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Victoria (Eastern Region) |
| Corryong | |
| The upper reaches of the Murray around Corryong are among the most unspoiled places in Victoria. This is picture postcard territory, a photographer's paradise. It is where the mighty Murray begins its 2000 kilometre journey to the sea. At its birthplace high in the alps you can jump across the border of Victoria and New South Wales. | |
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the Corryong cemetery is the grave of perhaps the most famous Australian,
Jack Riley, believed to be the Man from Snowy River. At the time of his
death Riley was manager of Tom Groggin Station in the foothills of the
Kosciusko Ranges on the other side of the Murray. When news reached
Corryong that he was ill a party was sent to bring him in. The going was
difficult, snow was falling and on the night of 14 July, 1914, Riley died
in a hut on Surveyor's Creek. He was buried here two days later.
Riley's Ride is now part of the annual Corryong High Country Festival which is held in March in celebration of such pioneers. The Man From Snowy River Folk Museum sheds some interesting insights into the life of the pioneers and their ingenuity and it has an extraordinary exhibition of old skiing equipment. Corryong, for the fisherman, means brown and rainbow trout. There is great fishing here with opportunities for everyone from the most experienced and skilled fly fisherman to the youngest amateur with a line and bait. And all this in beautiful countryside teeming with bird and animal life. Take a tour with the local Rangers. It's a great way to understand more about the parks and how alive they are. For the bushwalker, you have the Burrowa-Pine National Park on the Victorian side of the border and Kosciusko National Park in New South Wales. East along the Murray Valley Highway is Tallangatta, the town that moved. The coloured sails of yachts now scoot over the old town, which was flooded for Lake Hume in 1956 and rebuilt on its present site. When the water is low, the streets and structures of old Tallangatta rise like ghosts from their watery grave. From here there is boating and fishing on the Hume Weir and the Dartmouth Dam, both part of one of the largest inland waterways in the world. There are numerous places to stay and endless country roads to meander away the stresses of city living. Try a round of golf or two, a picnic or just a peaceful walk. Or just listen and dream of those mountain ranges which are always with you wherever you travel around here. |
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