Cohuna, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Cohuna is a town situated 274 kilometres (170.3 mi) north of Melbourne
, on the Murray Valley Highway
, in northern Victoria, Australia
. At the 2006 census
, Cohuna had a population of 1,893.
Surrounded by dairy farms, and situated on the banks of Gunbower Creek, (an anabranch
of the Murray River
), the town is a popular holiday spot as well as a regional sports centre with a wide range of facilities.
Cohuna is the main access point to the attractions of the vast red gum
and box forest covered Gunbower Island, which lies between Gunbower Creek and the Murray, and is home to diverse native birdlife, kangaroo
s and emu
s.
Legend has it that John Farnham
was "discovered" in Cohuna, and he returned in 2002 for a free one-off show. The Bee Gees
also played in Cohuna in their early days.
More recently, Australian artist Sarah Blasko
used Cohuna landmarks such as a local cafe and hospital for her video "Planet New Year".
Gunbower Creek runs along the main street and garden park. Golf, tennis, camping, fishing, water-skiing, canoeing, birdwatching and bushwalking are popular with visitors.
The Cohuna water tower is adorned with the town's name, and visible for kilometres.
Cohuna is a plastic bag free town.
Cohuna hosts an Easter Tennis Tournament and Golf Tournament.
The local agricultural show
is held in March.
The town has an Australian rules football
team competing in the Central Murray Football League
, the Cohuna Kangas.
Golfers play at the Cohuna Golf Club on Weymouth Road.
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...
, on the Murray Valley Highway
Murray Valley Highway
The Murray Valley Highway is a popular tourist route, which follows the south side of the Murray River in Victoria, Australia. The route effectively acts as the northern-most highway in Victoria...
, in northern 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...
. 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,...
, Cohuna had a population of 1,893.
History
A Post Office opened in the area on 18 September 1875, known as Mologa until 1876, then Cohuna and renamed Cullen in 1884 when Cohuna Township PO opened. This latter office was renamed Cohuna around 1887.The town today
Anabranch
An anabranch is a section of a river or stream that diverts from the main channel or stem of the watercourse and rejoins the main stem downstream. Local anabranches can be the result of small islands in the watercourse...
of the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
), the town is a popular holiday spot as well as a regional sports centre with a wide range of facilities.
Cohuna is the main access point to the attractions of the vast red gum
Red Gum
Red Gum may refer to any of a number of species of Eucalyptus or the closely related Corymbia, including*Corymbia calophylla, Red Gum or Marri, native to Western Australia*Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Red Gum, Murray Red Gum or River Red Gum...
and box forest covered Gunbower Island, which lies between Gunbower Creek and the Murray, and is home to diverse native birdlife, kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
s and emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
s.
Legend has it that John Farnham
John Farnham
John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
was "discovered" in Cohuna, and he returned in 2002 for a free one-off show. The Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
also played in Cohuna in their early days.
More recently, Australian artist Sarah Blasko
Sarah Blasko
Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow , is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. After fronting Sydney-based band Acquiesce from the mid-1990s, Blasko developed her solo career from 2002. In 2007, she won the 'Best Pop Release' for What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have at the ARIA Music Awards, which...
used Cohuna landmarks such as a local cafe and hospital for her video "Planet New Year".
Gunbower Creek runs along the main street and garden park. Golf, tennis, camping, fishing, water-skiing, canoeing, birdwatching and bushwalking are popular with visitors.
The Cohuna water tower is adorned with the town's name, and visible for kilometres.
Cohuna is a plastic bag free town.
Events and Sport
The Cohuna Bridge To Bridge is a range of sporting events for all fitness levels including an 8 kilometres (5 mi) swim, 1.2 km (0.745647283979768 mi) swim, 6.5 km (4 mi) run, jog, walk, 25 km (15.5 mi) and 50 km (31.1 mi) bike ride, 10 km (6.2 mi) and 20 km (12.4 mi) paddle, triathlon and team events.Cohuna hosts an Easter Tennis Tournament and Golf Tournament.
The local agricultural show
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
is held in March.
The town has an Australian rules football
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 competing in the Central Murray Football League
Central Murray Football League
The Central Murray Football League is a major country Australian rules football competition based in northern Victoria, Australia and southwest New South Wales, Australia.-History:...
, the Cohuna Kangas.
Golfers play at the Cohuna Golf Club on Weymouth Road.