Leitchville, Victoria

Leitchville
Victoria

Murray-Goulburn dairy
Leitchville
Coordinates 35°54′0″S 144°17′0″E / 35.90000°S 144.28333°ECoordinates: 35°54′0″S 144°17′0″E / 35.90000°S 144.28333°E
Population 619 (2011 census)[1]
Established 1929
Postcode(s) 3567
Location
  • 262 km (163 mi) NW of Melbourne
  • 108 km (67 mi) SE of Swan Hill
  • 49 km (30 mi) SE of Kerang
  • 17 km (11 mi) SE of Cohuna
LGA(s) Shire of Gannawarra
State electorate(s) Murray Plains
Federal Division(s) Mallee, Murray

Leitchville is a town in northern Victoria, Australia. The town is in the Shire of Gannawarra local government area, 262  kilometres from the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2011 census, Leitchville had a population of 619.[1]

History

The district was named after the manager of Gunbower station, Duncan Leitch, following his death in 1887, and the Post Office opened on 1 October 1887.[2] The township was gazetted in 1929.

The town today

The major industry in Leitchville is dairy production; a Murray Goulburn cheese factory was located in the town, but closed in February 2010, with the loss of 80 jobs.[3][4] Kow Swamp, the site of a major palaeontological find providing insight into the origins of Indigenous Australians is located nearby.[5]

The town in conjunction with neighbouring township Gunbower has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Heathcote District Football League.[6]

Leitchville has a well-used Travellers Rest. It is not unusual to see several caravans or motor homes taking an overnight stop. There are public toilets nearby at the swimming pool and the Lions Club recently paid for the installation of a Dump Site at the local Recreation Reserve which is only a stone's throw from the Rest Stop.The Dump-Ezy was supplied by the CMCA.[7]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leitchville, Victoria.
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Leitchville (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  2. ↑ Premier Postal History. "Post Office List". Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  3. ↑ "Towns in Gannawarra". Gannawarra Shire Council. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Murray Goulburn stresses northern Vic commitment". ABC News. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  5. ↑ "Leitchville Victoria". Travelmate. Retrieved 2007-05-30.
  6. ↑ "Leitchville-Gunbower". Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  7. ↑ Gannawarra Shire, Leitchville Lions Club & Leitchville & District Progress Association