Benalla

Benalla, city, central Victoria, Australia, on the Broken River. Founded in 1848 on an overland stock route after Sir Thomas Mitchell’s exploration of the area, its name is derived from an Aboriginal term meaning “crossing place,” “big water holes,” or, possibly, “musk duck.” It became a shire in 1869, a borough in 1948, and a city in 1965.

The city is a rail and highway junction and the commercial centre for a district of livestock, poultry, and grain farming. Local industries include flour milling and sawmilling, food processing, clothing manufacture, and railroad workshops. Benalla is located in the Glenrowan wine region, and food and drink are a significant tourism draw. Close to Mount Buller (5,919 feet [1,804 metres]) and other ski areas, Benalla also is a winter resort. A statue of Weary Dunlop, a locally born surgeon and hero during the construction of the infamous railroad built by Allied prisoners between Burma (Myanmar) and Siam (Thailand) in World War II, stands in the city. Pop. (2001) urban centre, 8,593; (2011) local government area, 13,647.