Our Region and Community

Moe/Newborough

Nestled between the Great Dividing Range and the Strzelecki Hills, Moe and Newborough welcomes the Melbourne visitor to Latrobe Valley, with nearby bushland and lakes providing great recreational activities for visitors.

The Spring Racing Carnival is celebrated by the Moe Cup which is run in October and to the north is Lake Narracan, a popular fresh water playground for waterskiing, swimming, fishing and sailing.

Experience Gippsland in the 1850s and walk the streets of Old Gippstown Heritage Park. See the classic vehicles and learn about the early European settlement of Victoria. Browse through the main street shops and soak up the atmosphere of Gippsland’s past. Visit the twenty-seven original relocated buildings and their collections such as pioneer Angus McMillan’s “Bushy Park” homestead and “Rhoden’s Halfway House” one of the few remaining Cobb & Co. Inns in existence.

Moe also serves as a gateway to the historic goldfields at Walhalla and the snowfields at Mt Baw Baw and Mt St Gwinear.

Morwell

At the heart of Latrobe City is the town of Morwell. Home to the Morwell Centenary Rose Garden, a rose filled parkland that is best visited from November through to April.

Morwell National Park is situated in the northern foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges, this park is of great value in preserving a remnant of the area’s original plant and animal life.

There are a number of activities to enjoy, such as picnicking, bird watching, bushwalking and nature study. The best way to enjoy the park is to walk through it, following either Fosters Gully Nature Walk or Stringybark Ridge. 

Morwell also boasts one of Gippsland’s major cultural facilities, Latrobe Regional Gallery, hosting national and international exhibitions throughout the year, with a broad range of contemporary and traditional Australian art on display.

Churchill

Churchill was created by the Victorian Government in the 1960s to house workers and their families who were constructing the Hazelwood Power Station.

Churchill has abundant education facilities with primary schools, the Gippsland Education Precinct which includes the co-location of Kurnai College’s VCE/senior Campus, Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE and Gippsland Group Training and Federation University.

Traralgon

The largest town in Latrobe City, Traralgon is the region’s entertainment capital with plenty of dining options and a thriving pub and club scene. Take in a live show at the Latrobe Performing Arts Centre after dining in one of the many restaurants or cafes.

Traralgon is the home to the Gippsland Regional Aquatic Centre, a state of the art recreational centre that features a range of facilities for competitive swimming, leisure, general community use and major regional events.

Traralgon also hosts the farmers market on the 4th Saturday of each month in the Kay Street Gardens. The market has become a favourite destination for anyone who loves great fresh fruit and vegetables and beautifully crafted products.

The town has a modern shopping complex plus hotel, parks, playgrounds, sporting and community facilities including a recently upgraded leisure centre catering for basketball, swimming, gym, child care and more.

Traralgon South

Traralgon South is a rural town on the Traralgon Creek, 11 km south of Traralgon.

Soon after farmers took up selections in the area a school was opened in a private farm house in 1879. There have since been at least three replacement school buildings, in 1880, 1923 and the latest one.

Traralgon South today has become an outer rural residential locality for Traralgon and the Latrobe Valley. It has a store, a large public hall, a kindergarten, a recreation reserve, a CFA station and primary school in a lovely bush setting.

Nearby is the Traralgon South Flora and Fauna Reserve, a nature lovers park to discover flora and a habitat for native birds and animals with easy walking tracks.

Tyers

Tyers is a small town 10 kilometres north-west of Traralgon. Set in the foothills to the north of the town, Tyers Park encompasses the fine scenery of the Tyers Gorge where the Tyers River winds between steep forested slopes. The park has an abundance of diverse wildflowers and birdlife, making it a favourite destination for naturalists. Six kilometres north of the town, Peterson’s Lookout overlooks the Tyers River Gorge.

The township was known as ‘Boola Boola’ until 1852 at which time it was named after the surveyor and explorer Charles Tyers. 

Just two kilometres north of Tyers is a lookout offering expansive views of the Latrobe Valley across to the Strzelecki Ranges in the south and is a delight to see at night with the lights below.

The Tyers Arts Festival is an annual event held in November which commenced in 1979 and has grown to be one of the most anticipated arts festivals in regional Victoria.

The town offers a post office, general store with fuel, primary school, community hall, CFA, sporting grounds and parkland.

Glengarry

Just 10 minutes drive from Traralgon is the peaceful township of Glengarry. The town was originally known as La Trobe but was renamed Glengarry in 1884.

The area is well known for the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail that follows the old railway line from Traralgon to Stratford and passes through Glengarry. The rail trail has views over the surrounding farmland and the Great Dividing Range to the north. The Glengarry station, now known as Platform 3854 café, is the only original station building located right on the trail.

Toongabbie

This small historic town came into existence in 1863 as an important supply depot en route to the Walhalla goldfields. Goods were transported from Port Albert to Toongabbie by bullock wagon and then transferred to packhorses and mules for the arduous journey to Walhalla. As Walhalla boomed, the Toongabbie township thrived.  Today, Toongabbie has a primary school, volunteer run 18 hole golf course and the general store and post office. The railway station was closed in 1986 and the former railway line now forms part of the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail.

Yinnar

Yinnar was established in the late 1800s, is located in the picturesque Morwell River Valley with views of the Strzelecki Ranges and just 20 kilometres south west of Morwell.

Permanent sculptures along the main street set the scene for the eclectic arts community. Arc Yinnar, housed in a former butter factory, is a unique centre for creativity and contemporary arts that combines a superb gallery, a performance venue, studio spaces for artists, and resource services.

Nearby attractions include Morwell River Falls, Morwell National Park, hiking Grand Strzelecki track, and one of the smallest churches in Australia, ‘Holy Innocents’ at Yinnar South.

Yinnar has a primary school, kindergarten, bowls club, sporting reserves, playground and community garden.

The District of Yinnar includes the communities of Yinnar South and Jeeralang Junction.

Boolarra

Nestled in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges, Boolarra takes its name from the Kurnai word meaning ‘plenty’.  Surrounded by farmland and bush, the town has a strong community spirit.

The Boolarra Folk Festival is held every year in the town in March and attracts music lovers from around Australia. The festival is known for its relaxed and friendly atmosphere and fantastic live music.

An art, craft and food market provides visitors with the opportunity to discover the work of many local artisans.

The town is at one end of the Grand Ridge Rail Trail, which meanders through temperate rainforest and bush in the Strzelecki Ranges. The railway was constructed through difficult hilly terrain requiring construction of massive embankments and numerous bridges. Now, the old railway line welcomes walkers and cyclists along the 13 kilometre path to Mirboo North.

Yallourn North

Prior to 1947, Yallourn North was named Brown Coal Mine, after the discovery of brown coal in 1879 and housed the workers who toiled in the mine.

Yallourn North has an active historical association which preserves the history of the area through the Old Brown Coal Mine Museum, dedicated to future generations. Run by volunteers, the museum is open three days a week to the public and by appointment. The museum holds an extensive display of photographic memorabilia and artefacts depicting the early days of the town and coal history. It also tells the story of Yallourn, a town which was closed and eventually dug up for coal.

Perched on a hilltop ridge, the area offers views over Lake Narracan and Latrobe Valley.