuszko Street Primary School, Liddiard Road Primary School, Stockdale Road Primary School, St Michaels Primary School, St Gabriels Primary School, Flinders Christian Community College (FCCC) and St Pauls Anglican Grammar School. Flinders Christian Community College and St Paul's Anglican Grammar School
St Paul's Anglican Grammar School
St Paul's Anglican Grammar School is a coeducational Anglican independent school founded in 1982 in Warragul, Victoria, Australia. St Paul's is a member of the GIS and ICCES school association bodies....
are also secondary schools. In addition Traralgon has the Latrobe Special Developmental School catering for students from 5 to 18 years of age with an intellectual disability.
The local government secondary school, Traralgon College
Traralgon College
Traralgon College, previously called Traragon Secondary College, is a co-educational public high school in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia...
, has two campuses, the junior campus (years 7–9) located on Liddiard Rd in Traralgon's east, with the senior campus (years 10–12) on Grey St in Traralgon's west. There is also a Catholic secondary school, Lavalla Catholic College
Lavalla Catholic College
Lavalla Catholic College is a Catholic secondary school in the towns of Traralgon and Newborough in Victoria, Australia. About 1400 students attend its three campuses. Lavalla is a member of the Catholic All Schools Sports Association .-External links:...
. Lavalla has two campuses in Traralgon's West end, and a third campus in Newborough, Moe. The junior campus, St Paul's, neighbours Traralgon College's senior campus on Grey St. The senior campus, Kildare, is located in Kosciuszko St. Flinders Christian Community College (FCCC) on Liddiard Rd is a P–12 school.
A number of Traralgon families also send their children to the three independent Anglican grammar schools in the region, two of which are about 40 minutes drive from Traralgon: St. Paul's Anglican Grammar School, which has a campus in Traralgon as well as Warragul, or Gippsland Grammar School
Gippsland Grammar School
Gippsland Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, day and boarding school, located in Sale, in the state of Victoria, Australia....
in Sale.
Sport
Local sporting teams include the Traralgon Redsox (baseball), the Traralgon Maroons (Australian football) competing in the Gippsland Football League, Traralgon-Tyers United competing in the North Gippsland Football LeagueNorth Gippsland Football League
The North Gippsland Football League is an Australian rules football league in the Central Gippsland area of Victoria, Australia, formed in 1955 through the merger of the Cowwarr Football League and the Sale District Football League....
and Gippsland Power (Australian football). The Traralgon and District Junior Football League is also based in the town, with most games played from the West End Sporting Complex. Traralgon is represented by two soccer clubs in the Gippsland Soccer League(GSL), Traralgon Olympians and Traralgon City.
Traralgon has a horse racing club, the Latrobe Valley Racing Club, which schedules two race meetings a year including the Cup meeting in December.
The Traralgon Greyhound Racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
Club holds regular meetings at Glenview Park.
Golfers play at the course of the Traralgon Golf Club on the Princes Highway.
Local cricket league is the Traralgon and District Cricket Association [TDCA].
The Traralgon Harriers are a running club that runs 5 or 6 km races every Thursday night and also organise Victoria's oldest marathon, the Traralgon Marathon, held every June.
Newspapers
The bi-weekly Latrobe Valley Express newspaper is delivered to all homes on Monday and Thursday nights, in Traralgon, Morwell and MoeMoe, Victoria
Moe is a city in the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is about east of Melbourne and at the 2006 census had a population of 15,582 . It is administered by the City of Latrobe council....
. The weekly Traralgon Journal is delivered to all homes on Tuesday nights; this paper is much smaller than the Express and usually has 12 pages of content.
Melbourne Newspapers such as The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
and the Herald Sun
Herald Sun
The Herald Sun is a morning tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia. It is published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Limited, itself a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is available for purchase throughout Melbourne, Regional Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital...
and national newspapers like The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
and The Australian Financial Review
The Australian Financial Review
The Australian Financial Review is a leading business and finance newspaper in Australia.Fairfax Media publishes it in a compact format six days a week, Monday to Saturday....
are also available.
Television
The three main commercial television networks (SevenSeven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
, Nine
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
and Ten) are all re-broadcast in the Latrobe Valley
Latrobe Valley
The Latrobe Valley is an inland geographical region and urban area of Gippsland in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is east of the City Of Melbourne and nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Great Dividing Range to the north – with the highest peak to the north of the...
by their regional affiliates - Prime7 (Seven), WIN Television
WIN Television
WIN Television is an Australian television network owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, New South Wales. WIN commenced transmissions on 18 March 1962 as a single Wollongong-only station, and has since expanded to 24 owned-and-operated stations with transmissions covering a...
(Nine) and Southern Cross Ten
Southern Cross Ten
Southern Cross Ten is an Australian television channel broadcast by the Macquarie Media Group in Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. The channel is owned by the Macquarie Media Group as is affiliated to Network Ten...
