Benalla (Rose City)
Victoria
Aerial view from the east
Benalla (Rose City) is located in Rural City of Benalla
Benalla (Rose City)
Benalla (Rose City)
Location in Rural City of Benalla
Coordinates36°33′07″S 145°58′54″E / 36.55194°S 145.98167°E / -36.55194; 145.98167
Population9,316 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density29.546/km2 (76.525/sq mi)
Established1840s
Postcode(s)3672
Elevation169.5 m (556 ft)
Area315.3 km2 (121.7 sq mi)[2]
Location
LGA(s)Rural City of Benalla
State electorate(s)Euroa
Federal division(s)Indi
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
22.0 °C
72 °F		 8.7 °C
48 °F		 670.5 mm
26.4 in

Benalla /bəˈnælə/[3] is a small city located on the Broken River gateway to the High Country north-eastern region of Victoria, Australia, about 212 kilometres (130 mi) north east of the state capital Melbourne. At the 2021 census the population was 9,316.[1]

It is the administrative centre for the Rural City of Benalla local government area.

History

Prior to the European settlement of Australia, the Benalla region was populated by the Taungurung people, an Indigenous Australian people. A 1906 history recounts that prior to white settlement "as many as 400 blacks would meet together in the vicinity of Benalla to hold a corrobboree".[4] The area was first sighted by Europeans during an expedition of Hamilton Hume and William Hovell in 1824 and was noted as an agricultural settlement called "Swampy". The expedition was followed by that of Major Thomas Mitchell in 1834.[5]

An attack by indigenous people on the camp of shepherds working for George and William Faithful became known as the Faithful Massacre; eight settlers were killed in the incident. Following the massacre, in 1839 a police station was established to provide protection of over-landers, and the name of the settlement became Broken River.[6]

The post office opened on 1 December 1844 originally named Broken River.[7] A bridge was built over the Broken River in 1847 and the following year the town was surveyed. In 1861, it was proclaimed a town. It was proclaimed a city in 1965.[8]

In 1936, the Benalla Centenary Race was held.

Population

According to the 2021 census of Population, there were 9,316 people in Benalla.[1]

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 2.0% of the population.
  • 81.4% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was England at 2.4%.
  • 87.6% of people only spoke English at home.
  • The most common responses for religion were No Religion 41.9%, Catholic 19.1% and Anglican 11.6%.

Geography

Lake Benalla
Main street of Benalla

Benalla is situated on a mostly flat floodplain of the Broken River catchment situated directly to the north and west of the Great Dividing Range. Lake Benalla is an artificial lake created in 1973 from the Broken River as an ornamental feature for the centre of the city. Broken river forms a green belt along the north–south spine of the city. There are three major crossings of the river at Benalla. The main street in the Central Business District is Bridge Street East.

Another large artificial lake, Lake Mokoan, 7 kilometres to the north east, was decommissioned beginning in 2009, with a wetlands area being developed for visitors. To the south of the freeway is the heavily forested Reef Hills State Park.

Government

Benalla is the seat of local government and administrative headquarters for the Rural City of Benalla.

In the Victorian Legislative Assembly, it is represented by the Electoral district of Euroa.

In the Parliament of Australia, it is represented by the Division of Indi in the Australian House of Representatives.

Economy

Industries include agricultural support services, tourism, a medium density fibreboard factory, Thales Australia ammunition factory and aviation.

As a service economy for the region, Benalla has many large retailers, including a Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and a Mitre 10 Home & Trade. Target Country on Bridge Street closed in April 2021.[9]

Education

Benalla has two secondary schools, Benalla P–12 College (which has four campuses comprising Prep-yr 2; yr 3–6; yrs 7–9 and 10–12), FCJ College and three primary schools: Benalla P–12, St Joseph's Primary School[10] and Australian Christian College – Hume. McCristal's College was a private grammar school that used to exist in Benalla.[11]

The Benalla Flexible Learning Centre offers an alternative education model for students up to 22 years old also.

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.[12] The campus included GRADA, a regional academy of dramatic art offering courses in Acting, Dance and Production and now specializes in Nursing and Engineering courses with direct links to local businesses for work placements. The other GoTafe campuses in the region include at Shepparton, Wangaratta and Seymour.

The Centre for Continuing Education also offers pre-employment programs in Benalla plus Aged Care programs with practical work experience at Cooinda Village.

Culture

Benalla Art Gallery

Benalla's cultural facilities include the Benalla Performing Arts and Convention Centre which includes a cinema and theatre. The city also has a major art gallery which forms a landmark perched over Lake Benalla on the site of the original police station. Benalla is fast becoming known as the street art capital of regional Australia with more than 50 major contemporary murals on the CBD Benalla Street Art trail, and beyond including local villages such as Goorambat and Winton Wetlands. The annual Wall to Wall Street Art Festival has been held since 2015, curated by Juddy Roller Studios, usually the week before Easter. Over one long-weekend dozens of world class artists create one giant outdoor gallery in the town. The Wall to Wall Festival also includes workshops, artist talks, live music, markets, street art tours and more. www.benallastreetart.com.au

Benalla is also home to an artist's hub known as North East Artisans - an entirely self funded, not for profit community art gallery run by volunteers. It features a shop gallery with the works of local artists, an exhibition space, artist studios and a cafe, with regular exhibitions and live music events featuring local, national and international musicians. North East Artisans recently celebrated its 5th birthday in 2019.

