Strathmerton 3641 Strathmerton 3641

Strathmerton is a rural township district in northern Victoria, 20 km. north of Numurkah and extending to the Murray River. It is the junction of railway lines which branch to Cobram and Tocumwal, N.S.W.

The name 'Strathmerton' came from a pastoral run, originally named Ulupna, which was taken up by Benjamin Boyd in 1842. Boyd renamed the run Strathmerton, Strath being Gaelic for a wide river valley and Merton being the Scottish place of residence of his father.

The township of Strathmerton began in 1887 in anticipation of the extension of the railway from Numurkah. A hotel had existed there for about ten years, as the district had been opened for farm selections during the 1870s. Township blocks were sold in 1887. A school was opened in 1882 some way out of the present township, and the present primary school was opened in 1886. A Wesleyan church was opened in 1889, and a mechanics' institute at about the same time.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s the irrigation channels and drains for the Murray Valley irrigation area reached Strathmerton and Ulupna. Kraft Foods established a dairy factory at Strathmerton in 1950. Beginning with 35 local milk suppliers, the factory took milk from 215 suppliers in 1992. The main products are all of the Philadelphia cheese and 90% of the Coon cheese produced by Kraft.

Strathmerton has recreation facilities which include a golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts and sports ovals. There are three churches, infant and pre-school facilities, a primary school and a hall.

The Strathmerton district includes Ulupna which is best known for the Ulupna Island reserve on the Murray River with several river beaches and a flora and fauna reserve.

Coonanga Homestead

South-west of the island is Coonanga Homestead (1866) comprising twelve rooms. There are original fruit trees in the ground. The homestead was run by the Numurkah and District historical society for a period of time before being sold to a private buyer.

Coonanga Homestead is on both the Australian and Victorian historic buildings registers. Coonanga Homestead is of architectural significance as one of the largest timber slab homesteads in Victoria and also significant for the refinement of its sawn horizontal timber slab construction. Coonanga Homestead is notable for the unusual use of stud framing to the interior for the fixing of the conventional lathe and plaster internal linings. The canted bay form to the principal rooms is rarely seen in buildings employing horizontal timber slab construction.

Coonanga Homestead is of historical significance for its associations with its first owner pastoralist George Currie through his partnership with his brother John Currie at Larra station, the home of one the foremost merino studs in Australia. George Currie also had a strong association with the merino breed and was well known in pastoral circles as an enthusiastic breeder of high class fine wool merinos. The site is historical interest as part of the Strathmerton (or Ulupna) pastoral run owned from the early 1840s by entrepreneur Benjamin Boyd.

Ulupna has had a hotel, a creamery and two district schools. It is now a dairy and grazing district. Aboriginal artefact sites found on Ulupna Island are considered to be important.

Strathmerton census populations have been 53 (1891), 456 (1911), 240 (1947), 625 (1954) and 399 (1976). Ulupna's census population in 1961 was 74.

❊ Address ❊

 ⊜  Mywee-Bearii Road Strathmerton 3641 View Map

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❊ Web Links ❊

➼ Strathmerton 3641 

➼ www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strathmerton,_Victoria

➼ Coonanga Homestead






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