Tongala, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Tongala is a small town between Kyabram
and Echuca
in the Goulburn River valley in northern Victoria, Australia, part of the Shire of Campaspe. At the 2006 census
, Tongala had a population of 1623.
office in the township.
St Patrick's Catholic
church was constructed in 1909, opening on Sunday 28 November 1909. St Patrick's Catholic primary school was opened in 1959.
The Tongala water tower, designed by John Monash
, was constructed in 1914 with an initial capacity of 10000 gallons (45,460.9 l) and extended to 20000 gallons (90,921.8 l) in 1923.
After World War I
many blocks were opened up under the 'soldier-settler
' scheme. One such soldier settler was John McEwen
, who bought a block at Tongala and married a local, Anne McLeod, in the town in 1921. McEwen joined the Victorian Farmers Union in 1919, and became a leader of the Country Party
, and caretaker Prime Minister
on the death of Harold Holt
.
With major bank branch rationalisation in the 1990s, country towns like Tongala were particularly hard hit by the closure of bank branches. Community members approached Bendigo Bank in May 1999 to evaluate a proposal to establish a Community Bank Branch of the Bendigo Bank
. The Tongala Community Bank opened its doors on 11 December 2000.
In November 2003 a monument to the 24 Australian Light horse regiment
s and their horses was unveiled by Maurice Watson, aged 84, the last Light Horseman, who enlisted from Tongala. The statue, standing two metres, is of a horseman carrying an empty saddle
, bridle
and saddle cloth, walking away, head lowered. On a plaque beneath the statue is the poem Farewell Old War Horse, a tribute to the 120,000 Australian waler horse
s that went overseas in the First World War. Due to quarantine restrictions, only one horse returned to Australia, "Sandy", the mount of Major-General W.T. Bridges
, who died at Gallipoli
in May 1915.
plant. In June 2005 Nestle announced that it would cease manufacturing powdered milk in Australia
and that its Tongala factory would be restructured to become a liquid milk only site with 147 jobs to be lost. The National Union of Workers
is negotiating for the workers at the plant.
Sunrice operates a CopRice plant that employs thirty staff in a state of the art stockfeed mill, established in 1989, with a capacity to produce up to 100,000 tonnes of stockfeed.
The Golden Cow Tourist and Dairy Education Centre has become a central attraction with its working dairy, landcare, salinity
and irrigation
displays. Milking
demonstrations can be seen by visitors. On walls around town can be seen the Tongala Murals, many painted by local artist Murray Ross, which show the history of the dairy industry and Tongala.
The Donkey Retreat in Watson Road opened in April 2008 and provides care and shelter for abused, abandoned and neglected donkeys that have been rescued from throughout Victoria.
Tongala also hosts an annual Tent Town Festival in March when artists and craftsmen gather to show their wares and to discuss the state of their art.
Kyabram, Victoria
Kyabram is located in the centre of a rich irrigation district in the Goulburn River Valley, 200 kilometres north of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Kyabram, the second largest town in the Shire of Campaspe. is situated between the towns of Echuca and Shepparton and is close to the Murray River...
and Echuca
Echuca, Victoria
Echuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe river in Victoria, Australia. The Border town Moama is on the northern side of the Murray river in New South Wales. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe...
in the Goulburn River valley in northern Victoria, Australia, part of the Shire of Campaspe. 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,...
, Tongala had a population of 1623.
History
The first Post Office in the area opened on 27 April 1878. In 1882 it was renamed Kanyapella and a new Tongala office opened to the south; this was renamed Tongala East in 1908 when a new Tongala office replaced the Tongala Railway StationTongala railway station, Victoria
Tongala is a closed railway station on the Toolamba–Echuca railway line in Victoria, Australia. Although the former passenger platform remains only as a mound at Tongala, the former goods platform still exists in relatively good condition. A crane is still provided on this platform. A transport...
office in the township.
St Patrick's Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
church was constructed in 1909, opening on Sunday 28 November 1909. St Patrick's Catholic primary school was opened in 1959.
