Porepunkah, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Porepunkah is a town in north east Victoria
, Australia
. The town is located on the Great Alpine Road
, at the foot of Mount Buffalo 320 kilometres (199 mi) north east of the state capital, Melbourne
and 5 kilometres (3 mi) north west of Bright
. Part of Alpine Shire
Local government area and situated on the banks of the Ovens River
, near the Buckland River
junction. At the 2006 census
, Porepunkah had a population of 589. The town is named for the Hindu
word for "gentle breeze".
, an anti-Chinese race riot that occurred on 4 July 1857.
The notorious bushranger Harry Power
defied police in the Ovens district for a decade. Power held up the mail coach at Porepunkah on 7 May 1869 after escaping from Pentridge Prison.
Porepunkah Post Office opened on 22 February 1870. Although the Post Office doesn't exist exclusively today, the Porepunkah Roadhouse provides Australia Post services to the community as there is no mail service to homes.
Porepunkah Primary School (No. 1144) was officially opened on 23 January 1873, with Henry Jeffreys as the headmaster and an enrolment of 43 children. The school remains open today.
The Porepunkah Recreation Reserve was gazetted on 11 April 1895. Porepunkah was proclaimed a township on 22 June 1910 by Lord Carmichael
, the Governor of Victoria.
Porepunkah railway station was the stopping point for passengers to disembark for Mount Buffalo. In June 1925 a "sedan passenger car" was introduced to transport up to 27 people from the station to the Mount Buffalo Chalet.
There are several vineyards and wineries in the Porepunkah district, which is part of the cool-climate Alpine Valleys
wine region. There is one dairy farm in the Buckland Valley operated by the Lumsden family. Bruce Lumsden is an international ploughing competitor.
Nearby softwood plantations provide seasonal employment for thinning, pruning, planting and harvesting.
In the 2006 Census, the most common industries of employment for persons aged 15 years and over usually resident in Porepunkah were accommodation 13.5%, local government administration 6.9%, supermarket and grocery stores 6.2%, cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services 5.4% and hospitals 3.9%.
As there are no health services or local government offices located in Porepunkah, the statistics reflect that Porepunkah is partly a dormitory town for Bright and Myrtleford.
On 10 April 1913, The Argus newspaper in Melbourne reported a "country record" of six wickets for one run by Porepunkah bowler John Graham in a match against Wandiligong.
Porepunkah won the 1915 Bright District Football League premiership when the competition was cancelled to aid recruiting for the war as Porepunkah "had a substantial lead from the other clubs".
Today, the Porepunkah Panthers baseball team plays at the Porepunkah Oval in the North Eastern Baseball Association. There are tennis courts at the Porepunkah Hall.
, a popular cycling and hiking path built on this disused railway corridor, passes through Porepunkah. Close proximity to attractions such as Mount Buffalo
, Buckland Valley, Porepunkah Airfield
and wineries makes Porepunkah a popular holiday destination.
The Ovens and Buckland Rivers are popular with fishermen. The Buckland River contains mostly brown trout in the headwaters, some small rainbow trout, river blackfish and small redfin in the lower reaches. Spiny freshwater crayfish are also abundant.
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....
, 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...
. The town is located on the Great Alpine Road
Great Alpine Road
The Great Alpine Road is a country tourist road in Victoria, Australia, running from Wangaratta in the north to Bairnsdale in the east, and passing through the Australian Alps...
, at the foot of Mount Buffalo 320 kilometres (199 mi) north east of the state capital, 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...
and 5 kilometres (3 mi) north west of Bright
Bright, Victoria
Bright is a small sized town, located in northeastern Victoria, Australia, 319 metres above sea level at the southeastern end of the Ovens Valley. At the 2006 census, Bright had a population of 2684. It is in the Alpine Shire local government area...
. Part of Alpine Shire
Alpine Shire
Alpine Shire is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. It is located in the north-eastern part of the state. It includes the towns of Bright, Mount Beauty and Myrtleford. It has an area of 4,885 square kilometres. In 2001 it had a population of 17,581 and still growing. There are two...
Local government area and situated on the banks of the Ovens River
Ovens River
The Ovens River is a river in the Australian state of Victoria.Hamilton Hume and William Hovell explored the area in 1824, naming the Ovens River...
, near the Buckland River
Buckland River (Victoria)
The Buckland River is a river in north eastern Victoria, Australia. With its source in the Victorian Alps, it reaches a confluence with the Ovens River immediately downstream from the small town of Porepunkah....
junction. 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,...
, Porepunkah had a population of 589. The town is named for the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
word for "gentle breeze".
History
European settlement began in the 1830s, but it wasn't until the discovery of gold in the 1850s that development of the town took place. Porepunkah is the nearest modern township to the site of the Buckland RiotBuckland Riot
The Buckland Riot was an anti-Chinese race riot that occurred on 4 July 1857, in the goldfields of the Buckland Valley, Victoria, Australia. At the time approximately 2000 Chinese and 700 European migrants were living in the Buckland area.-Riot:...
