Shepparton (/ˈʃɛpərtən/)[4] (Yortayorta: Kanny-goopna)[5] is a city located on the floodplain of the Goulburn River in northern Victoria, Australia, approximately 181 kilometres (112 mi) north-northeast of Melbourne.
[1] It began as a sheep station and river crossing in the mid-19th century, before undergoing a major transformation as a railway town.
The name of Shepparton is derived from the surname of one of the area's first European settlers, Sherbourne Sheppard, and not, as is sometimes imagined, from Shepperton, England.
Conversely, the name for the big waterhole at the Broken River at Benalla is 'Marangan', meaning deep pond or lagoon in Taungurung Eastern Kulin language.
[5] Colloquially (and not inconsistent with the Australian propensity for name-shortening or diminutives), the city is also known as "Shepp" (/ˈʃɛp/), as adopted by community entities that incorporate the abbreviated form into their name.
"I'm a Shepp town boy" Hip Hop group Shepp Town Boy — Young Ugess Prior to the European settlement of Australia, the area was inhabited by the Yorta Yorta, the indigenous Australian people whose country covers the junction of the Goulburn and Murray Rivers in present-day northern Victoria and southern New South Wales.
On Mitchell's recommendation, Joseph Hawdon and Charles Bonney would follow two years later, camping on the town site by the Goulburn River in 1838 while droving cattle from Albury to Adelaide.
[10] With the advent of the Victorian gold rush in the 1850s, the area became a popular river crossing point for miners travelling east from the Bendigo and Ballarat goldfields.
Macguire sold the building to John Hill in 1853, who converted it into a hotel, the Emu Bush Inn.
[10][11] The post office reopened in May 1858,[12] and two years later the Governor of Victoria officially declared Shepparton a township on 24 September 1860.
[14] A mechanics institute opened between 1880 and 1888 as Shepparton rapidly developed into a major manufacturing and service centre.
The Goulburn River also developed as a secondary transport hub, with paddle steamers and ferries operating at The Barges.
[17] Post war the city's built environment also went through rapid change, with many of the old buildings being replaced with modern ones.
[20] Prior to its demolition the much loved landmark was originally planned to be rebuilt in another location as part of the development of an International Village however the proposal fell through.
Other major manufacturers in the city include Campbells Soup Company, Rubicon Water, Pental and Civilmart.
Major retailers in Shepparton include Target, Kmart, Harris Scarfe (formerly Fairleys Department Store), Bunnings, Rebel, The Reject Shop, Repco, Supercheap Auto, Autobarn and Dimmeys.
The administrative headquarters for Country Fire Authority (CFA) District 22 and one of only two Independent Rescue Agencies in Victoria are located in Shepparton.
The Search and Rescue Squad originally started out as a "Dive and Recovery Unit" recovering lost property and persons from the rivers, lakes and water ways in the region.
Kidstown is located between Shepparton and Mooroopna; it has two giant slides, a 35-metre (115 ft) flying fox and a train that goes right around the playground.
Deakin Reserve hosted the long running Shepparton Sports Carnival between 1906 and 1967, which featured - athletics, cycling, wood chopping, fireworks, bands and dancing.
The complex contains space for a variety of sports including soccer, Australian Rules, netball and others.
The Goulburn Valley Hospice runs the annual Shepparton Fruit Loop Ride for cyclists.
La Trobe University also has a campus offering a range of degree programs including Arts, Business/Commerce, Nursing/Health Sciences, and Education.
Approximately 400 students attend the university which provides day, evening, part-time, and full-time study options.
A dedicated bus service to Shepparton from Melbourne Airport is also run twice daily passing through Seymour and Nagambie.
Shepparton Airport, located south of the city on the Goulburn Valley Highway and is home to Gawne Aviation.
[citation needed] The Shepparton Adviser is independently owned and is the largest circulating established free newspaper in the Goulburn and Murray Valleys.
The Shepparton News is a paid morning daily newspaper published by the McPherson Media Group.
The Goulburn Valley Water's Wastewater Treatment facility located in Shepparton emits a strong smell which has been an issue for the past 30 years.
Despite improvements and the instalment of a new $10 million anaerobic lagoon cover in 2021,[52] the smell remains and EPA Victoria has been doing odour surveillance in nearby areas and monitoring on site actions.