MAFFRA

Maffra

Maffra is an attractive town, with its tree-lined nineteenth century main street, and was named after Maffra in Portugal, reportedly because many of the early settlers from the Monaro region in NSW had fought in Spain and Portugal during the Peninsula War. In 1862 Maffra started to grow when a punt conveyed hopeful miners along the Macalister River to the goldfields. During the 1890s a sugar beet industry started and operated until the weather and competition for labour from the dairying industry ended it after World War II.

Today, Maffra is intensive dairying country and the hub of the rich Macalister dairying, agricultural, pastoral and irrigation region. There is a great sense of history surrounding the town seen in original shop verandahs and grand homesteads such as the Duart.

Quick facts

Population approximately 4,000
228 kilometres east of Melbourne
Mineral and gemstone collection
Sugar Beet Museum
Historical buildings.

Activities and attractions

Visit the Beet Museum, which chronicles the early industry, as well as the cattle and dairying heritage of the district
Picnic at Macalister Park
Tee off at the Maffra Golf Course
Observe bird life at Macalister Swamp wetlands
Enjoy touring through the Maffra area and the other towns such as the historic township of Briagolong at the foothills of the Great Dividing Range
Fish for seasonal trout along the Macalister and Thomson rivers or travel north from Heyfield to Lake Glenmaggie to boat, waterski and camp
Visit Stratford Village on the Avon River with its many art and craft shops, antiques and bric a brac.
Experience motoring history at the vintage car museum.

Major events