Whitfield, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Whitfield is an agricultural township in the King Valley
in north-eastern Victoria
.
and has State Forest to its west and east. Agriculture extends along several stream valleys which are tributaries of the King River. At the 2006 census
, Whitfield and the surrounding area had a population of 300.
and hops
. After World War II
many European immigrants settled in the area and grew tobacco.
and the localities of Rose River and Dandongadale. Local places of interest include Paradise Falls, Mount Cobbler, Power's
Lookout, Lake William Hovell
and Wabonga Plateau. Cascading waterfalls, clear mountain streams, wildflowers and spectacular views of the Alps are all features of the Wabonga Plateau-Mount Cobbler area of the Alpine National Park
. There is a variety of tours and places of interest for day visitors as well as those staying longer. Bushwalking, 4WD touring and camping are all popular pastimes.
Mount Cobbler and the Wabonga Plateau area of the Alpine National Park
are best approached from Whitfield. From Melbourne
, Whitfield can be reached via the Hume Highway
to Wangaratta
or via the Maroondah Highway
to Mansfield
and then via Tolmie
. Roads from Benalla
, Mansfield and Myrtleford
also provide interesting scenic routes to the area.
accepted the tender from the Baldwin Locomotive Works
, Philadelphia, U.S.A. for narrow-gauge locomotives of the ‘A’ Class, (two 2 foot 6 inch-gauge locomotives) and the first two to be received were placed on the Whitfield/Wangaratta line construction project. Thus the line has the distinction of being the first narrow-gauge line to be built in Victoria
. http://whitfieldrail.netc.net.au/index.html Some of the whistle stop name-boards such as Angleside, Claremont, Dwyer, Pieper and Jarrott can still be seen. There is now a bus service that has replaced the old train system, still taking the same route in and out of Wangaratta. The bus runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
King Valley
The King Valley is a wine-producing and agricultural region centred on the King River in north-eastern Victoria, Australia between Wangaratta and the Alpine National Park...
in north-eastern Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
Overview
The township is immediately west of the flood-prone King RiverKing River
King River may refer to:*King River, former name of Centerville, Fresno County, California*King River *King River *King River *King River *King River , the river...
and has State Forest to its west and east. Agriculture extends along several stream valleys which are tributaries of the King River. 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,...
, Whitfield and the surrounding area had a population of 300.
History
Pastoral runs were established in the area in the 1840s but population was small until the 1870s, the Post Office opening on 1 May 1874 as Upper King River and being renamed Whitfield in 1889. The name Whitfield is believed to come from the name of a pastoral run Whitefields. In the early 1900s Whitfield was the site of a Government experimental farm growing tobaccoTobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
and hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
many European immigrants settled in the area and grew tobacco.
Today
It is close to the township of CheshuntCheshunt, Victoria
Cheshunt is a small rural village situated in the King Valley in north-east Victoria, Australia. It is located about 50km from Wangaratta and is close to the Alpine National Park. At the 2006 census, Cheshunt and the surrounding area had a population of 200....
and the localities of Rose River and Dandongadale. Local places of interest include Paradise Falls, Mount Cobbler, Power's
Harry Power
Harry Power was an Australian Bushranger. It is believed, by some, that Ned Kelly served as his accomplice while a teenager. -Early life:...
Lookout, Lake William Hovell
Lake William Hovell
Lake William Hovell is a man-made lake in north-eastern Victoria, Australia. Formed by a dam on the King River, the water level in the lake can vary considerably. It is situated south of Whitfield on the edge of the Alpine National Park....
and Wabonga Plateau. Cascading waterfalls, clear mountain streams, wildflowers and spectacular views of the Alps are all features of the Wabonga Plateau-Mount Cobbler area 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...
. There is a variety of tours and places of interest for day visitors as well as those staying longer. Bushwalking, 4WD touring and camping are all popular pastimes.
Mount Cobbler and the Wabonga Plateau area 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...
are best approached from Whitfield. From 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...
, Whitfield can be reached via the Hume Highway
Hume Highway
The Hume Highway/Hume Freeway is one of Australia's major inter-city highways, running for 880 km between Sydney and Melbourne. It is part of the Auslink National Network and is a vital link for road freight to transport goods to and from the two cities as well as serving Albury-Wodonga and...
to Wangaratta
Wangaratta, Victoria
Wangaratta is a cathedral city of almost 17,000 people in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, about from Melbourne along the Hume Highway, with Benalla to the southwest, and Albury-Wodonga to the northeast. It is located at the junction of the Ovens and King rivers which flow from the...
or via the Maroondah Highway
Maroondah Highway
Maroondah Highway , is a major east-west thoroughfare in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and a highway servicing the lower alpine region Victoria, Australia.-History:...
to Mansfield
Mansfield, Victoria
Mansfield is a small town in the foothills of the Victorian part of the Australian Alps. It is approximately 180 km north-east of Melbourne...
and then via Tolmie
Tolmie, Victoria
Tolmie is a small rural town in north-eastern Victoria, Australia. It is located north-east of Mansfield. At the 2006 census, Tolmie had a population of 578.The Post Office opened on 1 February 1877 as Wombat, was renamed Tolmie in 1879, and closed in 1971...
. Roads from Benalla
Benalla, Victoria
Benalla is a city of just over 9,000 people located just off the Hume Freeway in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, about southwest of Wangaratta. Its Local Government Area is the Rural City of Benalla.- Overview :...
, Mansfield and Myrtleford
Myrtleford, Victoria
Myrtleford is a town in north-east Victoria, Australia, 45 km south-east of Wangaratta and 275 km north-east of Melbourne. Myrtleford is part of the Alpine Shire local government area and at the 2006 census the town had a population of 3,187....
also provide interesting scenic routes to the area.
Transport
There is a link between Whitfield and Melbourne's tourist railway Puffing Billy. In 1897 the Victorian RailwaysVictorian Railways
The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. The first railways in Victoria were private companies, but when these companies failed or defaulted, the Victorian Railways was established to take over their operations...
accepted the tender from the Baldwin Locomotive Works
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
, Philadelphia, U.S.A. for narrow-gauge locomotives of the ‘A’ Class, (two 2 foot 6 inch-gauge locomotives) and the first two to be received were placed on the Whitfield/Wangaratta line construction project. Thus the line has the distinction of being the first narrow-gauge line to be built in Victoria
Narrow gauge lines of the Victorian Railways
The former Victorian Railways, the state railway authority in Victoria, Australia built a number of experimental narrow gauge railway lines around the beginning of the 20th century. Although all were closed by the early 1960s, parts of two have been reopened as heritage railways.- Background :A...
. http://whitfieldrail.netc.net.au/index.html Some of the whistle stop name-boards such as Angleside, Claremont, Dwyer, Pieper and Jarrott can still be seen. There is now a bus service that has replaced the old train system, still taking the same route in and out of Wangaratta. The bus runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.