History of Latrobe City

The Latrobe City lies at the heart of Gippsland nestled between the Strzelecki Ranges and the Baw Baw Plateau. Although Angus McMillan was the first European to visit the Gippsland region, in 1840, it was Polish explorer Paul Edmund de Strzelecki who led the first expedition that explored the Latrobe Valley. What he found was a diverse landscape of valleys, mountains, forests and wetlands.  

The Gunai Kurnai people are the traditional occupants of the land that Strzelecki explored and have been here for thousands of years.

Explorers had slowly been moving through the Gippsland region and in 1841, Angus McMillan reached the coast of Port Albert. Later, explorer and scientist, Paul de Strzelecki followed a similar route to McMillan, crossing the Latrobe River and following the Traralgon Creek into the area now known as Latrobe City. Reports of the region were favourable as possibilities to develop the area for stock grazing were realised. Access was difficult and several attempts were made to find a suitable stock route.

In 1843 the region known as Gipps Land was proclaimed a squatters district. Squatters were able to buy runs (land) for an annual fee and as more squatters occupied their runs, European names began to replace the traditional indigenous names.

After the Gold Rush Victoria’s population significantly increased and land was used to develop farms by former gold miners. This process was called selection and was responsible for the development of many of the Latrobe City’s towns and communities due to wide spread clearing of land.

Grazing was one of the earliest industries in the Latrobe City in the 1840’s. This slowly gave way to dairying in the 1880’s which is still a prominent industry today. The major industry of the Latrobe City is mining as the city sits on vast coal deposits, which has had a great influence in turning the city from an agricultural area to an industrial region.

Coal was first discovered in the Latrobe City in 1874 by Henry Godridge who was looking for gold and found brown coal instead. In 1889 the Great Morwell Coal Mining Company formed to mine brown coal and provide an alternative fuel source for Victoria.

The population of the Latrobe City continued to rise with the arrival of the railway network and the change from an agricultural to an industrial region. The discovery and excavation of brown coal led to the development of new towns and eventually to the demise of others.

For more information on the development of the Power Industry and how it shaped our region, visit PowerWorks or the Old Brown Coal Mine Museum website or pop in for a visit.

Traralgon

Traralgon began as a large run occupied by Edward Hobson in 1844 and grew from there. The completion of the railway in 1879 was a driving force to Traralgon’s development. Traralgon’s hinterland became a centre for the developing dairy and saw milling industries and eventually became an educational, administrative and legal centre. Traralgon was integrated into the power generating industry of the Latrobe City with the development of the Loy Yang power station and open cut mine.

There are many heritage buildings in Traralgon which document the towns’ history and development. There are brochures available from the Latrobe Visitor Information Centre on heritage walks around Traralgon as well as other information on the history of the region. 

Boolarra

Nestled in the Strzelecki Ranges, Boolarra was cleared of forest to develop farms in the late 1870’s, however, was not developed as a town until the railway from Morwell to Mirboo North was created in the early 1880’s. In its heyday Boolarra was home to three general stores, three hotels, bakers, blacksmiths, butchers, boot makers, a tinsmith and coach builder. Today Boolarra is a small country town with plenty to see and do for visitors and is the home of the annual Boolarra Folk Festival.

Glengarry

Glengarry became a thriving town when the Traralgon to Stratford railway was built in 1883. Saw milling was the major occupation of the town with paving blocks, building timber and wooden wheel rims being sent to Melbourne from the Glengarry station. Dairying and grazing were also important industries for the town. Most of the towns’ history is reflected in the significant heritage buildings still standing and in use around the town.

Moe

Moe became a thriving hub when the railway line between Melbourne and Sale was constructed in 1879. Moe soon had hotels, banks, schools and churches and became the centre for the surrounding farming and timber industries. Moe’s importance as a railway centre increased when branch lines were built to Thorpdale, Walhalla and Yallourn. However in the mid 1900’s Moe’s focus changed as the town became a support for the power industry.

Morwell

Morwell became a centre of activity in the 1870’s when the railway between Melbourne and Sale was completed. Businesses were established to supply railway workers, travellers and settlers who were moving to the region. Morwell began developing as a major agricultural district as the timber and dairying industries expanded.

Yallourn                                                                                                                        

Yallourn was created in the 1920's to provide housing and community facilities for the workforce of the open cut mine that would provide the brown coal for the generation of electricity to Melbourne in particular, at that time. All housing and facilities were owned by the State Electricity Commission (SEC) which was due to the uncertainty of how long the town would exist, with the probability that it would eventually be required to be demolished for excavation of coal existing underneath. Property ownership by the workforce would create problems, if and when this situation eventuated. The original planned size of the town was cut in half in 1928, as the extent and quality of coal became known, thus increasing the probability of eventual demolition. It was, however, an example of a well designed and constructed town that provided SEC employees with good housing and amenities, despite some problems with coal dust. In 1961, the SEC announced the demise of Yallourn, and the town had disappeared by 1981. Many of the houses were sold and removed for relocation in other Latrobe Valley towns. The Open Cut mine has now devoured what was the site of the town of Yallourn. For more information on this event in history visit the Old Brown Coal Mine Museum website.

Yinnar                                                                                                                              

Yinnar, a small country town in the Latrobe City, owes its existence to the Morwell to Mirboo North railway line. The town was support by the railway station, timber industry and the expanding dairy industry. Yinnar was once home to a butter factory which is now a significant part of the towns’ heritage.

Churchill

Churchill was originally designed as a town in 1964 to house the employees of the power industry. The town was to be called Hazelwood as this is where it was to be built, however building had just commenced when Sir Winston Churchill passed away and in 1965 it was announced that the town would be called Churchill. This flagged the beginning of a major controversy as locals wanted the town to be named Hazelwood after historical associations.

Tyers                                                                                                                                

In the 1870’s Tyers was known as Boola Boola, however in 1918 it adopted the name of Tyers after a river that ran near the town. It was some years from then that the name was officially changed.