Murchison, Victoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids MurchisonVictoria |
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Main street
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 Murchison
Location in City of Greater Shepparton
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| Population | 925 (2016 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 3610 |
| Elevation | 125 m (410 ft) |
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| LGA(s) | City of Greater Shepparton |
| State electorate(s) | Euroa |
| Federal Division(s) | Nicholls |
Murchison is a town in Victoria, Australia. It sits right on the Goulburn River. Murchison is about 167 kilometres from Melbourne. You can find it just west of the Goulburn Valley Highway. It's located between the towns of Shepparton and Nagambie.
The countryside around Murchison is full of farms. There are orchards, vineyards, and dairy farms. In 2016, Murchison had a population of 925 people.
Contents
History of Murchison
Early Days and Growth
The Ngooraialum tribe were the first Aboriginal people in this area. An explorer named Thomas Mitchell was the first European to visit the Goulburn Valley. He crossed the Goulburn River nearby. Later, drovers Joseph Hawdon and Charles Bonney moved cattle through here.
Settlers started living in the area around 1840. A school was set up that year. A police station followed in 1841.
A French winemaker, Ludovic Marie, came to Murchison in 1850. He started vineyards in the area. He also opened a hotel and a ferry service. This ferry helped gold miners cross the Goulburn River. They were traveling between Bendigo and Beechworth.
The town of Murchison was officially established in 1854. It was named after Captain John Murchison, an early settler.
The town grew quickly. A post office opened in 1855. A flour mill started in 1858. A church and school were built in 1859. A bridge replaced the ferry service in 1871. A newspaper, courthouse, and a community hall (mechanics' institute) also opened in the 1870s.
Murchison continued to grow when the first paddle steamer arrived in 1875. At that time, Murchison had many businesses. These included six hotels, general stores, and two flour mills. One of these was the important Days Mill and Farm. In 1878, Murchison became a base for operations against the famous bushranger Ned Kelly.
The railway reached Murchison East in 1880. A second station, named Murchison, opened in 1890. This station was on the line to Rushworth.
Changes in the Twentieth Century
The building of the Goulburn Weir between 1887 and 1890 changed things. This weir was for irrigation. It meant paddle steamers could no longer travel on the Goulburn River. This caused Murchison to become less important. Other nearby towns, like Shepparton, grew more because of irrigation. The Waranga Basin was also developed nearby in the early 1900s.
During World War II, many prisoners of war (POWs) were held near Murchison. About 4,000 Italian, Japanese, and German prisoners were here from 1941 to 1947. Dhurringile Homestead, 11 kilometres north, was a camp for German officers. Italian and Japanese prisoners were kept at a camp in the town. These prisoners often worked picking fruit.
After the camps closed in 1947, the internment camp became an Italian war memorial. Dhurringile Homestead became a prison, HM Prison Dhurringile.
The Italian National Ossario is at Murchison cemetery. It holds the remains of 130 Italian soldiers and civilians. They died while interned in Australia.
The Murchison Meteorite Discovery
On September 28, 1969, a meteorite shower fell near Murchison. It landed about 2 kilometres south of the town. Many local people collected pieces of these meteorites. This helped keep the samples clean.
Scientists at the NASA Ames Research Center studied the rocks. They found something amazing. The Murchison meteorite contained the first clear evidence of amino acids from space. Amino acids are the building blocks of life. This discovery supported ideas about how life might have started on Earth.
The Murchison meteorite samples had 90 different amino acids. Only 19 of these are found on Earth. This meteorite also contains some of the oldest materials ever found on Earth. There is a Meteorite Park in the centre of Murchison. It celebrates this important discovery.
Transport in Murchison
Murchison East station has passenger trains. These trains are run by V/Line and are on the Shepparton Line.
Sport in Murchison
The town has an Australian Rules football team. They play in the Kyabram & District Football League. The senior team won the league championship in 2013. On September 14, 2024, both the senior and reserves teams won the KDFL premiership. They defeated Shepparton East and Stanhope.
Golfers can play at the Murchison Golf Club. It is located on the Goulburn Valley Highway, in Murchison East.
