Robinvale
Victoria
Perrin Street, the main street of the town
Robinvale is located in Rural City of Swan Hill
Robinvale
Robinvale
Coordinates34°35′S 142°46′E / 34.583°S 142.767°E / -34.583; 142.767
Population3,740 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density53.35/km2 (138.18/sq mi)
Postcode(s)3549
Elevation61 m (200 ft)
Area70.1 km2 (27.1 sq mi)
Location
LGA(s)Rural City of Swan Hill
State electorate(s)Mildura
Federal division(s)Mallee
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
24.0 °C
75 °F		 9.5 °C
49 °F		 310.4 mm
12.2 in
Localities around Robinvale:
New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales
New South Wales Robinvale Tol Tol
Happy Valley Bannerton Tol Tol

Robinvale is a town on the south bank of the Murray River in north western Victoria, Australia. It is connected by a bridge to Euston on the other side of the river in New South Wales. At the 2021 census, Robinvale had a population of 3,740,[1] however a population study conducted by the Rural City of Swan Hill that was undertaken in 2019 identified Robinvale had an estimated population of between 7,000 in November and 8,800 in March each year.[2]

History

The Robinvale region is home to at least five indigenous groups[3] with traditional ownership belonging to people from the Latji Latji and Dadi Dadi people. The region, particularly Bumbang Island houses a large number of culturally significant sites and heritage items.[4] The town is named in memory of Lieutenant George Robin Cuttle, who was killed in action during air combat over France in 1918. The Post Office opened in 1924 as Bumbang, but was renamed Robinvale in August of that year.[5]

Robinvale was connected to the rest of the Victorian railway network when the line from Manangatang was opened in 1924.[6]: 284  Work began in the 1920s on a 37-mile (60 km) extension of the line across the Murray River to Lette in New South Wales. It was never completed, and work was officially abandoned in 1943.[6]: 100  The combined rail-road bridge across the river at Robinvale, which was constructed as part of the project, continued to be used until 2006, when a new road bridge was opened. The lifting span of the former rail-road bridge has been placed in a nearby park, as a permanent historical display.[7]

Lock 15 on the Murray River is just downstream of the town providing a pool of irrigation water and ensuring that the river near Robinvale is permanently available for water activities such as water skiing. The weir and lock were completed in 1937, the last one built on the Murray (Locks 12–14 and 16–25 were never built).

The town, fictionalised as "Sunray", was the setting of the 1996 Australian feature film Love Serenade,[8] directed by Shirley Barrett, which won the Caméra d'Or award at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.

Today

Robinvale is known for production of grapes, olives, carrots and almonds.

There are many attractions in Robinvale, such as the original home of Robin Cuttle, an antique museum, park, and a caravan park overlooking the Murray River. The river is home to a great array of native birds and fish such as the pelican, swan, perch and the murray cod.

Robinvale is a popular camping area on the Murray.

Robinvale has a rail line that is used seasonally by Pacific National freight trains. V/Line runs coach services to Swan Hill and Mildura, Victoria, connecting with train services to Melbourne at Swan Hill railway station. Robinvale Airport serves the town.

Robinvale and its twin town, Euston is home to an Italian population from the southern region of Calabria in Italy.[9] It also has immigrant populations of Tongans and Vietnamese and a significant Aboriginal community, with Aboriginal people making up 8.1% of the population as of 2016 .[10] Robinvale also had an irrigation project funded by Lower Murray Water, completed in late 2010.[11]

Sister city

Robinvale is a sister city with the town of Villers-Bretonneux in the Somme department in Picardy in northern France.[12]

Sport

Robinvale hosts numerous sporting events, a tennis Easter tournament, football, cricket and the annual Robinvale Ski Race. The town has an Australian Rules football team the Robinvale Eagles competing in the Sunraysia Football League.[13] AFL players who've played for the club include Brownlow Medalist John James, Kevin Curran, Ivan Smith, Dick Vandenberg, Des McKenzie, Pat Curran and Phil Egan, along with cricketer Jamie Siddons.

Rugby League is also played with local club Robinvale Storm participating in the Sunraysia Rugby League competition.

Golfers play at the course of the Robinvale Golf Club on the Murray Valley Highway.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 "2021 Census QuickStats Robinvale". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Robinvale housing and population". Swan Hill Rural City Council. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "Indigenous Culture -". www.robinvaleeuston.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Riverness Pty Ltd (2014) Mallee CMA Region Environmental Water Management Plan for Bumbang Island. Prepared for Mallee Catchment Management Authority, Victoria, November 2014 https://www.water.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/403891/Bumbang-Island-EWMP.pdf accessed 1 June 2021
  5. ↑ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008
  6. 1 2 Harrigan, Leo J. (1962). Victorian Railways to ‘62. Melbourne: Victorian Railways Public Relations and Betterment Board.
  7. ↑ "Euston-Robinvale Bridge". Robinvale-Euston Visitor Centre. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  8. ↑ "Love Serenade". Film North West Victoria. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  9. ↑ "Planning & Report Summary for the year 2004 - 2005". Mallee Division of General Practice. Primary Health Care Research & Information Service. Retrieved 19 August 2006.
  10. ↑ Paxinos, Stathi (20 April 2002). "Robinvale: an island of multiculturalism in Victoria". The Age. Fairfax Digital. Retrieved 19 August 2006.
  11. ↑ "Lower Murray Water". Lower Murray Water. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "Robinvale – Villers-Bretonneux". Swan Hill Rural City Council. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  13. ↑ Full Points Footy, Sunraysia Football League, retrieved 15 April 2009
  14. ↑ Golf Select, Waverley, retrieved 11 May 2009

Local information on Robinvale, Victoria can be found at: https://www.visitrobinvale.com.au/

Media related to Robinvale, Victoria at Wikimedia Commons

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