Benambra, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Benambra is a small town located 28 kilometres (17 mi) north-east of Omeo
and 430 kilometres (267 mi) east of the state capital Melbourne
, in the Australian Alps
of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
. Other nearby towns include Swifts Creek
, Ensay
, and the major town of Bairnsdale
. At the 2006 census
, Benambra and the surrounding area had a population of 265.
Benambra town centre is at the intersection of Gibbo St and Limestone Rd, at an altitude of approximately 700m. The town has a population of around 150, although most residents live on farms and properties out of the actual town.
From its early days Benambra has been regarded as a premier agricultural
area, specialising in both sheep
and cattle
farming. The annual weaner calf sales, held in March, attract buyers from across Australia who are seeking high quality predominantly Hereford
and Hereford Shorthorn Cross calves on offer. Merino
sheep are raised for wool, and there is a small amount of cropping in the area.
The timber industry employs a small number of people in harvesting, handling and transportation of the logs to mills in other areas. Mining was once also a significant employer in the area, but only occasional forays are currently conducted.
For the tourist, the area offers beautiful mountain scenery, crystal clear trout
fishing streams, and an assortment of picturesque bush walking
trails, including those of the Alpine National Park
.
The town of Benambra is on the shores of Lake Omeo which can also serve as a tourist attraction, however this lake only irregularly holds water at present. During wetter times a pier and public toilets were built at the top end of the lake furthest from the town where the lake is at its maximum depth. The depth varies when full from about 3m at the top end to about 1m at the town end, where the lake will flood across the sealed road. When holding sufficient water, the lake has hosted sailing, and, later, speed boat races; the last speed boat races were held on Australia Day
in January, 1975.
Benambra was one of the first regions of Victoria to be settled by Europeans; this was during the period of 1834-1836, the same time that the first settlements were being made in Melbourne
and also at Portland
in the state's south-west.
The Aboriginal
history from this area is not especially well recorded. There was a mountain clan, the Ja-itma-thang, centred around the Omeo area, but this clan would have interacted regularly with nearby tribes, including the Gunai or Kurnai
of Gippsland proper. Population levels are uncertain, but were likely highly underestimated by European settlers, especially with consideration given to the fact that observation in the mountains and forests of Gippsland is far more difficult than in the more open parts of Australia. What is clear is that like elsewhere, population levels quickly declined following European occupation due to both disease and conflict, and people from this clan are no longer found in the area.
Unlike most of Australia, where exploration typically went inland from the sea, the Gippsland region was first explored and settled by Europeans who came overland from the Monaro
region of New South Wales
and headed down to the coastal regions. This could perhaps be seen as a natural expansion of the first settlements of Australia radiating out from Sydney
, but to do so the settlers had to cross the not insignificant barrier of the Australian Alps
.
In fact the first to arrive via this route were not explorers in the traditional sense, but ordinary stockmen pushing out to expand their range. The route they initially found put them in the Omeo region, with access largely through present day Benambra. First to arrive was James MacFarlane in late 1834, and in 1835 he returned with two other Highland Scots
, George MacKillop and Livingstone, all settling on the Omeo Plains (which stretch from east of Benambra westwards to Omeo).
MacFarlane then returned to the Monaro and brought cattle back to the Benambra area in 1836 (which at the time they called Strathdownie). This formed Gippsland’s first squatting run. The Scots were soon followed by four Irish
cattlemen from the Monaro. John Pendergast was at Lake Omeo (in Benambra) by 1836, John Hyland took up a run at Hinnomunjie (a locality between Benambra and Omeo), Edmund Buckley moved to Tongio Munjie and Ensay
, south of Omeo, in 1836, and his stepson, Patrick Buckley, was at Benambra by 1839. Many of these surnames are still common in the area.
By the time of 1839 and 1840 wealthy landholders in New South Wales had become interested in the Gippsland region and funded further exploration of the region. The key explorations around this time were those of another Scot, Angus McMillan
, and a Polish
scientist-explorer, Count Paul Strzelecki. Both of these expedition parties passed through the then established lands around Benambra and Omeo heading south towards the coast, and both were assisted by the McFarlane family.
