Benalla
| Benalla Victoria |
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 Aerial view from the east |
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 Benalla
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| Population: | 9,129[1] | ||||||
| Established: | 1840s | ||||||
| Postcode: | 3672 | ||||||
| Elevation: | 169.5 m (556 ft) | ||||||
| Location: |
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| LGA: | Rural City of Benalla | ||||||
| State electorate: | Benalla | ||||||
| Federal Division: | Indi | ||||||
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Benalla (
/bəˈnælə/)[2] is a city of just over 9,000 people located just off the Hume Freeway in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, about 40 kilometres (20 mi) southwest of Wangaratta. Its Local Government Area is the Rural City of Benalla.
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[edit] Overview
The site was originally taken up as a pastoral run by the Reverend Joseph Docker in 1838 and called Benalta Run, from the Aboriginal word for Musk Duck. A town was laid out on the site in 1846. The Post Office opened on 1 December 1844 but named Broken River until 1 January 1854 [3]
The Broken River can cause extensive flooding. There is a park and walking track along the river at Benalla, featuring a ceramic sculpture community that was created as part of an employment project for local artists some years ago; this is the site of the original Benalla Police Station (known as Broken River) which was formed in early February 1839. The listed Police Members were Corp. Thomas Whitwell, Troopers John Phealy, Patrick Monahan, Thomas Cornwark and Dismounted Trooper Edward Beech. Benalla Police is Victoria's longest serving. Industries include agricultural support services, tourism, a medium density fibreboard factory, Thales Australia ammunition factory and aviation. The rose gardens and the annual Rose Festival dating from 1967 have contributed to tourism.
Benalla has a regional airport YBLA (BLN) which began life as a major RAAF training base during World War 2 and now also serves as the home of the Gliding Club of Victoria as well as a ballooning and ultralight centre.
The Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE has a campus in Benalla which includes the Benalla Performing Arts and Convention Centre opened in 2004 by Lynne Kosky MP, the then Minister of Education and Training.[4]
Benalla is also the home of GRADA, a regional academy of dramatic art offering courses in Acting, Dance and Production. GRADA: GOTAFE Regional Academy of Dramatic Arts
Benalla is where champion cyclist Baden Cooke was born and the place of war hero Sir (Ernest) Edward "Weary" Dunlop's education.
Benalla railway station is on the North East railway line and is served by V/Line services between Melbourne and Albury as well as a twice daily Countrylink XPT service to and from Sydney.
[edit] Retailers
Benalla has many large retailers, including a Coles, Woolworths, Target Country, Aldi and a Mitre 10 Home & Trade.
[edit] Sport
The town has an Australian rules football team (Benalla Saints) competing in the Goulburn Valley Football League[5] and a team (Benalla All Blacks) competing in the Ovens & King Football League.
Benalla has a horse racing club, the Benalla Racing Club, which schedules around eleven race meetings a year including the Benalla Cup meeting in early October.[6]
Golfers play at the Benalla Golf Club on Mansfield Road,[7] or at the course of the Golden Vale Golf Club on Golden Vale Road, Benalla.[7]
Benalla is also the closest major centre to Winton Motor Raceway, a privately owned motor racing circuit which holds motor racing event at all levels of domestic competition, including V8 Supercar.
[edit] Notable residents
- John Brady - former VFL/AFL footballer - North Melbourne FC
- Robin Close - former AFL footballer - Essendon FC
- Baden Cooke - Olympic Cyclist, Commonwealth Medalist and Winner of Tour de France Green Jersey
- Tommy Dunderdale - member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
- Edward "Weary" Dunlop - surgeon and World War II Prisoner of War.
- James Flynn - former VFL/AFL footballer - Geelong FC, Carlton FC
- Albert Ernest Kitson - geologist and naturalist
- Tom Long - actor
- Lisa Maxwell - rock/pop/alternative solo artist.
- Tom Rockliff- AFL footballer for Brisbane FC
- Hugh Sawrey - artist
- Mark Seymour - lead singer of Hunters & Collectors and solo artist.
- Nick Seymour - bass player in Crowded House.
- Jarrad Waite - AFL footballer for Carlton F C
- Hector Waller - captain of the light cruiser HMAS Perth in the Second World War
[edit] References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Benalla (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2006 Census QuickStats. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/LocationSearch?collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=UCL204600&producttype=QuickStats&breadcrumb=PL&action=401. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ^ Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876429-14-3
- ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocd.w?, retrieved 2008-04-11
- ^ Media Release, Minister for Education Kosky opens $4.2 Millon Benalla Performing Arts Centre, Lynne Kosky, Victorian Government, 12 November 2004. Accessed 8 September 2008
- ^ Full Points Footy, Benalla, http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Benalla.htm, retrieved 2008-07-25[dead link]
- ^ Country Racing Victoria, Benalla Racing Club, http://www.countryracing.com.au/index.php?option=com_club_info&club=40&Itemid=80, retrieved 2009-05-07[dead link]
- ^ a b Golf Select, Benalla, http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=929, retrieved 2009-05-11
- Wilson, Robert, The Book of Australia, Lansdowne Press, 1980
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007) |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Benalla |
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