[2] The town is in the valley of the Ovens River and in the Rural City of Wangaratta local government area, 274 kilometres (170 mi) north-east of the state capital, Melbourne and 32.3 kilometres (20.1 mi) south-east of the regional centre of Wangaratta.

[1] Prior to the 1994 council amalgamations by the Kennett Government (and the creation of the Rural City of Wangaratta), the township was in the disbanded Shire of Oxley.

[3] The first European settlers established large grazing properties but after the Victorian gold rush, closer settlement took place.

Other primary products in the area included beef and dairy cattle, orchards and market gardens.

In recent years, wine grape growing has been introduced[4] meaning 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.