Benalla
| Benalla Victoria | |||||||||
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| Population | 10,000 (estimate) | ||||||||
| Established | 1840s | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3672 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 169.5 m (556 ft) | ||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Rural City of Benalla | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Benalla | ||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Indi | ||||||||
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Benalla (36°33′S 145°58′E / 36.550°S 145.967°E) is an agricultural city of about 10,000 people located just off the Hume Freeway in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, about 40 kilometres south of Wangaratta. Its Local Government Area is the Rural City of Benalla.
The site was originally taken up by the Reverend Joseph Docker in 1838 and called Benalta Run, from the Aboriginal word for Musk Duck. A town was laid out on the site in 1846. It is famous for its roses.
The Broken River can cause extensive flooding. There is a park and walking track along the river at Benalla, featuring a ceramic sculpture community that was created as part of an employment project for local artists some years ago.
Industries include agricultural support services, tourism, a medium density fibreboard factory, an ADF ammunition factory and aviation.
Benalla has a regional airport YBLA (BLN) which began life as a major RAAF training base during the second world war and now also serves as the home of the Gliding Club of Victoria as well as a ballooning and ultralight center.
Benalla is where champion cyclist Baden Cooke was born and the place of war hero Sir (Ernest) Edward "Weary" Dunlop's education.
The station is on the main railway line between Sydney and Melbourne and is served by VLine services from Albury as well as a twice daily Countrylink XPT service to and from Sydney.
External links
Famous Sons, Daughters and Residents
- Edward "Weary" Dunlop - Surgeon and World War II Prisoner of War.
- Baden Cooke - Olympic Cyclist
- Mark Seymour - Lead singer of Hunters & Collectors and solo artist.
- Nick Seymour - Bass player in Crowded House.
- Lisa Maxwell - Rock/Pop/Alternative solo artist.
- Ivan Durrant - Prominent Australian artist, works displayed worldwide.
- Brendan Lawley - Professional Footballer
- Albert Ernest Kitson - Geologist and Naturalist
- Tom Long - Actor
- Hugh Sawrey-Prominent Australian Artist, works displayed worldwide
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