Wandong
Postcode: 3758
Wandong, Victoria is a town 50 kilometres north of Melbourne on the Hume Highway. It is located right next to the town of Heathcote Junction, and the two towns have a combined population of approximately 1,500. The main centre nearest Wandong is Kilmore.
Nearby is the L.B. Davern Nature Reserve, and Wandong is home to the Wandong Country Music Festival.
Wandong Railway Station was the former terminus for the Mount Disappointment State Forest tramways. In the 1880’s Mount Disappointment State Forest was riddled with tramway lines and logging settlements and the Wandong Railway Station boasted a large timber seasoning and joinery works (built in 1884/85) with several rail sidings for the loading and transport of timber. However, all physical recognition of this has disappeared over time.
Originally built in 1902 the hall was first known as the Wandong Mechanics Institute and Free Library. A donation of timber from the Australian Seasoned Timber Company helped build the hall and it was the social hub of Wandong for many years with dances and gatherings on a regular basis. The hall celebrated it’s centenary in 2002.
Wandong once hosted the biggest country music festival in Australia. That was almost 30 years ago. Started in 1972, the Wandong Music Festival ran out of steam in the mid 1980’s but in 2001 it was revived by the local fire brigade and is growing strongly each year.