McMillan completed several expeditions, and while he was not necessarily the first to visit many locations, his explorations were the most important in terms of European settlement of Gippsland proper. On his final expedition he located a suitable port for the region, at present day Port Albert
. The route established then by McMillan remains essentially the same major north-south route through Gippsland to this day. This route follows the Great Alpine Road
south through the Tambo Valley to Bruthen
, then east to Bairnsdale
and Sale
along the Princes Highway
, then south from Sale to Port Albert.
For several decades Gippsland operated essentially on this north-south axis, following this route from Benambra and Omeo to Port Albert, but in the 1860s a road was opened from Melbourne to the east, and this was followed a couple of decades later by a rail line and a Post Office opened on 16 June 1886.
These developments, along with development of significant east-west shipping on the Gippsland Lakes
at the time, reoriented travel and transport to the simpler east-west axis, and demoted the Benambra and Omeo regions to a side branch of this main route.
In line with most small country towns the population of Benambra has been in gradual decline over recent years. The town itself has always been relatively small in terms of facilities, in line with its population and the relatively short distance and easy access to nearby Omeo
.
Into relatively recent times Benambra supported a primary school
, a number of sporting teams and other facilities, including a traditional country pub
, the charming Presbyterian (now Uniting) Church erected in 1905, a community hall, a ‘neighbourhood house’, a police station
, and a number of small commercial outlets, such as a general store, bank and garage. Many of these facilities continue to this day in some form.
Benambra Primary School was the last surviving of the schools on the Omeo Plains, with children transported to the school by a small bus from outlying areas such as The Brothers and Uplands until as recently as 1998. Benambra Primary School continued until 2002 when the enrolment was nine students, and closed at the end of that year when projected enrolments for the following year dropped to as low as one student. Benambra Primary School is officially still a going concern under the caretakership of the Benambra Neighbourhood House, however it seems unlikely at this stage that it will ever again open for students.
From 2003, local children have been bussed to Omeo Primary School
, with older students making the daily 100 km round trip to Swifts Creek Secondary College.
Occasional short courses are run for the community at the Benambra Neighbourhood House, however older students wishing to undertake more formal tertiary study can do via the Swifts Creek Outreach Centre for TAFE or must travel considerable distances to nearby towns such as Bairnsdale
, or relocate to larger towns or cities.
The town formerly had an Australian rules football
team nicknamed ‘The Bloods’ competing in the Omeo & District Football League
(ODFL), as well as an affiliated netball
team competing in the associated netball competition. They fielded senior and junior football teams, and senior, junior and midget netball teams. The Benambra colours were red and white. Benambra football jumpers consisted of a red vee on a white background, essentially the design of what was once the South Melbourne VFL football club, and now the Sydney Swans
AFL
club. The netball club wore a white top with red skirt.
With its increasingly smaller population Benambra began struggling to fill its sporting teams, particularly with large teams such as football, but for a time was able to extend its playing lists with a good supply of imported players from other towns and districts. With further declines in populations in the district, in 2007 the football and netball clubs merged with neighbouring town Omeo
to form the Omeo-Benambra (Alpine Ranges) Club. The new club colours are blue, teal
and white, with the logo and jumpers showing teal snow-peaked mountains separated by a blue river under a blue sky.
Benambra Tennis Club
competes in the Omeo District Tennis Association (ODTA). The tennis club spent many lean years, with good representation but limited success in this competition; however it has been particularly successful over recent years, with several premierships in the early 2000s.
Omeo, Victoria
Omeo is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Alpine Road, east of Mount Hotham, in the Shire of East Gippsland. At the 2006 census, Omeo had a population of 452. The name is derived from the Aboriginal word for 'mountains' or 'hills'...
and 430 kilometres (267 mi) east of the state capital Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, in the Australian Alps
Australian Alps
The Australian Alps are the highest mountain ranges of mainland Australia. They are located in southeastern Australia and straddle the Australian Capital Territory, south-eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria...
of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Other nearby towns include Swifts Creek
Swifts Creek, Victoria
Swifts Creek is a rural community located between Omeo and Ensay on the Great Alpine Road in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, east of the state capital Melbourne. Swifts Creek is at an altitude of 300 m above sea level. The area was originally settled by Europeans in the gold rushes of the mid...
