Mooroopna, situated in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, Australia, boasts a fascinating history. Before European settlement, the Yorta Yorta and Bangerang peoples had occupied the land for several millennia. James Cowper was the first European squatter to establish a residence in the area in 1841. In the 1870s, Mooroopna had already flourished into a thriving agricultural hub. Eventually, in 1865, it was officially surveyed and recognized as a town.

Early History

By 1888 Mooroopna had eight hotels, a flour mill, two banks, four insurance agencies, a State school, a hospital, four churches, and a mechanics institute.

War Years

During World War II, Mooroopna played a vital role in the war effort. The town was home to a training facility for the Australian Army, known as the Mooroopna Recruit Reception and Training Depot. The depot was established in 1940 and provided basic training for new recruits before they were sent to other army camps for further training.

Mooroopna War Memorial

The Mooroopna War Memorial stands at the intersection of McLennan Street and Vaughan Street, situated in the heart of Mooroopna. This monument is a tribute to the brave men and women from the Mooroopna district who selflessly served in the armed forces during World War I, World War II, and other conflicts. Additionally, it bears the names of the 145 enlisted men and 21 serving nurses who received their training at Mooroopna Hospital.

Amidst a landscaped park, pathways lead to a war memorial featuring a stone obelisk within a rotunda. The names of the brave soldiers who lost their lives are inscribed on the sides of the obelisk. Surrounding the rotunda is a circular garden bed with a tall flagpole at the centre. Notably, the memorial was unveiled on ANZAC Day, April 25th, 1928, by Lieutenant General Sir John Monash, and a large crowd of locals, many of whom had lost family members in the war, were in attendance to pay their respects. Trees and benches can also be found in the area, offering a peaceful retreat for those who wish to reflect and remember.

In 2020 the Greater Shepparton City Council allocated $320,000 to upgrade the war memorial. Funding also came from the Mooroopna Rotary Club, the Victorian and Federal governments, and private donors. Significantly the upgrade included new flagpoles and memorial panels. New concrete paths, lighting, a rose garden and irrigation were also added.

Mooroopna Hospital

The Mooroopna Hospital was built in 1876. At first, it began as a small timber hut on the Goulburn River. The hospital treated injuries and accidents as the nearest doctor was forty-two kms away in Rushworth. From 1910 to the 1930s, the hospital underwent a significant rebuild and was the main hospital in the region until the Shepparton Base Hospital opened. This eventually saw the closure of the Mooroopna Hospital in 1974.

Unfortunately, on January 9^th 2011, the abandoned hospital was gutted by fire. It had been slated to be converted into a nursing home then. After the fire, the developer applied to demolish the laundry and main entrance. He submitted an engineering assessment that repairing the damage was “probably not feasible”.

The Heritage advisor opposed demolishing the hospital due to its “historical, social, aesthetic and architectural significance”. Independent engineers also determined that 70% of the building was undamaged and heritage elements could be included in any development. Since then, it has sat empty and at the mercy of vandals and graffiti taggers.

Mooroopna Museum

The museum and gallery are located at the back of the old Mooroopna Hospital in a former nursing home. It boasts the biggest historical medical collection in regional Victoria, comprising fifteen rooms and hallways filled with remarkable artefacts. The archaic operating theatre and patient rooms are the museum’s prime attractions. Visitors will also find nurses’ uniforms, medical apparatus, and a dentist’s chair serving as a reminder of how much medicine has progressed since its early days.

Cows and Statues

The main street has a spacious median strip dotted with part of the unique ‘Moooving Art’ herd. Additionally, there is a statue of Jack Findlay, a well-respected local figure. Born in Mooroopna in 1935, Jack Findlay was a skilled Australian Grand Prix motorcycle racer. Findlay is one of only four riders who have achieved a twenty-year Grand Prix racing career. He is recognized for his exceptionally long racing career in Grand Prix history, and his achievements are celebrated through the monument dedicated to him.