| Dargo Victoria |
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Prospector's hut Upper Dargo, 1870 |
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Dargo
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| Population: | 144[1] |
| Postcode: | 3862 |
| Location: |
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| LGA: | Shire of Wellington |
| State District: | Gippsland East |
| Federal Division: | Gippsland |
Dargo is a town in Victoria, Australia, located 348 kilometres (216 mi) east of Melbourne, in the Shire of Wellington. At the 2006 census, Dargo and the surrounding area had a population of 144.[1]
The town provided a stopover for Victorian Gold Rush miners on their way to the goldfields of Grant, Talbotville, and Crooked River. The Post Office opened on 18 March 1868.[2] Today the town is a producer of timber, and stockmen reside in the nearby Dargo High Plains. The town is a popular destination for four-wheel drive enthusiasts, and bushwalkers as well as trout fisherman.
The annual Walnut Festival runs through the Australian Easter Holiday period, and is usually well attended.
Trout Fishing in the Dargo River It is best to avoid the Dargo river if there have been recent heavy rains as the due to geological nature of the river (steep gradient flowing over rubble, gravel and rock substrate) it is prone to discolour easily and rise to levels that make shore fishing difficult and wading dangerous. Access to the river is excellent, with immediate access available around the township, with the (unsealed) Upper Dargo Road running alongside the river and providing river access for over 20 kilometres (10 mi) upstream of the township. Although the Upper Dargo Road is marked as a 4WD-only road on maps, a 2WD vehicle is sufficient except following heavy rains as there is a small creek crossing just prior to Black Flat, and beyond Black Flat (near Matheson Flat) the road can turn to mud.
The lower Dargo is best fished with bait or artificial lures, with the upper Dargo being well suited to these methods as well as fly and bait drifting.
In summer months (December to April) beware of brown snakes that inhabit the area, and become especially aggressive from January to March.
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