Shire of Murrindindi

This is the name selected in 1994 for the amalgamation of Yea and Alexandra Shires, situtated in north-east Victoria (Australia) on the Upper Goulburn River, east of the Hume Highway.

Murrindindi Historic Register:
Custodian of Local History

Murrindindi Historic Register, Inc (MHR) was established in 1997 as a Shire-wide Support Group to the new Shire of Murrindindi's Historical Survey of 1995, for additions to and updating of the original Survey Report. Its core business is as an historical society for the Alexandra area.

MHR was incorporated in 2001.

Various publications, records collections, a database and services have been established to continue the Objectives of MHR.

 

Bandowick or Baundaurrong (Mr Cotton), said to be aged 90, a headman or ngurungaeta of the Daung Waurrung people and co-founder of the Acheron Aborigine Reserve.

Photographed in 1866 by Carl Walter, and sourced from the State Library of Victoria [H91.1/1, is000271]

On advice from Taungurung Co-op. Ltd, in 2007 the Shire approved the name of a street in Alexandra as Bunderbowie St (yet another spelling of his name).

 

Locale of Shire today.

©Shire of Murrindindi.
Used with permission.

Brief History of Murrindindi

Pre-European Aborigines of the Kulin nation inhabited the district from the Yarra River to the Alps and north to the Ovens River. The local clan, the Warring-illum-balluk (which translates as river dwelling people) spoke the Taungurong language, Daung Wurring.
Squatter Era
1840–		 First European arrivals were sheep graziers, following reports in 1836 of the explorers Hume and Hovell.
Gold Era
1860–		 Following gold discoveries in 1860, towns developed at Alexandra and Yea, with smaller settlements around the gold diggings. When gold had petered out by 1880, the towns survived with closer settlement farming.
Timber Era
1890–		 A railway off the Melbourne-Sydney line from Tallarook opened from 1890. Timber mills were established from that time in the mountain ranges. Butter was the staple product, with sheep, lambs and cattle grazing.
Modern Era
1930–		 Tourism, primarily from Melbourne, was established from 1930's based on rivers and new weirs, for caravanning, fishing and water sports.