, an anti-Chinese race riot that occurred on 4 July 1857.
The notorious bushranger Harry Power
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:...
defied police in the Ovens district for a decade. Power held up the mail coach at Porepunkah on 7 May 1869 after escaping from Pentridge Prison.
Porepunkah Post Office opened on 22 February 1870. Although the Post Office doesn't exist exclusively today, the Porepunkah Roadhouse provides Australia Post services to the community as there is no mail service to homes.
Porepunkah Primary School (No. 1144) was officially opened on 23 January 1873, with Henry Jeffreys as the headmaster and an enrolment of 43 children. The school remains open today.
The Porepunkah Recreation Reserve was gazetted on 11 April 1895. Porepunkah was proclaimed a township on 22 June 1910 by Lord Carmichael
Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael
Thomas David Gibson-Carmichael, 1st Baron Carmichael GCSI, GCIE, KCMG, DL , known as Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael, Bt, between 1891 and 1912, was a Scottish Liberal politician and colonial administrator....
, the Governor of Victoria.
Porepunkah railway station was the stopping point for passengers to disembark for Mount Buffalo. In June 1925 a "sedan passenger car" was introduced to transport up to 27 people from the station to the Mount Buffalo Chalet.
Industry
Tobacco used to be grown near Porepunkah, but the industry was shut down in 2006. There are hop gardens near Porepunkah towards Eurobin.There are several vineyards and wineries in the Porepunkah district, which is part of the cool-climate Alpine Valleys
Alpine Valleys
The Alpine Valleys are an Australian wine region located in the north eastern section of Victoria. Along with nearby by Beechworth, the area is distinctly cooler in climate than some of the other north east wine regions like Rutherglen. The Alpine Valleys produce grapes primarily for table wine...
wine region. There is one dairy farm in the Buckland Valley operated by the Lumsden family. Bruce Lumsden is an international ploughing competitor.
Nearby softwood plantations provide seasonal employment for thinning, pruning, planting and harvesting.
In the 2006 Census, the most common industries of employment for persons aged 15 years and over usually resident in Porepunkah were accommodation 13.5%, local government administration 6.9%, supermarket and grocery stores 6.2%, cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services 5.4% and hospitals 3.9%.
As there are no health services or local government offices located in Porepunkah, the statistics reflect that Porepunkah is partly a dormitory town for Bright and Myrtleford.
Sport
Football, cricket and cycling were popular sports at Porepunkah in the early 20th century. Porepunkah teams competed against rivals from Bright and district. Porepunkah competed in the Myrtleford Bright Football League as late as 1951.On 10 April 1913, The Argus newspaper in Melbourne reported a "country record" of six wickets for one run by Porepunkah bowler John Graham in a match against Wandiligong.
Porepunkah won the 1915 Bright District Football League premiership when the competition was cancelled to aid recruiting for the war as Porepunkah "had a substantial lead from the other clubs".
Today, the Porepunkah Panthers baseball team plays at the Porepunkah Oval in the North Eastern Baseball Association. There are tennis courts at the Porepunkah Hall.
Notable people
- Carlton footballer Newton Chandler
- Country Party politician Robert CookRobert Cook (Australian politician)-Early life:Cook was born at Chiltern, Victoria to English splitter Henry Cook and his Irish wife Mary, née Wilkinson. He received little formal education and was soon a land-owner, owning land at Tallangatta and Porepunkah...
Tourism
Porepunkah is a leading gateway to the Victorian skifields. The Porepunkah railway station opened in 1890 as part of the Bright railway line, and closed in 1983. The Murray to the Mountains Rail TrailMurray to the Mountains Rail Trail
The Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail is a cycling and walking rail trail in northern Victoria, Australia. It extends from Wangaratta to Bright, with a side branch to Beechworth, following the route of the former Bright railway line...
, a popular cycling and hiking path built on this disused railway corridor, passes through Porepunkah. Close proximity to attractions such as Mount Buffalo
Mount Buffalo National Park
Mount Buffalo is a mountain plateau in Victoria , 200 km northeast of Melbourne. It is one of the oldest parks in the Australian Alps, being first established in 1898 when 1165 ha was reserved around Eurobin Falls...
, Buckland Valley, Porepunkah Airfield
Porepunkah Airfield
Porepunkah Airfield is located in the Buckland Valley 2 km south of the township of Porepunkah. It is home to General aviation, ultralight and weight shift aircraft, gliders and occasionally hang gliders....
and wineries makes Porepunkah a popular holiday destination.
The Ovens and Buckland Rivers are popular with fishermen. The Buckland River contains mostly brown trout in the headwaters, some small rainbow trout, river blackfish and small redfin in the lower reaches. Spiny freshwater crayfish are also abundant.
External links
- Alpine Shire Council - Official website
- Community website
- Murray to the Mountains Rail trail