Alexandra, Victoria
| Alexandra Victoria | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Grant Street | |||||||||
| Population | 2141 (2006) [1] | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3714 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 221 m (725 ft) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Murrindindi | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Benalla, Seymour | ||||||||
| Federal division(s) | McEwen | ||||||||
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Alexandra is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is located at the junction of the Goulburn Valley Highway (B340) and Maroondah Highway (B360), 26 kilometres west of Eildon, in the Shire of Murrindindi local government area. At the 2006 Census, Alexandra had a population of 2141.
History
The town was settled in the late 1860s, with a Post Office opening on 15 March 1867 (known until 24 April 1867) as Redgate.[2] The town was originally known as Redgate, or Red Gate Diggings.[3] the current name either derives from Alexandra of Denmark when given a stature of her to the shire, or from three men named Alexander (Alesander, McGregor, Alexander Don, and Alexander Luckie) who discovered gold in the area in 1866.[3]
Charles Jones born Herefordshire also discovered Gold on the Luckie Mine in 1866 . He bought a Hotel with John Henry Osborne and was the proprieter of the New York and London Hotel Grant Street Alexandra.
The partnership was dissolved.
The railway to Alexandra arrived in the town as a branch line of the Tallarook to Mansfield rail line in 1909, and closed on November 18, 1978.[4] In 2012, the rail line was converted and reopened as part of a Tallarook to Mansfield bike trail.
The Rubicon Tramway connected Alexandra with the village of Rubicon, at the junction of the Rubicon and Royston Rivers.[5]
Alexandra today
Many tourists pass through this town on their way to the Mount Buller ski resort from Melbourne.
The town contains the Timber Tramway and Museum (located at the Alexandra Railway Station), and the National Trust classified post office and law courts. There is a local market on the second Saturday of each month from September to May, an annual art show at Easter, an agricultural show and rose festival in November, and the annual Truck, Rod and Ute Show in June.
Local Radio UGFM
Local Community Radio station 3UGE (UGFM) is based in Alexandra. After many years of providing support to the local community during emergencies, UGFM became the first community station in Australia to be given official Emergency Broadcaster status.
Sport
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Yarra Valley Mountain Football League.
Alexandra has a horse racing club which schedules around four race meetings a year including one on New Years Day and the Alexandra Cup meeting in March.[6]
Golfers play at the Alexandra Golf Club on Gordon Street,[7] or at the course of the Stonelea Country Estate on Connellys Creek Road.[8]
References
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Alexandra (State Suburb)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
- ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 2008-04-11
- ^ a b Kennedy, B: Australian Place Names, page 4. ABC Books, 2006
- ^ Sid Brown (1990), "Tracks Across the State", Newsrail, Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division): pages 71–76.
{{citation}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, November, 1940 pp54-55
- ^ Country Racing Victoria, Alexandra Race Club, retrieved 2009-05-07 [dead link]
- ^ Golf Select, Alexandra, retrieved 2009-05-11
- ^ Golf Select, Stonelea, retrieved 2009-05-11
External links
Localities in the Shire of Murrindindi | ||
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^ - Territory divided with another LGA | ||