Ouyen, Victoria

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Ouyen
Victoria

The Queen Bee Roadhouse at Ouyen.

Population:

1155 (2001 census)

Postcode:

3490

Elevation:

50 m

Location:

440 km from Melbourne
377 km from Adelaide, (SA)
104 km from Mildura

LGA:

Rural City of Mildura

State District:

Mildura

Federal Division:

Mallee

Mean Max Temp	Mean Min Temp	Rainfall
23.6 °C ^{74 °F}	9.6 °C ^{49 °F}	319.6 mm ^{12.6 in}

Location of Ouyen in Victoria (red)

Ouyen (35°04′S 142°19′E) is a town in Victoria, Australia, located at the junction of the Calder Highway and Mallee Highway, 107 kilometres south of Mildura, 457 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, in the Rural City of Mildura. At the 2001 census the town had a population of 1,155.^[1] The area was originally occupied by the Wergaia Aborigines. The name is believed to be is derived from the Wergaia word 'wuya-wuya', which some believe means 'pink-eared duck', whilst other claim it means 'ghost waterhole'.^[2]

The town was established around the Ouyen railway station, built in 1906 on the Mildura Line. It is also the junction for a railway line west parallel to the Mallee Highway. This line is presently in poor condition and used only for collecting grain from silos in small towns between Ouyen and the South Australian border, as the Victorian part is broad gauge, but the line from Pinnaroo to Tailem Bend has been converted to standard gauge, with no facility for handling the break of gauge. The line was used for interstate freight and The Overland^{[citation needed]} as a broad gauge connection while the main Melbourne to Adelaide line (through Bordertown) was being converted from broad to standard gauge in 1995.

Property became available for purchase in 1910, and much of it was cleared for sheep grazing, and crops of wheat and oats.

Ouyen is the commercial and transport centre for the surrounding grain farming region. Trucks arrive at harvest time to transport grain to Portland for shipping, or to flour mills for processing.

Since 1998, the Great Australian Vanilla Slice Triumph has been held in Ouyen.^[3] The 2006 competition was won by Tatura Hot Bread from Tatura.^[4] Judging criteria include "when tasted, should reveal a custard with a creamy smooth texture and a balance of vanilla taste with a crisp, crunchy pastry topped with a smooth and shiny glaze/fondant". ^[5]

The town also hosts an Autumn Art Show in April and the Mallee Wildflower Festival in October.