Seymour, Victoria

Seymour is a township located in the Mitchell Shire in the state of Victoria, Australia and is located 97 kilometres to the north of Melbourne. At the 2001 census, Seymour had a population of 6,422.^[1]

It was established in 1839 at the crossing of the Goulburn River on the Melbourne-Sydney route (Now known as the Hume Highway) where an inn was first built. The railway arrived in 1872 along with substantial infrastructure to support it establishing the town as an important rail hub for the Goulburn Valley, the Melbourne-Sydney rail line and North Eastern Victoria.

Seymour is headquarters to a substantial police division which maintains a large Traffic Manangement Unit (Responsible for an area up to 100 km radius of the township) and Crime Investigation Unit. Other important sectors of employment in Seymour includes retail, light engineering, agricultural services support, medical services, and education.

The township services the surrounding agricultural industries (primarily sheep, cattle and wine) as well as the nearby military base of Puckapunyal (Population 2000) which is an important training centre for the Australian Army.

The Australian Army first established a large training camp 4km to the East of the township during the First World War. During the Second World War, the eastern camp diminished in importance and a substantially larger and more permanent military township was established 10 kilometres to the West at Puckapunyal. As at 2007 Puckapunyal is the centre for the Australian Army's Land Warfare Development Centre and Headquarters Combined Arms Training Centre (HQ CATC). The HQ CATC is the headquarters for the Australian Army School of Armour (Puckapunyal), School of Artillery (Puckapunyal), School of Engineers (Sydney) and School of Infantry (Singleton). Additionally there are smaller training centres and facilities as well as a road transport squadron. Extensive corporatised maintenance and overhaul facilities for the Army are based in Puckapunyal. Further, Puckapunyal is home to the Australian Army's Tank Museum which features an excellent collection of tanks and armoured vehicles from around the world.

Service and Community Clubs. A number of sporting, service and community organisations are active in Seymour including Freemasonry (Established in Seymour in 1883), the Lions Club, Scouting, and Apex Clubs of Australia.

The township has a number of successful and well equipped sporting clubs. These include the Seymour Turf Club, the Seymour Football Club (Goulburn Murray Football League Premiers 2005 and 2006), Lawn Bowls, Kick Boxing, Basketball and Netball. The township has an excellent indoor multi-purpose sports centre and indoor swimming complex.

Railway Services. The station is served by regular V/Line hourly services to and from Melbourne, as well as services between Melbourne/Albury, and Melbourne/Shepparton pass through the town.

Attractions. Seymour hosts an annual Alternative Farming Exposition each February which draws many thousands of visitors. The township is also home to a well established railway museum, several wineries and the Army Tank Museum.