Harrow
Postcode: 3317
Harrow is a town in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the West Wimmera Shire Local Government Area, 391 kilometres north west of the state capital, Melbourne overlooking the Glenelg River valley. Harrow has a population of around 150.
The first European explorer of the area was Thomas Mitchell and a monument marks the spot where he crossed the Glenelg River. A town was established in the 1840s and Harrow claims to be the oldest inland town in Victoria. At its peak, the town included a range of shops and services including two hotels. Harrow is the burial place of Johnny Mullagh, member of the Australian Aboriginal cricket team, the first Australian cricket team to tour England. He also represented the Victorian cricket team in first-class cricket.
In recent years, there has been a drift away from Harrow to larger towns in the region. In an effort to counteract this, Harrow has pioneered several popular events such as the regular “Beaut Blokes” events. The event was established to offset a perceived gender imbalance by introducing women from cities such as Melbourne and Geelong to single men from the district. The concept has now been picked up by other rural communities throughout Australia. A sound and light show is held weekly, retelling the history of Harrow in a humorous and interactive manner.