Wangaratta Holy Trinity Cathedral

Wangaratta Vic 3677 (Pop 16 300)

Pic: by Peter Ellis

Wangaratta is a large regional centre 233 km n-e of Melbourne. It sits on the Ovens and King Rivers and is the starting point of the Great Alpine Road. Original inhabitants were the Pangerang Aborigines and white settlement began in 1830s with the establishment of the ‘Wangaratta’ cattle station, the name derived from Aboriginal meaning ‘nesting place of cormorants’. Nearby goldrushes and the railway (1873) contributed to the area’s future. Wangaratta is a major wine producer, with a diverse agriculture, textile plants, engineering works and a strong retail sector. Wangaratta (Paddys) markets each Sun. Wangaratta Rural Expo (Feb), Wine & Food Weekend (Mar), Winery Walkabout (June), Stitched Up (textile displays), Festival (June-July), Festival of Jazz & Blues (Nov).

Tourist Attractions & Info:
Historic Wangaratta includes St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church (1865), former ES&A Bank (49 Reid St) (1875), former Presbyterian Church (1898), Bishop’s Lodge (1904), The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity (1908), ‘Warra’ (1908). Wangaratta Cemetery,(cnr Tone Rd & Mason St) contains famous bushranger Dan ‘Mad Dog’ Morgan’s headless body. Exhibitions Gallery (Ovens St) excellent art, architecture, photography, jewellery contemporary & changing displays. Open 1(0am-5pm) Wed-Sat and (12-5pm) Sun-Tues. Free entry. Wangaratta Museum (Ford St) local memorabilia displays. Open (2pm-5pm) Sun.

Nearby:
Tarrawingee (11 km s-e) means ‘plenty of water’ a former important coaching stop with a number of interesting historic buildings. Warby Range State Park (10 km west) 6 880 ha featuring waterfalls (Briens Gorge, Salisbury, Jubilee), stunning forests and woodlands, and extensive wildlife and birdlife. Excellent walks include Mount Glenrowan summit (9.4 km return) and lookouts (Ryans) overlooking the Alps. Killawarra State Forest (15 km north) home to swamp wallabies, echidnas, bats, diverse flora and good picnic spots.  Eldorado (20 km n-e) captivating former goldmining town named after the mythical city of gold. The museum has many interesting mining artefacts including the Southern Hemisphere’s largest gold dredge (1936).

Accommodation:
Wangaratta has 10 motels, 4 hotels and 3 caravan parks. Visitor Information Centre: Old Library, Murphy St. Tel (03) 5721 5711 or 1800 801 065.