, Ensay
Ensay, Victoria
Ensay is a small town located between Swifts Creek and Bruthen on the Great Alpine Road in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Ensay is north of the major town of Bairnsdale and east of the state capital Melbourne...
, and the major town of Bairnsdale
Bairnsdale, Victoria
Bairnsdale is a small city in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. With a population at the 2006 census of 11,282, it is a major regional centre of eastern Victoria along with Traralgon and Sale....
. At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Benambra and the surrounding area had a population of 265.
The Town
From its early days Benambra has been regarded as a premier agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
area, specialising in both sheep
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
farming. The annual weaner calf sales, held in March, attract buyers from across Australia who are seeking high quality predominantly Hereford
Hereford (cattle)
Hereford cattle are a beef cattle breed, widely used both in intemperate areas and temperate areas, mainly for meat production.Originally from Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom, more than five million pedigree Hereford Cattle now exist in over 50 countries...
and Hereford Shorthorn Cross calves on offer. Merino
Merino
The Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...
sheep are raised for wool, and there is a small amount of cropping in the area.
The timber industry employs a small number of people in harvesting, handling and transportation of the logs to mills in other areas. Mining was once also a significant employer in the area, but only occasional forays are currently conducted.
For the tourist, the area offers beautiful mountain scenery, crystal clear trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fishing streams, and an assortment of picturesque bush walking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails, including those of the Alpine National Park
Alpine National Park
The Alpine National Park is a national park in Victoria , northeast of Melbourne. It covers much of the higher areas of the Great Dividing Range in Victoria, including Victoria's highest point, Mount Bogong and the associated subalpine woodland and grassland of the Bogong High Plains...
.
The town of Benambra is on the shores of Lake Omeo which can also serve as a tourist attraction, however this lake only irregularly holds water at present. During wetter times a pier and public toilets were built at the top end of the lake furthest from the town where the lake is at its maximum depth. The depth varies when full from about 3m at the top end to about 1m at the town end, where the lake will flood across the sealed road. When holding sufficient water, the lake has hosted sailing, and, later, speed boat races; the last speed boat races were held on Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
in January, 1975.
History
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and also at Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
in the state's south-west.
The Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
history from this area is not especially well recorded. There was a mountain clan, the Ja-itma-thang, centred around the Omeo area, but this clan would have interacted regularly with nearby tribes, including the Gunai or Kurnai
Gunai
The Gunai or Kurnai is an Indigenous Australian nation of south-east Australia whose territory occupied most of present-day Gippsland and much of the southern slopes of the Victorian Alps. The nation was not on friendly terms with the neighbouring Wurundjeri and Bunurong nations...
of Gippsland proper. Population levels are uncertain, but were likely highly underestimated by European settlers, especially with consideration given to the fact that observation in the mountains and forests of Gippsland is far more difficult than in the more open parts of Australia. What is clear is that like elsewhere, population levels quickly declined following European occupation due to both disease and conflict, and people from this clan are no longer found in the area.
Unlike most of Australia, where exploration typically went inland from the sea, the Gippsland region was first explored and settled by Europeans who came overland from the Monaro
Monaro, New South Wales
Monaro is the name of a region in the south of New South Wales, Australia. A small area of Victoria near Snowy River National Park is geographically part of the Monaro, whilst the Australian Capital Territory is frequently considered part of the region: most towns have very close links with...
region of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and headed down to the coastal regions. This could perhaps be seen as a natural expansion of the first settlements of Australia radiating out from Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, but to do so the settlers had to cross the not insignificant barrier of the Australian Alps
Australian Alps
The Australian Alps are the highest mountain ranges of mainland Australia. They are located in southeastern Australia and straddle the Australian Capital Territory, south-eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria...
.
