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Stratford is a town on the Avon River in Victoria, Australia, east of
The origin of the town's name is unclear. Many believe it derives from
Sale-Maffra Cricket Association
/ref> They have won 4 A-Grade premierships since reforming in 1978.
The land around the Avon River was occupied by the Brayakuloong people of the Gunai/Kurnai indigenous nation for thousands of years prior to European settlement.
Angus McMillan named the Avon River after the river of the same name in his native Scotland. In 1840 he established a pastoral run at Bushy Park, north-west of the township. William Odell Raymond established a run in the area in 1842, and built his house, ''Strathfieldsaye'', during 1848–54. European settlement did not take place without resistance, and in return, massacres were inflicted by Angus McMillan and others on Gunai people, especially between the years of 1840 and 1850.
The township was established in the late 1850s and the Post Office opened on 1 May 1858.
With the 1860s gold rush to the Omeo and Dargo goldfields, the town of Stratford prospered. Historic buildings include the RSL Hall (1866), the Church of Holy Trinity (1868), the Methodist Church (1873), and the Post Office (1884).
In 1863 Reverend Friedrich Hagenauer established Ramahyuck Mission on the banks of the Avon River near Lake Wellington to house the Ganai survivors from west and central Gippsland. The name combines " Ramah", the home of
File:Avon River Bakehouse, Stratford, Victoria - June 2021.jpg, Avon River Bakehouse restaurant
File:Badger and Hare January 2021.jpg, Badger and Hare cafe
File:Stratford CWA rooms.JPG, CWA rooms
File:Stratford Library.JPG, Council library
File:Hobbies Plus, Stratford, Victoria - June 2021.jpg, Hobbies Plus model train store
File:Knob Reserve trees 24 January 2021.jpg, Knob Reserve
File:Mary Treasure Reserve, Stratford, Victoria - June 2021.jpg, Mary Treasure Reserve
File:Stratford Mechanics Institute.JPG, Mechanics Institute
File:Stratford Memorial Park - April 2021.jpg, Memorial Park
File:Stratford Methodist Church.JPG, Methodist Church
File:Stratford Post Office & Court House.JPG, Post office
File:Stratford Post Office in 1917.jpg, Post office in 1917
File:St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Stratford, Victoria - June 2021.jpg, St. Patrick's Catholic Church
File:St. Patrick's Primary School, Stratford, Victoria - June 2021.jpg, St. Patrick's Primary School
File:Stratford Motel January 2021.jpg, Stratford Motel
File:Stratford Museum - June 2021.jpg, Stratford Museum
File:Swan Park, Stratford, Victoria - June 2021.jpg, Swan Park
File:Ticklish Turtle cafe, Stratford, Victoria - June 2021.jpg, Ticklish Turtle cafe
File:Stratford War Memorial.JPG, War memorial
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...
on the Princes Highway
Princes Highway is a major road in Australia, extending from Sydney via Melbourne to Adelaide through the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. It has a length of (along Highway 1) or via the former alignments of the hig ...
in Shire of Wellington
The Shire of Wellington is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the eastern part of the state. It covers an area of and in June 2018 had a population of 44,019.
It includes the towns of Heyfield, Rosedale, Maffra, ...
. At the , Stratford had a population of 2617. The town services the local regional community and travellers on the Princes Highway. Stratford's principal industries are dairying, sheep, cattle and horse breeding and vegetable crops. The town has numerous coffee shops and cafes, a cellar door for a local winery, Design Gallery, model railway shop, a pub, parks and playgrounds for car travelers to break their journey.
Town name
The origin of the town's name is unclear. Many believe it derives from Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-w ...
in England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...
's birthplace, a view which is lent credence by the fact that it is located by the river Avon, although the name of the river Avon comes from a Scottish river. Locals have embraced the connection with Shakespeare and a ''Shakespeare on the River Festival'' has been a successful annual event since 1989, incorporating works of Shakespeare and modern Australian plays. In 1998 the town formally became a member of the Stratford Sister Cities program to promote friendship and cultural exchange between participating countries.
Geography
The River Avon has a local reputation as a source for river polished gemstones, particularlyagate
Agate () is a common rock formation, consisting of chalcedony and quartz as its primary components, with a wide variety of colors. Agates are primarily formed within volcanic and metamorphic rocks. The ornamental use of agate was common in ...
, and for rapidly rising during increased rainfall upstream.
Three kilometres south-east of Stratford is a park called Knob Reserve (formerly known as the "Forest of Arden"), part of the Gunai/Kurnai ''Bataluk Cultural Trail'', which winds its way through East Gippsland, highlighting the places of cultural significance to the first inhabitants. There are picnic facilities and an annual country music festival is held at Knob Reserve.
Stratford has a railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...
on the Bairnsdale railway line
The Gippsland V/Line rail service or Bairnsdale Line is a passenger service operated by V/Line in Victoria, Australia between Melbourne and the Gippsland region including the regional cities of Moe, Morwell, Traralgon, Sale and Bairnsdale. It ...
, which was reopened for passenger use in 2004. The Howitt Bicycle Trail Howitt may refer to:
Surname
Notable people with the surname Howitt include:
*Alfred Howitt (politician) (1879–1954), English medical doctor and politician
*Alfred William Howitt (1830–1908), Australian anthropologist and naturalist
*Anna Mary ...
passes through Stratford.
Sports
The town has an Australian rules football team, nicknamed the Swans; who have been competing in the East Gippsland Football League since 2012. They had previously competed in theNorth Gippsland Football League
The North Gippsland Football League (NGFL) is an Australian rules football league in the Central Gippsland area of Victoria, Australia.
History
The NGFL was formed in 1955 through the merger of the Cowwarr Football League and the Sale Distric ...
from 2004 to 2011. The town has a cricket team competing in the Sale-Maffra Cricket Association./ref> They have won 4 A-Grade premierships since reforming in 1978.
History
The land around the Avon River was occupied by the Brayakuloong people of the Gunai/Kurnai indigenous nation for thousands of years prior to European settlement.
Angus McMillan named the Avon River after the river of the same name in his native Scotland. In 1840 he established a pastoral run at Bushy Park, north-west of the township. William Odell Raymond established a run in the area in 1842, and built his house, ''Strathfieldsaye'', during 1848–54. European settlement did not take place without resistance, and in return, massacres were inflicted by Angus McMillan and others on Gunai people, especially between the years of 1840 and 1850.
The township was established in the late 1850s and the Post Office opened on 1 May 1858.
With the 1860s gold rush to the Omeo and Dargo goldfields, the town of Stratford prospered. Historic buildings include the RSL Hall (1866), the Church of Holy Trinity (1868), the Methodist Church (1873), and the Post Office (1884).
In 1863 Reverend Friedrich Hagenauer established Ramahyuck Mission on the banks of the Avon River near Lake Wellington to house the Ganai survivors from west and central Gippsland. The name combines " Ramah", the home of Samuel
Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bi ...
in the First Book of Kings, with "yuck", an Aboriginal term reputedly meaning "our place". The mission sought to discourage all tribal ritual and culture, and replace it with Christian values and European customs. The Mission closed in 1908 and the few remaining residents were moved to Lake Tyers Mission.
Gallery
References
External links
* * {{authority control Towns in Victoria (Australia) Towns in Central Gippsland Shire of Wellington