| Leongatha Victoria |
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Leongatha
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| Population: | 4,550[1] | ||||||
| Postcode: | 3953 | ||||||
| Elevation: | 88 m (289 ft) | ||||||
| Location: | |||||||
| LGA: | South Gippsland Shire | ||||||
| County: | Buln Buln | ||||||
| State District: | Gippsland South | ||||||
| Federal Division: | McMillan | ||||||
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Leongatha is a town in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges, South Gippsland Shire, Victoria, Australia, located 135 kilometres (84 mi) south-east of Melbourne. The town is the commercial, religious, educational and civic centre of the region. At the 2006 census, Leongatha had a population of 4,504.[1]
The Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co. Limited, is a farmers' co-operative which trades in Australia under the Devondale label, and has a dairy processing plant just north of the town producing milk-based products for Australian and overseas markets.
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First settlement of the area by Europeans occurred in 1845. The Post Office opened as Koorooman on 1 October 1887 and renamed Leongatha in 1891 when a township was established on the arrival of the railway.[2]
The railway line from Melbourne reached the town in 1891,[3] and stimulated further settlement. Regular V/Line passenger operations on the line to the local railway station ceased in 1993.[4]
The town is located on the South Gippsland Highway which links Leongatha to Melbourne. A V/Line road coach service replaced the rail service, running between Melbourne and Yarram. A second service runs from Traralgon to Wonthaggi. There is also a third bus service running from Venus Bay, through Tarwin Lower and Koonwarra connecting with the V/Line services that depart from Leongatha. This is a trial service and will run for one year before a decision is made on whether or not to run the service permanentely.[5] The Leongatha Airport is located south of the town and serves general aviation.
Leongatha is a major educational hub for South Gippsland. The Leongatha Education Hub contains the Leongatha Secondary College, Leongatha Primary School, South Gippsland Specialist School and GippsTafe (Leongatha Campus). There is also St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School and Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College. Leongatha is home to the Leongatha campus of GippsTAFE, as well as South Gippsland Specialist School.[6] \ Leongatha is also home to Leongatha Christian School - a christian based school for children from Prep to year 10.
The Great Southern Rail Trail is in the process of procuring finance to extend the trail as far as Yarram. At the present time the Wellington Shire have financed the first portion of the trail from Yarram to Alberton with the present Committee of Management intending to manage that portion in the foreseeable future. The Rail Trail commences at the end of Parr Street with a carpark planned for the future to assist with access to the trail in the future. Walkers can access the trail from the childrens park next to the old rail bridge in Leongatha at the end of Bair Street.
The town has a medieval society "Leongatha Medieval Society" which re-enact 14th-century weapons, armour and fighting styles http://www.lms.asn.au The Medieval Society can be seen each month at Coal Creek Community Park and Museum at Korumburra.
The town has an Australian Rules football team, "The Parrots" competing in the Gippsland Football League.
Golfers play at the course of the Leongatha Golf Club on Inverloch-Koonwarra Road, Leongatha South,[7] or at the course of the Woorayl Golf Club at the Recreation Reserve.[8]
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