Whorouly


Whorouly is a town in northeast Victoria, Australia. Its name is possibly derived from an Aboriginal word meaning a black cockatoo, although another suggestion is that it means "underwater".
The town is in the valley of the Ovens River and in the Rural City of Wangaratta local government area, north-east of the state capital, Melbourne and south-east of the regional centre of Wangaratta. At the, Whorouly and the surrounding area had a population of 383. Prior to the 1994 council amalgamations by the Kennett Government, the township was in the disbanded Shire of Oxley.
The town can easily be missed, being sited off the two main valley highways, between the Snow Road and The Great Alpine Road, which runs between Wangaratta and Omeo. It is, however, only five minutes from either road.
Town facilities currently include churches, a children's playground, a sporting ground and a public hall, a combined primary school and pre-school, a combined hotel/pub/general store, a cafe and several self-catering holiday rentals and B&B's.

History

The town was surveyed and proclaimed in 1868, adopting the name of a nearby station. Whorouly Primary School opened in 1874.
The first European settlers established large grazing properties but after the Victorian gold rush, closer settlement took place.
Land was released in lots, on the condition that part of the land was cleared for agriculture.
Until the 1980s, much of the area along the Ovens River was planted with tobacco. Other primary products in the area included beef and dairy cattle, orchards and market gardens. In recent years, wine grape growing has been introduced meaning that the area, being at the apex of the Ovens Valley and King Valley, is the centre of a significant food region, with many farm gate and cellar door sales.

Sports and Recreation

The local Australian rules football team, Whorouly Football Netball Club was established in 1892 and joined the Ovens and King Football Netball League in 1904 and our netball and football teams still play at the Whorouly Recreation Reserve, which also has eight grass tennis courts and a large community social rooms, capable of seating 200 people.
The Whorouly East Football Club joined the Bright District Football Association in 1932 and played there in 1933 too.
East Whorouly FC commenced the 1934 season in the Bright District Football Association, but then joined the Mudgegonga Football Association in late April, 1934 and then defeated Mudgegonga in the grand final and were undefeated premiers. It appears that there was no Mudegonga Football Association in 1935 and East Whorouly FC folded as a result.
The Whorouly Rovers Football Club was formed in 1936 and the team played in the Myrtleford & Bright District Football League between 1936 and 1939.
;Whorouly Sports Day
The Whorouly Sports Day appears to of commenced in 1935 which involved athletics, cycling on the banked dirt bike track, equestrian and wood chopping and was held on the Whorouly Recreation Reserve. The main event was the 130 yard Sheffield Handicap Whorouly Gift and conducted under the rules of the Victorian Athletic League. During World War Two, this annual event was known as the Whorouly Patriotic Sports Day.