Wangaratta Travel Guide
Wangaratta accommodation, Wangaratta activities and attractions, Wangaratta maps, transportation to and around Wangaratta - the ALL NEW Jasons Wangaratta Destination Travel Guide is your complete visitor guide for Wangaratta.
Wangaratta, at the confluence of the Ovens and King Rivers, is the largest rural city along the Victorian section of the Hume Highway. Its name comes from the two local Aboriginal words meaning 'resting place of the cormorants'.
Wangaratta, commonly known as 'Wang', was established in the 1840s as a river crossing during the gold rush. The river punt operated until a bridge was built in 1855, and the town grew steadily as a service centre for the surrounding agricultural district. The town has connections to Australia's bushranger past: it had frequent visits from the Kelly gang and Harry Power, and Mad Dog Morgan's headless body is buried in the local cemetery.
Wangaratta's proximity to the high country, winery regions and the Murray River makes it an ideal town from which to explore northeastern Victoria.
Population
15,500
Climate
Cool temperate
Summer: 14 – 30°C
Winter: 3 – 13°C
Rainfall: 640mm/year (wettest months June to October)
Associated Towns
Albury-Wodonga, Beechworth, Benalla, Chiltern, Glenrowan, Myrtleford