(Ten). The area was the first in Australia to receive its own regional television station, GLV-10 Gippsland (now Southern Cross Ten), when it launched on 9 December 1961.
WIN Gippsland provides a 30-minute local news bulletin on weeknights and Southern Cross Ten airs short local news updates on weekdays. All three commercial stations also carry local advertising. Most Melbourne channels (Seven, Nine and Ten) can also be received in analogue and more clearly in digital
Digital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
in Traralgon with a suitable roof-top antenna.
New channels broadcast by the commercial networks in addition to the ones listed above are available on the digital service called Freeview (Australia)
Freeview (Australia)
Freeview is the brand given to the digital terrestrial television platform in Australia. It is intended to bring all of the free-to-air broadcasters on to a consistent marketing platform to compete against subscription television, in particular Foxtel, and coincides with the expansion to 3 digital...
to viewers in Traralgon and the Gippsland \ Latrobe Valley region. These channels include One HD, Eleven
Eleven (TV channel)
Eleven is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel, which was launched by ElevenCo, on 11 January 2011.-Joint venture:...
, 7Two
7Two
7TWO is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel which was launched by the Seven Network on Sunday 1 November 2009 at 12pm....
, 7mate
7mate
7mate is an Australian free-to-air high definition digital television channel, which was launched by the Seven Network on 25 September 2010.The network stated that 7mate would contain sport and regular programs aimed primarily at a male audience, with programming drawn from a combination of new...
, GEM
GEM (Australian TV channel)
GEM is an Australian free-to-air high definition digital television channel, launched by the Nine Network on Sunday 26 September 2010 at 6am...
and GO!
Go! (Australian TV channel)
GO! is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel launched by the Nine Network on Sunday 9 August 2009.-Origins:...
.
Both national public broadcasters
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(including channels ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
, ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
, ABC3
ABC3
-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
& ABC News 24
ABC News 24
ABC News 24 is an Australian 24-hour news channel launched and owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The channel replaced the former ABC High Definition simulcast of ABC1 and commenced broadcasting at 7:30pm 5:30 on Thursday, 22 July 2010.-Pre-launch:The ABC announced in January 2010...
) and Special Broadcasting Service
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
(including SBS One & SBS Two), are also broadcast to the Latrobe Valley.
Subscription television service Austar
Austar
Austar is an Australian telecommunications company. Its main business activity is Subscription Television but it is also involved with internet access and mobile phones...
is available via satellite.
Radio
There are two radio stations with studios located in Traralgon — 3TR FM3TR Traralgon
TRFM is an Australian radio station operating west of Traralgon, Victoria. It is owned by Ace Radio and shares studios with sister station GOLD 1242, formerly 1242 3GV...
and GOLD 1242, both owned by ACE Radio
Ace Radio
ACE Radio is an Australian radio company, owning several AM and FM stations in Victoria.Its latest acquisition is 2AY Albury Wodonga, purchased from Macquarie Regional RadioWorks in 2005.-AM network:*1494 2AY Albury-Wodonga...
. The FM station is broadcast along with the television channels from Mt Tassie while GOLD 1242 is broadcast from an AM transmitter near Sale
Sale, Victoria
Sale is a city in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the seat of the Shire of Wellington as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale and the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland. It has a population of around 13,336, and is expected to reach a population of 14,000 soon...
. Warragul
Warragul, Victoria
Warragul is a rural centre with a population of 12,943 people east-southeast of Melbourne in Victoria. Warragul lies between the Strzelecki Ranges to the south and the Mount Baw Baw Plateau of the Great Dividing Range to the north...
radio stations Star FM and 3GG
3GG
3GG is a regional adult contemporary radio station that operates in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. It was owned and operated by RG Capital before being acquired by the then newly formed Macquarie Regional RadioWorks before their sale to Resonate Broadcasters in March 2008.The station broadcasts on...
also service this region. Most Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
stations are rebroadcast locally and available in Traralgon, along with 774 ABC Melbourne
774 ABC Melbourne
774 ABC Melbourne is an ABC Local Radio station in Melbourne, Australia. Originally known by its callsign 3LO, it began transmission on 13 October 1924 – Melbourne's second radio station after 3AR.-History:...
which is able to be received directly from 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...
.
Transport
Traralgon's main form of transport is the private vehicle, and the Princes HighwayPrinces Highway
The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway ....
runs through the city and close to the CBD which received heavy regional traffic (although a Traralgon Bypass road is undergoing planning). The Hyland Highway
Hyland Highway
The Hyland Highway is a road connecting the towns of Traralgon and Yarram in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia....
also originates at Traralgon.
