A-Z Challenge: Y for Yarrawonga

I am back again for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge so have made the commitment to blog every day in April except the Sundays. Some bloggers choose a theme, and others do random posts. For me, a theme works better, so them I’ve chosen for 2016 is Towns in Victoria. I will be choosing  towns with a relevance to my family history, where possible.

Y is for Yarrawonga, situated on the Victorian side of the Murray River.

Yarrawonga is very relevant to my family history, as my TAYLOR family spent many years in the Yarrawonga and nearby Bundalong area.

There is a long bridge joining Yarrawonga to Mulwala, on the NSW side of the river. The bridge has a dip and a bend in the middle which was caused by Victorian and NSW mis-communications. As the bridge was being built, starting from both sides, it was soon realised that it wouldn’t meet in the middle.

photo: tourisminternet.com.au

There is also the original stock bridge, of just a single lane, which crosses over the weir, into NSW.

Below is information about Yarrawonga that appeared in the Australian Handbook in 1903.

image: shawfactor.com

Today Yarrawonga is a popular tourist destination with very mild climate and Lake Mulwala as the major attraction. Water skiing, sailing, canoeing, swimming, fishing and cruising are popular activities on Lake Mulwala which is just a short walk from the town centre.

photo: victorianplaces.com.au

There are lovely picnic grounds around the lake, and being so close to town, are usually packed on a sunny day.

photo: travelvictoria.com.au

Yarrawonga is promoted by the tourism authority as an “Inland Aquatic Paradise”. Along with the lake, there are many beaches along the Murray River. Campsites during holiday periods are usually snapped up quickly.

 

photo: travelvictoria

sources: wikipedia; travelvictoria.com.au