Corryong

Corryong Victoria
File:CorryongMainStreet.JPG Hansen St, the main street of Corryong
Corryong is located in Shire of Towong Corryong Location in Shire of Towong, Victoria
Coordinates
Population	1,440 (2011 census)
Postcode(s)	3707
Elevation	313.5 m (1,029 ft)
Location	431 km (268 mi) ne of Melbourne 120 km (75 mi) e of Wodonga
LGA(s)	Shire of Towong
State electorate(s)	Benambra
Federal Division(s)	Indi
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 21.2 °C 70 °F 7.4 °C 45 °F 774.2 mm 30.5 in

Corryong is a small town in Victoria, Australia 120 kilometres (75 mi) east of Albury-Wodonga, near the upper reaches of the Murray River and close to the New South Wales border. At the 2006 Census in Australia, Corryong had a population of 1,228.

History

The Post Office opened on 1 February 1874.

Transport

It is accessible by road along the Murray Valley Highway, and is indeed the eastern endpoint of this highway. Further eastern travel puts a driver on the Alpine Way, until recently a dirt road, before encountering any major settlements.

Economy

Industries in the area involve mainly agriculture and forestry, particularly beef and dairy farming, though some farmers are experimenting with more exotic farming enterprises. The forestry industries include both harvesting native eucalypts and the extensive pine plantations in the area. The town itself exists primarily to service these industries.

Education

Corryong is supported by a variety of service clubs, a hospital and schools. It has a Catholic primary and Corryong College P-12 school. The college has approximately 460 (2006) students. Corryong is also home to the Australian Institute of Flexible Learning (AIFL) which offers 100% online education to all of Australia.

Its location makes it the Victorian gateway to the New South Wales snowfields, including the Thredbo ski village, and the Snowy Mountains Scheme. It is a way station for many travellers, particularly those on motorcycles, travelling across Australia's highest mountains. Other tourists come to fish in the river and other nearby waterways, or to partake in horseriding around the mountain areas surrounding the town.

It is also of note as the home of Jack Riley, a hermit stockman employed by John Pierce of Tom Groggin Station for 23 years to run cattle at "Tom Groggin" 60 km upriver from Khancoban, New South Wales. The local government uses this claim extensively in its tourist promotions and holds a "high country festival" annually.

File:Jack Riley grave Man From Snowy River.JPG

Grave of Jack Riley (1841-1914), The Man from Snowy River, Corryong cemetery

Corryong is close to the Burrowa-Pine Mountain National Park and the massive Alpine National Park. The Kosciuszko National Park is located nearby across the state border. Both of these areas were extensively burnt in the bushfires which raged through the region in January 2003.

Sport

Golfers play at the Corryong Golf Club on Donaldson Street, a nine-hole course.

The town is the centre of the Upper Murray Football League, an Australian Rules Football competition which began in 1893. Corryong is home to two of the three foundation clubs: Corryong FC, which has been based in the town from 1893 and Federal FC, formerly the Mount Elliot Miners and renamed in 1901 to celebrate the Federation of Australia and moved to be fully based at Corryong around the same time.

Notable people

• John M. Hull: Professor of Religious Education (Born Corryong 22 April 1935, died Birmingham UK 28 July 2015).
• Lee Kernaghan: Country musician (Born in Corryong Hospital 15 April 1964).
• Corrine Grant: Actress and comedienne (Born in Corryong Hospital 12 June 1973).

See also

• Corryong Airport