Tallangatta
| Tallangatta Victoria | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tallangatta viewed from the town lookout in January 2004. The Mitta arm of Lake Hume can be seen behind the town | |||||||||
  Tallangatta Location in Shire of Towong, Victoria | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 36°12′S 147°15′E / 36.200°S 147.250°E | ||||||||
| Population | 1,175 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3700 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 184 m (604 ft)[2] | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Towong | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Benambra | ||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Indi | ||||||||
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Tallangatta (/təˈlæŋɡætə/) is a town in north-eastern Victoria, Australia. The town lies on the banks of the Mitta Arm of Lake Hume, approximately 38 kilometres (24 mi) south-east of Albury-Wodonga along the Murray Valley Highway. At the 2021 census, Tallangatta had a population of 1,175.[1]
History
[edit]Tallangatta was founded in the 1870s, the Post Office opening on 15 May 1871.[3]
On the arrival of the railway it served as a rail gateway for the Mitta and Upper Murray valleys (the Upper Murray only until the railway was extended to Cudgewa). Some gold and tin mining occurred in the late 19th and early 20th century, though, unlike Beechworth, little evidence of this remains. The amount of gold produced was relatively small compared to other mines elsewhere in the region.[4]
Since that time, Tallangatta has been a service centre for the local farming community, with a butter factory operating throughout much of the 20th century. Improved road transport links finally ended both the dairy and the rail link in the 1970s (with dairy processing operations now concentrated in Tangambalanga, about 15 kilometres (9 mi) to the west).
The most distinctive aspect of the town's history is that it was moved 8 kilometres (5 mi) to the west in the 1950s to a site known as Bolga to allow for the expansion of Lake Hume. Stories of the transition from old town to new town were captured in the 1988 book Slates and Suet Puddings by Carmyl Winkler.[5] On 14 April 1955 the Post Office was renamed Tallangatta East and a new Tallangatta office opened at the new town location.[6] The sign welcoming motorists to town reads "Tallangatta, the town that moved in the 1950s".
The grid layout of the streets of Old Tallangatta is clearly visible in Google Earth.
The Tallangatta Magistrates' Court closed on 1 January 1990.[7]
Climate
[edit]Tallangatta possesses a humid subtropical climate (Köppen: Cfa), with very warm, relatively dry summers and cool, slightly wetter winters. Average maxima vary from 30.9 °C (87.6 °F) in January to 12.3 °C (54.1 °F) in July while average minima fluctuate between 16.7 °C (62.1 °F) in January and 4.1 °C (39.4 °F) in July. Mean precipitation is moderate (averaging 701.6 mm (27.62 in) per annum). Tallangatta receives 111.6 precipitation days annually, with its frequency peaking in winter. The town experiences 111.4 clear days and 145.1 cloudy days per annum. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 45.5 °C (113.9 °F) on 31 January 2020 to −2.8 °C (27.0 °F) on 26 July 1986.[8] All climate data was sourced from Hume Dam, situated 18.4 km (11.4 mi) northwest of Tallangatta.
| Climate data for Tallangatta (sourced from Hume Dam) (36°06′S 147°02′E / 36.10°S 147.03°E, 184 m AMSL) (1922-2024 normals, extremes 1965-2024) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 45.5 (113.9) |
44.9 (112.8) |
39.2 (102.6) |
34.8 (94.6) |
28.2 (82.8) |
21.6 (70.9) |
21.3 (70.3) |
24.3 (75.7) |
30.7 (87.3) |
35.2 (95.4) |
40.5 (104.9) |
42.1 (107.8) |
45.5 (113.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.9 (87.6) |
30.5 (86.9) |
27.1 (80.8) |
21.8 (71.2) |
16.8 (62.2) |
13.1 (55.6) |
12.3 (54.1) |
14.3 (57.7) |
17.5 (63.5) |
21.1 (70.0) |
25.1 (77.2) |
28.7 (83.7) |
21.6 (70.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.7 (62.1) |
16.6 (61.9) |
14.0 (57.2) |
10.1 (50.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
4.9 (40.8) |
4.1 (39.4) |
5.0 (41.0) |
6.7 (44.1) |
9.2 (48.6) |
11.8 (53.2) |
14.5 (58.1) |
10.1 (50.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.8 (44.2) |
6.7 (44.1) |
3.6 (38.5) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
1.2 (34.2) |
2.8 (37.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 50.6 (1.99) |
41.8 (1.65) |
47.4 (1.87) |
51.8 (2.04) |
58.3 (2.30) |
67.3 (2.65) |
75.5 (2.97) |
75.4 (2.97) |
61.0 (2.40) |
67.6 (2.66) |
55.4 (2.18) |
49.4 (1.94) |
701.6 (27.62) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5.7 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 10.3 | 12.6 | 14.5 | 13.8 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 8.2 | 6.7 | 111.6 |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology (1922-2024 normals, extremes 1965-2024)[2] | |||||||||||||
Population
[edit]According to the 2021 Census the population of Tallangatta is 1,175, of which:[9]
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 1.9% of the population
- 82.8% of people were born in Australia. 3.2% of the population were born in England, 0.9% in Malaysia, 0.7% in the United States of America, 0.6% in Scotland and 0.5% in Samoa.
