Tarwin Lower is a small town located south-east of

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. It rests on the south bank of the Tarwin River and at the , had a population of 115.

History

The region was originally inhabited by the Tarwin clan of

Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

. The Tarwin tribe were industrious, and known as "the tomahawk makers". They had quarries for the required hard stone near the present site of Wonthaggi, and also used a softer stone from Cape Liptrap to sharpen the implements. British settlement is believed to have started at an area called Tarwin Meadows. The area south of Tarwin Lower is still called by this name. Tarwin Lower is on the banks of the Tarwin River. The first major land-holder in the area was George Black. Black leased land from the Bass River through to Cape Liptrap. Black bought the Tarwin Meadows Run in 1851. Several drowning fatalities have occurred over the years, primarily because of the tidal nature of the river. One of the most well-known is that of a young man who drowned in the river many years ago. His gravestone is situated on River Drive just before the roundabout. Until 1990, camping along the banks of the river was a summer pastime for many families from around the state. This was discouraged because of the risk of flooding, and the lack of supervision of swimmers in a tidal river. The Post Office opened on 1 February 1881.

The Town today

The majority of the town is on its main street — River Drive — and is often passed through by holiday makers on their way to nearby Venus Bay, or as a scenic route to Walkerville and Waratah Bay. The main shopping strip is home to several small shops ncluding supermarket Community Church (Uniting and

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

services alternate each Sunday,

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

Mass on Saturday 6pm), local Mechanics Institute all tennis courts and CFA. Behind River Drive is the small primary school and the Community Centre which hosts several small groups and is visited by doctors, welfare nurse and occasional other medical plus education services for under school-age children. During main holiday weekends and periods throughout the year Tarwin Lower hosts a decent market catering to all tastes. It is mainly based at the Mechanic's Institute hall and its surrounding land, and continues to sprawl each time it runs. At the western end of the town is the local fishing jetty and a very long picnic table. The town is home to the local football team, the Tarwin Sharks, who were premiers in 2004 in the local Alberton Football League. Until recently a small golf-course operated on River Drive. A walk along the boardwalk exists along the banks of the River from Venus Bay to Tarwin Lower. This is very busy during summer months with walkers and cyclists of all ages. The town has hosted the Unify Gathering Heavy Music Festival from 2015 to 2019, and will again in 2022.Join the Unify Gathering Family
Unify Gathering Heavy Music Festival The campsite and arena have been situated on the football grounds and surrounding fields.

Notable people

Notable people from or who have lived in the area of Tarwin Lower include: *

George Murray Black George Murray Black (28 February 1874 – 2 November 1965) was an Anglo-Australian pastoralist and prolific graverobber of Indigenous Australian burial sites, who ransacked around 1,800 graves along the Murray River and elsewhere. Early life B ...

, graverobber and pillager of Indigenous Australian burial sites. * Joff Ellen ("Joffa Boy"), Australian entertainer, TV pioneer, actor and comedian. * Frank Vale, cold storage industry and dairy factory industry pioneer.

References

External links

{{authority control Coastal towns in Victoria (state) Towns in Victoria (state) Shire of South Gippsland