The Rose Festival is another annual local garden festival dating from 1967. Now called "The Benalla Festival" it is held over the first two weekends in November with dozens of free and low cost events including the community Street Parade, Music by the Lake and fireworks, and A Day in the Gardens Market held in the Benalla Botanical Gardens.

Sport and recreation

The town has an Australian rules football team (Benalla Saints) competing in the Goulburn Valley Football League[13] 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.[14]

Benalla Wolfpack play rugby league in NRL Victoria's Murray Cup.

Golfers play at the Benalla Golf Club on Mansfield Road,[15] which celebrated its centenary in 2003[16] or at the course of the Golden Vale Golf Club on Golden Vale Road, Benalla.[17]

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.

Benalla Gardens Oval is the home of the Benalla & District Cricket Association.[18] The ground has hosted touring teams since the 19th century.[19] In the Rural City of Benalla there are numerous cricket grounds.[20]

Benalla is also home to the Benalla Bandits Baseball Club who compete in the North East Baseball Association. The team plays out of Racecourse Reserve, Benalla.

Benalla is home to the Gliding Club of Victoria at the State Gliding Centre located on the Benalla airfield. This club is the longest continuous operating gliding club in Australia and has played host for the World Gliding Competition in 1987 and 2016. Many of the club's members travel from Europe each summer to enjoy the warm weather and ideal soaring conditions of the region.

There is a park and walking track that circumnavigates Lake Benalla, featuring a ceramic sculpture mural community that was created as part of an employment project for local artists.

Heritage

The following sites are National Trust sites.[21]

The botanic gardens at Benalla, Victoria

Notable residents

Sir Edward Dunlop Memorial at Benalla botanic gardens

Media

Benalla has a local newspaper, the Benalla Ensign, which is published weekly.

Healthcare

Health services are provided by Benalla Health, which operates a 42-bed hospital, plus a variety of Allied Health and maternal and Child Health Services.

Transport

Benalla railway station

Benalla is a little over two hours from Melbourne by road or train. The Hume Freeway (National Highway M31) now by-passes Benalla to the south, while the Midland Highway (A300) runs through the city centre. Rail transport includes both passenger rail and freight. Benalla railway station is on the North East railway line, and three Albury V/Line rail services stop at Benalla daily, as does the twice-daily NSW TrainLink XPT service between Melbourne and Sydney.

Benalla Bus Lines runs a local service every hour on two routes, serving the west and east sides of the city. The main bus terminal is outside the ANZ Bank in Nunn Street.

Benalla Airport YBLA (BLN) began life as a major RAAF training base during World War II. It now also serves as the home of the Gliding Club of Victoria, as well as a ballooning and ultralight centre, and is the home of the Benalla Aviation Museum.

Utilities

Water is supplied by North East Water. The main water supply is Loombah Weir and McCall Say Reservoir in the Ryan's Creek Catchment approximately 13 kilometres south of the city with a total 1800 megalitre capacity.[23][24][25]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Benalla (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  2. ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "2021 Community Profiles: Benalla (Suburbs and Localities)". 2021 Census of Population and Housing. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  3. ↑ Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. ISBN 1-876429-14-3
  4. ↑ Mr S. Uren (9 October 1906). "History of Benalla". Benalla Standard. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  5. ↑ "Benalla – Victoria – Australia – Travel". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 February 2004. Archived from the original on 14 September 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  6. ↑ Michael Canon (ed.), Historical Records of Victoria, 2A, The Aborigines of Port Phillip, 1835-1839, Public Record Office, Victoria, 1982
  7. ↑ Phoenix Auctions History, Post Office List, archived from the original on 1 March 2022, retrieved 19 January 2021
  8. ↑ "Benalla, VIC". Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Benalla Target to close this year". 19 January 2021. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  10. ↑ "St Joseph's Primary School, Benalla". Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  11. ↑ "Historical Features: Mentone College and Thomas McCristal". Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  12. ↑ Media Release, Minister for Education Kosky opens $4.2 Million Benalla Performing Arts Centre Archived 13 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Lynne Kosky, Victorian Government, 12 November 2004. Accessed 8 September 2008
  13. ↑ Full Points Footy, Benalla, archived from the original on 16 May 2008, retrieved 25 July 2008
  14. ↑ Country Racing Victoria, Benalla Racing Club, archived from the original on 19 July 2008, retrieved 7 May 2009
  15. ↑ Golf Select, Benalla, archived from the original on 31 August 2009, retrieved 11 May 2009
  16. ↑ "Benalla Golf Club". Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  17. ↑ Golf Select, Golden Vale, archived from the original on 22 October 2009, retrieved 11 May 2009
  18. ↑ "Benalla & District Cricket Association". Cricket Victoria. Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  19. ↑ Ryan, Christian (2 March 2012). "Sachin of Benalla". Cricinfo. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  20. ↑ "Benalla Cricket Grounds". Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  21. ↑ "Heritage Victoria - Victorian Heritage Database". Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
  22. ↑ "Former Benalla Migrant Camp". vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au. Heritage Council Australia. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  23. ↑ "Report on the Ryan's Creek Catchment (Benalla Water Supply)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  24. ↑ "Water Supply – Demand Strategy - Benalla System Plan" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2012.
  25. ↑ WILSON, PETER (17 November 2006). "Benalla faces new restrictions". bordermail.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  • Wilson, Robert, The Book of Australia, Lansdowne Press, 1980
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