The Tongala water tower, designed by John Monash
John Monash
General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part...
, was constructed in 1914 with an initial capacity of 10000 gallons (45,460.9 l) and extended to 20000 gallons (90,921.8 l) in 1923.
After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
many blocks were opened up under the 'soldier-settler
Soldier settlement (Australia)
Soldier settlement refers to the occupation and settlement of land throughout parts of Australia by returning discharged soldiers under schemes administered by the State Governments after World Wars I and II.- World War I :...
' scheme. One such soldier settler was John McEwen
John McEwen
Sir John "Black Jack" McEwen, GCMG, CH , was an Australian politician and the 18th Prime Minister of Australia...
, who bought a block at Tongala and married a local, Anne McLeod, in the town in 1921. McEwen joined the Victorian Farmers Union in 1919, and became a leader of the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
, and caretaker Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
on the death of Harold Holt
Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt, CH was an Australian politician and the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.His term as Prime Minister was brought to an early and dramatic end in December 1967 when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, and was presumed drowned.Holt spent 32 years...
.
With major bank branch rationalisation in the 1990s, country towns like Tongala were particularly hard hit by the closure of bank branches. Community members approached Bendigo Bank in May 1999 to evaluate a proposal to establish a Community Bank Branch of the Bendigo Bank
Bendigo Bank
Bendigo Bank is an Australian financial institution, operating primarily in retail banking. The company merged with Adelaide Bank in November 2007, with shareholders voting in March 2008 to change the merged company’s name to Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited.Before the merger, Bendigo Bank...
. The Tongala Community Bank opened its doors on 11 December 2000.
In November 2003 a monument to the 24 Australian Light horse regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s and their horses was unveiled by Maurice Watson, aged 84, the last Light Horseman, who enlisted from Tongala. The statue, standing two metres, is of a horseman carrying an empty saddle
Saddle
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
, bridle
Bridle
A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, the "bridle" includes both the headstall that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit....
and saddle cloth, walking away, head lowered. On a plaque beneath the statue is the poem Farewell Old War Horse, a tribute to the 120,000 Australian waler horse
Waler horse
The Waler is an Australian breed of riding horses that developed from the horses that were brought to the Australian colonies in the 19th century...
s that went overseas in the First World War. Due to quarantine restrictions, only one horse returned to Australia, "Sandy", the mount of Major-General W.T. Bridges
William Throsby Bridges
Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges KCB, CMG served with Australian forces during World War I, and was the first Australian to reach general officer rank...
, who died at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
in May 1915.
Economy
Dairying is the most significant industry in the town's economic structure that also includes food processing at a NestleNestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
plant. In June 2005 Nestle announced that it would cease manufacturing powdered milk in 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...
and that its Tongala factory would be restructured to become a liquid milk only site with 147 jobs to be lost. The National Union of Workers
National Union of Workers
The National Union of Workers is a large Australian trade union formed in 1989.-History:The National Union of Workers of Australia was formed by a progressive amalgamation of unions from 1989 onwards in a time when all Australian unions were merging, with varying degrees of success...
is negotiating for the workers at the plant.
Sunrice operates a CopRice plant that employs thirty staff in a state of the art stockfeed mill, established in 1989, with a capacity to produce up to 100,000 tonnes of stockfeed.
Attractions
Salinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
and irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
displays. Milking
Milking
Milking is the act of removing milk from the mammary glands of an animal, typically cows , water buffalo, goats, sheep and more rarely camels, horses and donkeys. Milking may be done by hand or by machine.-Hand milking:...
demonstrations can be seen by visitors. On walls around town can be seen the Tongala Murals, many painted by local artist Murray Ross, which show the history of the dairy industry and Tongala.
The Donkey Retreat in Watson Road opened in April 2008 and provides care and shelter for abused, abandoned and neglected donkeys that have been rescued from throughout Victoria.
Tongala also hosts an annual Tent Town Festival in March when artists and craftsmen gather to show their wares and to discuss the state of their art.