Alberton, Victoria: Travel guide and things to do

Alberton, 216 km south-east of Melbourne via the Princes Highway, is another example of the tendency of Australian colonists to name towns after members of the English royal family. Named after Queen Victoria's husband, the township was originally two separate communities, Victoria and Alberton. They were divided by Victoria St, which became more obviously Australian when it was renamed Brewery Road in 1847. The town¹s creation was closely related to the development of nearby Port Albert (again named after Prince Albert), the state's first established harbour town.

Alberton became the administrative centre of Gippsland in the 1840s. Two of its early settlers, the Martin Brothers, ensured a place for themselves in the local annals when they imported an elephant from Ceylon to clear their property. Unfortunately it escaped one evening and, weakened by cold and hunger, died a few kilometres away.

Things to see

Historic Buildings
Alberton's Hawthorn Bank is one of Victoria's few remaining wattle and daub structures. The Victoria Hotel, built in 1890, and the Alberton Primary School are also of historical interest. The school is listed as No 1 on the state register, although this is an alphabetical, rather than chronological list.

Other Activities
The town cemetery was established by sealers who used to bury their dead on the river banks in the 1830s. 10 km north-west is a blue gum forest, crisscrossed by signposted walking tracks, for those keen on bushwalking.

Accommodation
There is no accommodation available in Alberton.