Whorouly

Whorouly Victoria
Whorouly
Coordinates
Population	519 (2011 census)
Postcode(s)	3735
Location	274 km (170 mi) NE of Melbourne 32.3 km (20 mi) SE of Wangaratta 19.1 km (12 mi) NW of Myrtleford
LGA(s)	Rural City of Wangaratta
State electorate(s)	Ovens Valley
Federal Division(s)	Indi

Whorouly is a town in northeast Victoria, Australia.

The town is in the valley of the Ovens River and in the Rural City of Wangaratta local government area, 274 kilometres (170 mi) northeast of the state capital, Melbourne and 32.3 kilometres (20.1 mi) southeast of the regional centre of Wangaratta. At the 2011 census, Whorouly and the surrounding area had a population of 519. Prior to the 1994 Kennet Government council amalgamations (and the creation of the Rural City of Wangaratta), the township was in the (now disbanded) Shire of Oxley.

The town can easily be missed, sitting as it does off the main valley highways between the Snow Road (the C522 which runs from an interchange on the M31 Hume Freeway) and The Great Alpine Road (the B500, which runs between Wangaratta and Omeo). It is however, only 5 minutes from either road.

The town was surveyed and proclaimed in 1868, adopting the name of a nearby station. Whorouly Primary School opened in 1874. The first European settlers established large grazing properties but after the Victorian gold rush, closer settlement took place. Land was released in 320-acre (130 ha) lots, on the condition that part of the land was cleared for agriculture.

Until the 1980s much of the area along the Ovens River was planted with tobacco. Other production in the area included beef and dairy cattle, orchards and market gardens. In recent years, wine grape growing has been introduced to the area so that the area, being at the apex of the Ovens Valley and King Valley, is the centre of a significant food region with many farm gate and cellar door sales.

The local Australian rules football team, Whorouly Football Club, competes in the Ovens and King Football League.

Town facilities currently include churches, children's playground, sporting ground & public hall, a combined primary school & pre-school, a combined hotel/pub/general store, a local well renowned cafe called The 2 Cooks Cafe and several self-catering holiday rentals and B&B's. There is also a garage with fuel facilities. The garage was known as Whorouly Motors but recently changed its name to Alpine Performance changing focus to support the growing performance car and motorbike market in the region.