In fact the first to arrive via this route were not explorers in the traditional sense, but ordinary stockmen pushing out to expand their range. The route they initially found put them in the Omeo region, with access largely through present day Benambra. First to arrive was James MacFarlane in late 1834, and in 1835 he returned with two other Highland Scots
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
, George MacKillop and Livingstone, all settling on the Omeo Plains (which stretch from east of Benambra westwards to Omeo).
MacFarlane then returned to the Monaro and brought cattle back to the Benambra area in 1836 (which at the time they called Strathdownie). This formed Gippsland’s first squatting run. The Scots were soon followed by four Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
cattlemen from the Monaro. John Pendergast was at Lake Omeo (in Benambra) by 1836, John Hyland took up a run at Hinnomunjie (a locality between Benambra and Omeo), Edmund Buckley moved to Tongio Munjie and Ensay
Ensay, Victoria
Ensay is a small town located between Swifts Creek and Bruthen on the Great Alpine Road in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Ensay is north of the major town of Bairnsdale and east of the state capital Melbourne...
, south of Omeo, in 1836, and his stepson, Patrick Buckley, was at Benambra by 1839. Many of these surnames are still common in the area.
By the time of 1839 and 1840 wealthy landholders in New South Wales had become interested in the Gippsland region and funded further exploration of the region. The key explorations around this time were those of another Scot, Angus McMillan
Angus McMillan
Angus McMillan , was an explorer and pioneer pastoralist in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. He is also known for being an instigator of many of the massacres against the Aboriginal peoples in the Gippsland region.-Early life:...
, and a Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
scientist-explorer, Count Paul Strzelecki. Both of these expedition parties passed through the then established lands around Benambra and Omeo heading south towards the coast, and both were assisted by the McFarlane family.
McMillan completed several expeditions, and while he was not necessarily the first to visit many locations, his explorations were the most important in terms of European settlement of Gippsland proper. On his final expedition he located a suitable port for the region, at present day Port Albert
Port Albert, Victoria
Port Albert is a coastal town in Victoria, Australia, on the coast of Corner Inlet on the Yarram - Port Albert Road, kilometres south-east of Morwell, kilometres south-east of Melbourne, in the Shire of Wellington. At the 2006 census, Port Albert had a population of 248.Port Albert was one of the...
. The route established then by McMillan remains essentially the same major north-south route through Gippsland to this day. This route follows the Great Alpine Road
Great Alpine Road
The Great Alpine Road is a country tourist road in Victoria, Australia, running from Wangaratta in the north to Bairnsdale in the east, and passing through the Australian Alps...
south through the Tambo Valley to Bruthen
Bruthen, Victoria
Bruthen is a small town located alongside the Tambo River between Bairnsdale and Ensay on the Great Alpine Road in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Bruthen had a population of 624...
, then east to Bairnsdale
Bairnsdale, Victoria
Bairnsdale is a small city in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. With a population at the 2006 census of 11,282, it is a major regional centre of eastern Victoria along with Traralgon and Sale....
and Sale
Sale, Victoria
Sale is a city in the Gippsland region of the Australian state of Victoria. It is the seat of the Shire of Wellington as well as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale and the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland. It has a population of around 13,336, and is expected to reach a population of 14,000 soon...
along the Princes Highway
Princes Highway
The Princes Highway extends from Sydney to Port Augusta via the coast through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, a distance of 1941 km or 1898 km via the former alignments of the highway ....
, then south from Sale to Port Albert.
For several decades Gippsland operated essentially on this north-south axis, following this route from Benambra and Omeo to Port Albert, but in the 1860s a road was opened from Melbourne to the east, and this was followed a couple of decades later by a rail line and a Post Office opened on 16 June 1886.
These developments, along with development of significant east-west shipping on the Gippsland Lakes
Gippsland Lakes
The Gippsland Lakes are a network of lakes, marshes and lagoons in east Gippsland, Victoria, Australia covering an area of about 600 km2. The largest of the lakes are Lake Wellington , Lake King and Lake Victoria. They are fed by the Avon, Thomson, Latrobe, Mitchell, Nicholson and Tambo...
at the time, reoriented travel and transport to the simpler east-west axis, and demoted the Benambra and Omeo regions to a side branch of this main route.
