Merbein, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Merbein is a town outside Mildura, Victoria
, in the Sunraysia
region of Australia
. At the 2006 census
, Merbein had a population of 2526.
The area was known as White Cliffs until 1909 when the township was established, the Post Office opening on 16 August 1909.
The name was intended to be Merebin, which is the Aboriginal word for "white sandcliffs", but an error made when registering the name corrupted it to Merbein . It is on the Calder Highway
between Mildura and the Murray River
crossing on the Abbotsford Bridge
to Curlwaa
.
It is the home of Mildara Wines, which W B Chaffey
founded in 1911. The Mildara Blass Winery still stands on the cliffs towering above the Murray River, and is open to visitors for a tour and wine tasting. The CSIRO
Plant Research Division has a facility at Merbein focused on the grape
and citrus
growing industries.
Rail freight services to Melbourne operate from Merbein along the Mildura railway line from a terminal operated by Wakefield Transport.
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Sunraysia Football League
.
Golfers play at the course of the Merbein Golf Club on McEdward Street.
Mildura, Victoria
Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
, in the Sunraysia
Sunraysia
Sunraysia is an area of northwestern Victoria and southwestern New South Wales in Australia, known for its sunshine, grapes and oranges. Its main centre is Mildura....
region of 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,...
, Merbein had a population of 2526.
The area was known as White Cliffs until 1909 when the township was established, the Post Office opening on 16 August 1909.
The name was intended to be Merebin, which is the Aboriginal word for "white sandcliffs", but an error made when registering the name corrupted it to Merbein . It is on the Calder Highway
Calder Highway
Calder Highway is a Highway linking Ravenswood South in Victoria, to Mildura. North of the Victoria/New South Wales border, the highway continues north to Broken Hill, Tibooburra and the New South Wales/Queensland border as the Silver City Highway, under the standard national route shield as far...
between Mildura and 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...
crossing on the Abbotsford Bridge
Murray River crossings
The Murray River in south-eastern Australia has been a significant barrier to land-based travel and trade. This article lists and briefly describes all of the recognised crossing points. Many of these had also developed as river ports for transport of goods along the Murray...
to Curlwaa
Curlwaa, New South Wales
Curlwaa is a locality in New South Wales, Australia.Curlwaa is an irrigation settlement a few kilometers upstream of Wentworth on the Murray River in far southwestern New South Wales....
.
It is the home of Mildara Wines, which W B Chaffey
William Chaffey
William Benjamin Chaffey was a Canadian engineer and irrigation planner who with his older brother George Chaffey developed what became the cities of Etiwanda, Ontario, and Upland in California, United States of America; and the city of Mildura, Victoria, Australia, as well as the town of Renmark,...
founded in 1911. The Mildara Blass Winery still stands on the cliffs towering above the Murray River, and is open to visitors for a tour and wine tasting. The CSIRO
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...
Plant Research Division has a facility at Merbein focused on the grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
and citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
growing industries.
Rail freight services to Melbourne operate from Merbein along the Mildura railway line from a terminal operated by Wakefield Transport.
The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Sunraysia Football League
Sunraysia Football League
The Sunraysia Football League is an Australian Rules league based in Northwestern Victoria with clubs located in the vicinity of Mildura and Wentworth, New South Wales...
.
Golfers play at the course of the Merbein Golf Club on McEdward Street.
Notable Merbein people
- Adam GoodesAdam GoodesAdam Goodes is a professional Australian rules football player with the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League ....
(Sydney SwansSydney SwansThe 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...
) - Matthew KnightsMatthew KnightsMatthew Knights is a former Australian rules football player, having played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002. He went on to a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010...
(Richmond Tigers) - Colin SylviaColin SylviaColin Sylvia is an Australian rules footballer, currently playing with the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early life:...
(Melbourne Demons) - Tania ZaettaTania ZaettaTania Zaetta is an Australian actress and television presenter who acts in Bollywood.-Early life:Zaetta was born to an Italian father and an Australian mother. Grand daughter of James Howard Browne OAM, botanist. She spent the earlier years of her life living in Merbein, Victoria...
- actress and TV personality