Myrtleford is a town in northeast Victoria, Australia, 282 km (175 miles) northeast of Melbourne and 47 km (29 miles) southeast of Wangaratta. Myrtleford is part of the Alpine Shire local government area and in 2021 the town had a population of 3,285.[1]
History
The post office opened on 26 July 1858 as Myrtle Creek and was renamed Myrtleford in 1871.[2] The road through Myrtleford was then called the Buckland Road, today it is known as the Great Alpine Road.
During World War II No. 5 Prisoner of War Camp was established near Myrtleford. It accommodated Italian prisoners of war from mid-1942 until they were repatriated or became emigrants to Australia in 1946. At its peak, 1,000 POWs were located in the camp.[3]
Myrtleford Speedway is a speedway venue located on the northern edge of the town, off Odonnnell Avenue and adjacent to the golf course.[6] It has also been used for motorcycle speedway and has hosted important events, including the Australian qualifying round of the Speedway World Championship in 1990[7][8] and the final of the Victorian Individual Championship in 1989/1990 and 1992/1993.[9]
Features
The rich soil of the region is known for its fresh local produce including vegetables, berries, nuts and olives. Myrtleford is also famous for its vineyards spread across the Alpine Valleys wine region which includes production of Italian Michelini Wines and Gapsted Wines. The area has abundant greenery in the form of parks such as the Jubilee Park and Rotary Park.[10]
