Wallan

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{More citations needed|date=September 2007}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = town | name = Wallan | state = vic | parish = Wallan Wallan | image = Wallanpan.jpg | caption = Wallan from the top of Green Hill | coordinates = {{coord|37|25|S|144|59|E|display=inline,title}} | use_lga_map = yes | pushpin_label_position = right | lga = Shire of Mitchell | postcode = 3756 | pop = 15004 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name="ABS">{{Census 2016 AUS |id=UCL214018 |name=Wallan (Urban Centre/Locality) |access-date=29 March 2018 |quick=on}}</ref> | est = | elevation= 308 | stategov = [[Electoral district of Kalkallo|Kalkallo]] | fedgov = [[Division of McEwen|McEwen]] | dist1 = 45 | location1= [[Melbourne]] | near-nw = [[Lancefield, Victoria|Lancefield]] | near-n = [[Kilmore, Victoria|Kilmore]] | near-ne = [[Wandong, Victoria|Wandong]] | near-w = [[Romsey, Victoria|Romsey]] | near-e = [[Upper Plenty, Victoria|Upper Plenty]] | near-sw = [[Romsey, Victoria|Romsey]] | near-s = [[Beveridge, Victoria|Beveridge]] | near-se = [[Upper Plenty, Victoria|Upper Plenty]] }} [[Image:WallanRattlersHotel.JPG|thumb|The Rattlers Hotel]] '''Wallan''' {{IPAc-en|audio=Wallan pronunciation.ogg|ˈ|w|ɒ|l|ən}}, traditionally known as '''Wallan Wallan''' (large circular place of water), is a town in [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]], {{convert|45|km|miles}} north of Melbourne's [[Melbourne City Centre|Central Business District.]] The town sits at the southern end of the large and diverse [[Shire of Mitchell]] which extends from the northern fringes of [[Melbourne]] into the farming country of north-central Victoria and the lower [[Goulburn Valley]]. The township flanks the [[Hume Freeway]] and is set against the backdrop of the [[Great Dividing Range]].<ref name="travelmate">{{cite web|url=http://www.travelmate.com.au/Places/Places.asp?TownName=Wallan_\_VIC|title=Wallan, Victoria|publisher=Travelmate}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> At the 2021 census it had a population of 15,004.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021 Wallan, Census All persons QuickStats {{!}} Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL22661 |access-date=2023-07-18 |website=abs.gov.au}}</ref>

== Overview == The fastest growing town and now the largest town in the Mitchell Shire, Wallan is a link between the city and rural towns such as [[Kilmore, Victoria|Kilmore]], [[Broadford, Victoria|Broadford]] and [[Seymour, Victoria|Seymour]]. 15 kilometres to the north is a turnoff to [[Strath Creek, Victoria|Strath Creek]] which leads through the Valley of a Thousand Hills.<ref name="travelmate" />

==History== A Wallan Wallan Post Office opened on 1 April 1858. A Wallan Railway Station Post Office opened on 1 October 1873, later renamed as Wallan Wallan East and closing in 1992.<ref name = "a">{{Citation | last = Phoenix Auctions History | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Wallan* | access-date = 31 January 2021}}</ref>

The first and only surviving store was begun by Hugh and Margaret Sinclair about 1860 with their 2-storey residence. In 1867 Thomas O'Dwyer began a store where the Wallan Hotel now stands. He converted the store to the Woodmans Arms Hotel in 1883. George Wallder and John Kyle supplied meat to the township. The first church erected in Wallan was a wooden building that cost 71 pounds and was opened by the Methodist residents in 1865. Wallan became part of the preaching circuit in 1864 and the following year the modest chapel was built.

In the past, Wallan was a small village with only a few houses and a shop. 1km North of Wallan is the Hidden Valley Housing Development which until 1997 was a private farm, however it has now been developed as a residential estate with a [[golf course]] running through the middle.<ref name = "golf">{{Citation | author= Golf Select | title = Hidden Valley | url = http://www.golfselect.com.au/armchair/courseView.aspx?course_id=283 | access-date = 11 May 2009}}</ref>

The Wellington Square Shopping Centre, opened in 2004, includes many corporate franchise businesses (mainly Victoria's biggest supermarket chain [[Safeway Australia|Safeway]]), creating competition for the already existing [[Coles Supermarkets|Coles]] Supermarket across the road.

In 2009, Wallan was used as a relief centre for those from surrounding towns affected by the Black Saturday fires.<ref name = "fire">{{Citation | author= ABC Australia | title = Lending a hand as fires rage on | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/09/2486386.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090212185114/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/09/2486386.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 12 February 2009 | access-date = 24 February 2010}}</ref>

== Education == Wallan offers both primary and secondary education. Wallan Primary School (est.1857) and Wallan Secondary College (est.2006). Catholic education can be sourced in the nearby town of [[Kilmore, Victoria|Kilmore]] through Saint Patricks Primary and Assumption College Kilmore, and private education through The Kilmore International School (y3-y12) teaching the IB diploma (Permanently closed in January 2023<ref>{{cite web |last1=Precel |first1=Nicole |last2=Le Grand |first2=Chip |last3=Carey |first3=Adam |title=COVID, contracts and bitter feuds: Why a Kilmore school collapsed |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/covid-contracts-and-bitter-feuds-why-a-kilmore-school-collapsed-20220729-p5b5rk.html |website=www.theage.com.au |publisher=[[The Age]] |access-date=5 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008173337/https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/covid-contracts-and-bitter-feuds-why-a-kilmore-school-collapsed-20220729-p5b5rk.html |archive-date=8 October 2022 |location=[[Kilmore, Victoria]] |language=en |date=30 July 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>). Childcare and Kindergarten programs in Wallan are offered by multiple private childcare centres and the Mitchell Shire Kindergarten (operating within Wallan Primary School grounds).

== Transport == [[File:WallanTrainStation.jpg|thumb|Wallan Train Station]] [[File:Mitchel Transit Bus.jpg|thumb|Mitchel Transit Bus service by shire]]

[[Wallan railway station|Wallan station]] is well connected with the V/Line train network on the [[North East railway line|Seymour line]]. Mitchell Shire also operates a town to station connecting bus service for peak hour commuters. There is a bus service from [[Barmah]]<ref>{{cite PTV route|Barmah - Melbourne via Shepparton & Heathcote}}</ref> that serves Wallan to [[Southern Cross railway station|Southern Cross station]].

==Parks== Wallan has parks in prominent locations, and within estates. It also has a small water park (running mainly in the warmer months) located in the town centre at Hadfield park, this is a large adventure playground with a small splash area and ample picnic spaces including sheltered seating with bbq facilities. There are very limited recreational facilities in the town. Walkways have been improved in recent years with re-vegetation of wetland areas along Watson st and storm water mitigation ponds around Wallara Waters.

== See also == * [[List of reduplicated Australian place names]]

== References == {{Commons}} {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Towns in Victoria (state)]] [[Category:Shire of Mitchell]] [[Category:Hume Highway]]