About

We recommend you visit these websites for more information on the history of Yinnar & District:

Yinnar

Yinnar South

Jeeralang

Settlement

The Latrobe Valley was part of the traditional lands of the Gunai Kurnai people. Recent archeological surveys along the Morwell River valley have provided an insight into how people lived and where they camped.

Pastoral occupation of the area began with squatters in the early 1840s, and the Scrubby Forest run near Yinnar was taken up in 1848. European settlement of Yinnar & District began in earnest with the arrival of a group of pioneer families in 1874.  The extension of the railway from Morwell in 1885 and the establishment of the Yinnar Primary School in 1882 and a Butter Factory in 1891, were major milestones in the development of the town and the district.  The railway line had become uneconomic by the 1960s and was closed in 1974.  The centralisation of dairy processing led to the closure of the butter factory. 

Industry

Most local farms are primarily dairy farms.  Yinnar and District is also home to a number of self-employed professionals and tradespeople, but the majority of employment is in the larger towns in the Latrobe Valley.

Changes

The site of the railway station is now a public park, with the original goods shed containing a museum and the offices of the Historical Society. A project to create historic signage throught the town has been highly successful.

Yinnar & District Today

New housing developments in the town and the district are enabling Latrobe Valley residents to experience the enjoyment of a rural lifestyle in a caring and friendly country community.