Facilities (past and present)
Omeo, Victoria
Omeo is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Alpine Road, east of Mount Hotham, in the Shire of East Gippsland. At the 2006 census, Omeo had a population of 452. The name is derived from the Aboriginal word for 'mountains' or 'hills'...
.
Into relatively recent times Benambra supported a primary school
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, a number of sporting teams and other facilities, including a traditional country pub
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, the charming Presbyterian (now Uniting) Church erected in 1905, a community hall, a ‘neighbourhood house’, a police station
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, and a number of small commercial outlets, such as a general store, bank and garage. Many of these facilities continue to this day in some form.
Education
Benambra Primary School opened on 3 October 1876, initially under the name ‘Omeo Plains East’. The school came about as a result of an application put before the Victorian Board of Education by a group of pioneers in the district. In its first year the school had 19 students ranging from Grades 1 to 4. The teacher was provided with a house in Benambra’s main street, Gibbo St. A number of other schools were opened in the area over time to serve what was in the past a larger and less mobile population involved in farming and mining.Benambra Primary School was the last surviving of the schools on the Omeo Plains, with children transported to the school by a small bus from outlying areas such as The Brothers and Uplands until as recently as 1998. Benambra Primary School continued until 2002 when the enrolment was nine students, and closed at the end of that year when projected enrolments for the following year dropped to as low as one student. Benambra Primary School is officially still a going concern under the caretakership of the Benambra Neighbourhood House, however it seems unlikely at this stage that it will ever again open for students.
From 2003, local children have been bussed to Omeo Primary School
Omeo, Victoria
Omeo is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Alpine Road, east of Mount Hotham, in the Shire of East Gippsland. At the 2006 census, Omeo had a population of 452. The name is derived from the Aboriginal word for 'mountains' or 'hills'...
, with older students making the daily 100 km round trip to Swifts Creek Secondary College.
Occasional short courses are run for the community at the Benambra Neighbourhood House, however older students wishing to undertake more formal tertiary study can do via the Swifts Creek Outreach Centre for TAFE or must travel considerable distances to nearby towns such as Bairnsdale
Bairnsdale, Victoria
Bairnsdale is a small city in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. With a population at the 2006 census of 11,282, it is a major regional centre of eastern Victoria along with Traralgon and Sale....
, or relocate to larger towns or cities.
Sports
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
team nicknamed ‘The Bloods’ competing in the Omeo & District Football League
Omeo & District Football League
The Omeo and District Football League is an Australian Rules Football League based out of the Tambo Valley region of East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. The ODFL has existed in some form since 1893, and operates under the auspices of the Victorian Country Football League...
(ODFL), as well as an affiliated netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
team competing in the associated netball competition. They fielded senior and junior football teams, and senior, junior and midget netball teams. The Benambra colours were red and white. Benambra football jumpers consisted of a red vee on a white background, essentially the design of what was once the South Melbourne VFL football club, and now the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
club. The netball club wore a white top with red skirt.
With its increasingly smaller population Benambra began struggling to fill its sporting teams, particularly with large teams such as football, but for a time was able to extend its playing lists with a good supply of imported players from other towns and districts. With further declines in populations in the district, in 2007 the football and netball clubs merged with neighbouring town Omeo
Omeo, Victoria
Omeo is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Great Alpine Road, east of Mount Hotham, in the Shire of East Gippsland. At the 2006 census, Omeo had a population of 452. The name is derived from the Aboriginal word for 'mountains' or 'hills'...
to form the Omeo-Benambra (Alpine Ranges) Club. The new club colours are blue, teal
Teal
Teal may mean:* Teal , a medium greenish-blue color* Various ducks:** Baikal Teal, Anas formosa** Black Teal, Aythya novaeseelandiae** Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors** Brown Teal, Anas aucklandica** Campbell Teal Anas nesiotis...
and white, with the logo and jumpers showing teal snow-peaked mountains separated by a blue river under a blue sky.
Benambra Tennis Club
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
competes in the Omeo District Tennis Association (ODTA). The tennis club spent many lean years, with good representation but limited success in this competition; however it has been particularly successful over recent years, with several premierships in the early 2000s.