Barnawartha, Victoria

Barnawartha is a small town in north-east Victoria, Australia, located along the Hume Highway approximately 299 kilometres (186 mi) from Melbourne. It lies on the banks of Indigo Creek, a tributary of the Murray River. The town’s commercial centre is around High Street.

Barnawartha Victoria
Post office
Barnawartha
Coordinates	36°06′0″S 146°40′0″E
Population	987 (2021 census)Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Barnawartha (L) (Urban Centre/Locality)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
Established	1860
Postcode(s)	3688
Elevation	179 m (587 ft)
Location	299 km (186 mi) NE of Melbourne 23 km (14 mi) W of Wodonga 10 km (6 mi) NE of Chiltern
LGA(s)	Shire of Indigo
State electorate(s)	Benambra
Federal division(s)	Indi

History

The township was surveyed in 1857 by Assistant Surveyor William Snell Chauncy.^[1] It was settled in 1860, and the Post Office opened on 1 August 1860.^[2]

Gustav and William Baumgarten were early landowners in the area. After serving time for receiving stolen horses from bushranger Ned Kelly, William established a large winery named Bogong on the Murray River.^[3]

In January 1952, a bushfire destroyed ten houses, a shop, an old mill, and the Methodist church.^[4]

Historic resources

The town contains several historic buildings, including its post office, general store, Cheesely's Bootmakers shop, and a rebuilt hotel. The former Barnawartha railway station, opened in 1873 and closed in 1985, still has its original platform and building. In 1982, a fatal collision occurred nearby between a goods train and the Spirit of Progress.

Education

Barnawartha Primary School, located at 11–17 Stanley Street, provides education from Prep to Year 6. The school is part of the Upper Hume Network and received a new inclusive playground in 2021 via the Victorian Government’s Inclusive Schools Fund.^[5]

Sports

The former golf course has been repurposed into a general-use recreation reserve managed by the Barnawartha Recreation Reserve Committee of Management.

In early 2024, two multipurpose hard courts (netball and tennis) were completed. Upgrades included LED lighting, seating, shelters, fencing and new acrylic surfaces. The $779,782 project was jointly funded by:

• Victorian Government: $491,982
• Indigo Shire Council: $282,800
• Barnawartha Netball Club: $5,000^[6][7]

In mid‑2025, the oval lighting upgrade was approved to install 100 lux LED floodlights. The project was funded by:

• Victorian Government: $250,000
• Indigo Shire Council: $74,474
• Barnawartha Football Netball Club: $25,000^[8][9]

Barnawartha is also home to the Indigo Creek Fishing Club and various informal recreational spaces.

Barnawartha Football Netball Club

Barnawartha FC colours

Barnawartha has an Australian rules football and netball team competing in the Tallangatta & District Football League. The club's first recorded match was in 1894 against Gooramadda.^[10] The club played informal matches until joining the Ovens and Murray Junior Football Association in 1910, and lost the 1911 grand final to Howlong.^[11]

It later played in the Chiltern & District Football Association from 1912 to 1957 (with breaks during wartime) before joining the T&DFL in 1958. Premierships were won in 2002 and 2013.

Attractions

Nearby is the Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park, covering 21,565 hectares. The park features the Mt Pilot Range, Woolshed Falls, historic goldfields, and rare flora and fauna including the swift parrot and regent honeyeater.

The area includes Frying Pan Creek, Indigo Creek, Mount Lady Franklin, and bush camping at Richardson’s Bend (known locally as "Richo's") on the Murray River, popular for fishing and boating.