Benalla is located 40km’s south of Wangaratta and is easily reached via the Hume Freeway. The region surrounding central offers productive farming land and takes in the communities of Devenish, Goorambat, Swanpool, Tatong, Thoona, and Winton. Benalla sites on the Broken River which flows into Lake Benalla before joining the Goulburn River.
The area was first settled as a pastoral run by the Reverend Joseph Docker in 1838 who name it Benalta Run after the Aboriginal word for Musk Duck. The actual town was laid out in 1846. A Post Office opened on 1 December 1844 but named Broken River until 1 January 1854.
There is a good selection of shops and industries represented in Benalla as well as attractions such as Lake Benalla, Mount Samaria State Park and Reef Hills State Park. There are also sporting facilities, aquatic centre, art gallery, performing arts and convention centre, regional airport and botanical gardens.
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