- 89.7% of people spoke only English at home, with the next most common language being Samoan, spoken by 1.0% of the population.
- The most common responses for religion were No Religion 40.1%, Anglican 18.2% Catholic 14.4%, and Uniting Church 5.4%.
Economy
[edit]Beef and dairy cattle farming is the dominant industry, with a small abattoir.[10] In 2016, Tallangatta was declared a "Notable Town", by Heritage Australia. The main street is long for a town of its size and is quite unique. The unique architecture is home to a thriving retail and hospitality sector that contributes to local employment and tourism. Services include a small hospital,[11] and two primary schools, a secondary school and an integrated childcare, library and community centre. A considerable number of residents now commute to work in Albury–Wodonga.
The decline of the water frontage of Lake Hume, due to sporadic drought conditions and the privatisation of Australia waterways, has had an impact on the town. Although through initiatives, such as the Tallangatta Tomorrow project funded by state government, the township is experiencing a new lease on life.[12]
Several community-focused initiatives operate within the township including Tallangatta Food Swap,[13] Boomerang Bags Tallangatta,[14] the Tallangatta Community Theatre Group,[15] the Uniting Church Op Shop,[16] and Plasticwise Tallangatta.[citation needed]
The town has a high proportion of retirees, with some elderly people cared for at Bolga Court Hostel.[17] This heritage is celebrated in the popular annual Tallangatta Fifties Festival;[18] however, as of June 2018, has ended due to financial concerns and feedback.[19]
Transport
[edit]There is no scheduled public transport in Tallangatta, other than school buses which are not available to the general public. The town is mainly accessed via the Murray Valley Highway; the northern terminus of the Omeo Highway to Omeo is approximately 5 km (3.1 mi) east of the town.
The High Country Rail Trail passes through the town; it follows the route of the Cudgewa railway line, which closed in 1981.
Sport
[edit]Tallangatta has an Australian rules football team, the Tallangatta Football Club competing in the Tallangatta & District Football League.
Golfers play at the Tallangatta Golf Club on Coorilla Street.[20]
Notable residents
[edit]- Phillip Law, scientist and Antarctic explorer was born in Tallangatta in 1912
- Doug Smith, North Melbourne footballer grew up in Tallangatta
- William Yates, a politician who served in both the British and Australian parliaments, spent his last years in Tallangatta
- Ian Trevaskis, writer and author; Children's Book Council of Australia award-winning author
References
[edit]- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Tallangatta (Vic.) (State Suburb)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Hume Reservoir Climate Statistics (1922-2024) (nearest AWS)". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008
- ^ Oppy, I.D.; Cayley, I.D.; Caluzzi, J. (1995). "The Geology and prospectivity of the Tallangatta 1:250 000 sheet" (PDF). Geological Survey of Victoria, Department of Agriculture, Energy & Minerals. Government of Victoria. ISBN 0 7306 7980 2. ISSN 1323-4536. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
- ^ Winkler, Carmyl; Callander, Dulcie (1988). Slates and suet puddings. C. Winkler. ISBN 9780731646500 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008
- ^ "Review of Legal Services in Rural and Regional Victoria" (PDF). Parliament of Victoria Law Reform Committee. May 2001. pp. 291–292. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- ^ "Hume Reservoir Climate (1922-2024) (nearest AWS)". FarmOnline Weather. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
- ^ "2021 Census QuickStats: Tallangatta".
- ^ slaughterhouses listing, australiabigbook.com
- ^ Hospitals in the Albury-Wodonga region, albury-wodonga.com
- ^ towong.vic.gov.au
- ^ "Mindful Shopping" (PDF). Tallangatta Herald. Tallangatta, Australia. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ "Tallangatta Health Service News" (PDF). Tallangatta Herald. Tallangatta, Australia. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ Ebsary, Ellen (28 September 2019). "Being a teen in the digital age: 'The Identity Project' showing soon". The Border Mail. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ "Op Shop open again" (PDF). Tallangatta Herald. Tallangatta, Australia. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ [1], Shire of Towong
- ^ "Tallangatta Fifties Festival".
- ^ Bunn, Anthony (19 June 2018). "Not so nifty, Tallangatta no longer home to Fifties Festival". The Border Mail. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
- ^ Golf Select, Tallangatta, retrieved 11 May 2009
External links
[edit]
Media related to Tallangatta, Victoria at Wikimedia Commons
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