Rail transport is facilitated by the major railway station in Traralgon railway station which is on the Bairnsdale railway line. Traralgon is currently the terminus for VLocity trains as part of the Regional Fast Rail project
Regional Fast Rail project
The Regional Fast Rail project was a rail transport project of the State Government of Victoria, Australia undertaken between 2000 and 2006 aimed at improving the passenger services on the Victorian regional railway network , specifically to reduce travel times, enhance service frequency and...
and Traralgon receives regular Melbourne bound train services.
Latrobe Valley Buslines provides local services around Traralgon and other cities in the Latrobe Valley.
Traralgon also has an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
- Latrobe Valley Airport
Latrobe Valley Airport
Latrobe Valley Airport is located in the Latrobe Valley town of Morwell, Victoria, Australia. The airport is about 2 hours east of Melbourne, off Princes Highway, to the west of Traralgon....
which is located between Traralgon and Morwell.
Traralgon has a modest bicycle infrastructure, with few segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
. The future Gippsland Plains Rail Trail
Gippsland Plains Rail Trail
The Gippsland Plains Rail Trail is a rail trail currently under development in eastern Victoria, Australia. It will eventually connect Traralgon with Stratford, forming a 65 kilometre trail. two sections are open: Glengarry to Cowwarr, and Maffra to Stratford....
connection to Traralgon will provide the city with a major off road path.
Events
- Traralgon Tennis InternationalTraralgon Tennis InternationalThe Traralgon Tennis International is held in early January each year in Traralgon, in Victoria, Australia. It is considered a lead-up event to the Australian Open's Junior Championships....
(January) - Australia Day Breakfast (January)
- Traralgon Marathon (June)
- Traralgon Show (November)
- Traralgon Cup (December) (horse-racing)
- Carols By Candlelight (December)
Notable people
- Sir Frank Macfarlane BurnetFrank Macfarlane BurnetSir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, , usually known as Macfarlane or Mac Burnet, was an Australian virologist best known for his contributions to immunology....
(scientist) - Irwin ThomasIrwin ThomasIrwin Thomas was formerly known as Jack Jones, and was lead singer in the 1990s Australian band Southern Sons....
(Musician, formerly known as Jack Jones, of "Southern Sons") - Cal ReinCal Rein-Early life & early career:Cal Rein was born Carlo Giardina and grew up in the country town of Traralgon in Victoria, Australia and is of Italian descent. At age 9, he spent a year in United States and attended primary school in Middletown, Connecticut. At age 12, he gathered some school buddies...
(Actor, born Carlo Giardina) - Michael VossMichael VossMichael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
(AFL player) - Troy LuffTroy LuffTroy Luff is a former Australian rules footballer for the Sydney Swans of the Australian Football League.-Football career:Troy Luff grew up in the town of Traralgon, Victoria where he lived until high school age...
(AFL player) - Brendon GoddardBrendon GoddardBrendon James Goddard is an Australian rules footballer for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League...
(AFL player) - Andrew McQualterAndrew McQualterAndrew McQualter is an Australian rules footballer who played 89 games for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Overview:...
(AFL player) - Kelvin TempletonKelvin TempletonKelvin Templeton is a former Australian rules footballer. At sixteen years of age Templeton kicked 100 goals for Traralgon in the 1973 Latrobe Valley FL season...
(AFL player) - Gord BamfordGord BamfordGord Bamford is a Canadian country music singer. He has released four albums and charted more than 20 singles on the Canadian country charts from 2000 to present. This total includes 8 songs that have charted on the Canadian Hot 100 chart, which began publication in 2007.-Early years:Bamford was...
(Canadian country music singer) - Bernie QuinlanBernie QuinlanBernie Quinlan , was a former Australian rules footballer and coach, who enjoyed a lengthy career with Footscray and Fitzroy in the VFL. He played 366 league games in total.- Playing career :...
(Australian rules footballer and coach) - Bill WatersW. F. WatersWilliam Francis "Bill" Waters was a Victorian Rover Scouting notable in Australia.He worked for the Department of Defence and later for the Department of Trade and Customs until retiring in 1962...
(HeadquartersScouting in VictoriaScouting and Guiding in Victoria, a State of Australia, is predominantly represented by the state branch of Scouts Australia and Girl Guides Victoria, a member of Girl Guides Australia.-Scouts Australia - Victorian Branch:...
CommissionerScout CommissionerIn the Scout Movement, a commissioner is the person whose role it is to oversee a Scout association's programs, usually within a particular geographic area. Normally, commissioners are volunteers. In some Scout associations, the term Executive Commissioner is used to refer to a paid staff...
for Rovers for 35 years, namesake of W.F Waters Award) - Jenna O'HeaJenna O'HeaJenna O'Hea is an Australian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women's National Basketball Association and the Dandenong Rangers in the Women's National Basketball League. She is also a member of the Australia women's national basketball...
(WNBA player) - Peter Matthew Siddle (Australian Cricket player)