CORRYONG
(www.northeastvictoria.online)
Corryong sits astride the broad valley of Nariel (Corryong) Creek, a scenic landform that leads into the Murray River Valley at Towong, not too far from the source of the Murray River in the southern part of the Snowy Mountains.
From its wilderness headwaters to Khancoban, the Murray River is commonly called the Indi, and is home to numerous white water cascades, and amazing camping opportunities. At Khancoban the Murray meets with outfall from several hydro power stations, and slowly meanders its way into the backwaters of Lake Hume, a journey of 300km. From Lake Hume the Murray River slows down even further, and makes its way to the Southern Ocean at the Coorong, 2100 river kilometres away.
The full length of the Murray River became a hive of activity following on from the reports of early explorers, such as Hume and Hovell (1824) and Major Mitchell (1836), and the Upper Murray area was first explored by Europeans in the 1830s.
At this time would-be settlers, such as the Huon de Kerilleau and Shelley Families, ventured into the area from what is now Albury-Wodonga.
Corryong Station (a pastoral property) was established by the Cowper Family in 1838, and it was from this property that the township got its name.
Significant settlement in the spectacular valley country, of what is now the Corryong area, began in the early 1860s. However the township did not start to establish itself until the 1880s, with mining, timber and pastoral interests helping the fledgling community develop. In the modern era, tourism would surpass all of these activities.
The township now has a population of about 1400, and has a good range of shops and services, making an excellent base camp for exploring the area. Accommodation options include the Mittamatite Caravan Park (on the western edge of the township), with another (larger) Park being at Colac Colac (on the Murray Valley Highway, just west of Corryong). The town also has several motels, as well as some holiday cottages and B&Bs.
Food wise, there are two hotels (the Corryong Hotel and the Courthouse Hotel), several excellent cafes/restaurants, as well as the usual array of take-away options. Contact the Corryong VIC for further information on accommodation and eateries (see link below).
Apart from the obvious examples of the early days in Corryong, there are many items of interest for history buffs and the Corryong Two Feet Tour is highly recommended (see the Corryong VIC for details). Historic buildings around town include the Primary School (1877) and the Westpac Bank (1896).
The Man from Snowy River
The famous grazing property Tom Groggin was made famous by Banjo Patterson in his epic poem The Man from Snowy River, and is located to the east of Corryong, on the Upper Murray (Indi) River. Patterson was a guest at the property Bringenbrong (owned by Walter Mitchell) in 1890, and heard about the epic ride made by Riley, from the man himself. Shortly afterwards, Patterson wrote and published his poem The Man from Snowy River. It was first published in The Bulletin on April 26th, 1890, and was reprinted in the centenary of the magazine in January 1980.
Patterson was inspired to write his poem about the colt that got away by the tale of how the manager of Tom Groggin, Jack Riley, had made a spectacular chase down the mountainside in pursuit of a prize thoroughbred. Riley became the manager of the 20,000 acre property Tom Groggin in 1884, and stayed there until 1914.
Riley remained in the High Country until his last days. He refused to leave his hut at Tom Groggin except for occasional brief visits to Corryong, however in July 1914 word got around that Riley was too sick to look after himself, and a rescue party set out from Corryong to bring him into town. The rescue party was faced with a tough overland journey of 43 miles, and it was decided to transport Riley on horse-back.
The party slowly made its way to Surveyors Creek on the Indi River, and camped there for two nights as Riley was now too weak to move. On the second night Jack Riley passed away, symbolically by a bush campfire, amongst mountains and friends; the man from Snowy River had made his last ride. Almost 25 years later, his hut was to fall victim to the Black Friday bushfires of January 1939, but the legend endures.
The pastoral property Tom Groggin is still in operation, and visitors to the area today can admire the evocative high country surroundings of the area, and try to imagine the exhilaration of that famous ride, and how its fame spread, long before the days of mass media.
Jack Riley is buried in Corryong cemetery, and much Riley memorabilia can be found in The Man from Snowy River Museum in Corryong (see link below), a highly recommended venue for all visitors to the Upper Murray area.
Other places of interest in the Corryong area include Mount Mittamatite and Burrowa - Pine Mountain National Park (see links below).
BURROWA - PINE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
Intro Screen on a fresh browser page
COPYRIGHT © 1995-2020, Chris McLaughlin.