Euroa
Postcode: 3666
Euroa is a town in the Strathbogie Shire in North-East Victoria, Australia. It is roughly midway between Melbourne and Albury as the crow flies. The area is geographically very flat, as the town is located in the huge Goulburn Valley, however the impressive Strathbogie Ranges are not far away. The name Euroa comes from an Aboriginal word in the old local dialect meaning “joyful”.
At the 2001 census, Euroa had a population of 2,698. The town contains several retirement villages, one high school, and two primary schools (one Catholic).
Euroa’s claims to fame are that the bank there was robbed by Ned Kelly in 1878, and it is the birthplace of cricket legend, Merv ‘The Swerve’ Hughes. Much of the region’s wealth once came from sheep but now it comes from horse studs. A memorial honours pioneer sheep-importer Eliza Forlonge.
The main road from Melbourne northward is the Hume Highway. A by-pass was constructed around Euroa about 15 years ago and since then Euroa has been a quiet town with little growth or business potential. It is, however, a popular stop on any long drive along the Hume for purposes of food, fuel, and parks.
The Euroa district holds the rare honour of being the home of three Victoria Cross awardees.
Euroa is home to the Strathbogie Shire headquarters. The shire was established as part of the conservative Kennett government mass rationalization across Victoria in the 1990s. Strathbogie Shire incorporates the former shires of Euroa, Violet Town, and Goulburn.