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{{Short description|Town in Victoria, Australia}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type = town
| name = Narbethong
| state = vic
| image = Black Spur Inn Narbethong.JPG
| caption = Black Spur Inn at Narbethong
| use_lga_map = yes
| coordinates = {{coord|37|34|S|145|39|E|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_label_position = right
| lga = Shire of Murrindindi
| postcode = 3778
| est =
| pop = 201
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}}
| pop_footnotes= <ref name="ABS2021">{{cite web |title=2021 Census QuickStats Narbethong |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/SAL21880 |website=Australian Bureau of Statistics |access-date=16 July 2024}}</ref>
| elevation= 360
| maxtemp = 15.8
| mintemp = 7.5
| rainfall = 1365
| stategov = [[Electoral district of Eildon|Eildon]]
| fedgov = [[Division of Indi|Indi]]
| dist1 = 87
| dir1 = NE
| location1= Melbourne
| dist2 =
| dir2 =
| location2=
| dist3 =
| dir3 =
| location3=
| near-sw = [[Healesville, Victoria|Healesville]]
| near-ne = [[Marysville, Victoria|Marysville]]
| near-w = [[Toolangi, Victoria|Toolangi]]
| near-e = [[Cambarville, Victoria|Cambarville]]
| near-s = [[Warburton, Victoria|Warburton]]
| near-n = [[Buxton, Victoria|Buxton]]
| near-nw = [[Glenburn, Victoria|Glenburn]]
| near-se = [[McMahons Creek, Victoria|McMahons Creek]]
}}
'''Narbethong''' is a town in central [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], Australia. It is located on the [[Maroondah Highway]], {{convert|87|km|mi}} north east of the state capital, [[Melbourne]]. At the [[2021 Australian census|2021 census]], Narbethong had a population of 201.<ref name=ABS2021/>

==History==
The first European settlement at Narbethong was established in about 1865 by Frederick Fisher.<ref name=waghorn>{{cite book|last=Waghorn|first=John F.|title=Narbethong Post Office Centenary 1883-1983|year=1983|publisher=John F. Waghorn|location=Thomastown, Victoria|isbn=0959203907}}</ref>{{rp|6}} Fisher built a 12-room hotel, the ''Black Spur Inn'', on the road which was being built to link Melbourne with the new goldfield at [[Woods Point, Victoria|Woods Point]]. Fisher came from the town of [[Narberth, Pembrokeshire|Narberth]] in [[Wales]], so it is likely that the name Narbethong was based on that.<ref name=waghorn/>{{rp|7}} However, there are also claims that Narbethong is an [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] word meaning ''cheerful'', or ''cheerful place''.<ref name=waghorn/>{{rp|8}}

Narbethong Post Office opened on 16 October 1883 in a small room at the hotel.<ref name=waghorn/>{{rp|9}} In about 1886 the post office moved from the hotel into a small building. The telegraph service was connected to Narbethong in 1891,<ref name=waghorn/>{{rp|11}} with the wires being strung along fences and attached to trees. In 1939 the post office building, which was then part of a store and petrol station, was completely destroyed in the [[Black Friday (1939)|Black Friday bushfires]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article39008015 |title=AERIAL EYE FOR FOREST GUARDIANS. |newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]] |location=Brisbane |date=17 January 1939 |access-date=21 July 2013 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The Post Office closed in 1993.<ref name = "a">{{Cite web | last = Phoenix Auctions History | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Narbethong* | access-date = 10 April 2021}}</ref>

A primary school opened in Narbethong on 7 July 1903.<ref name=waghorn/>{{rp|12}} It originally was part-time, sharing a teacher with [[Marysville, Victoria|Marysville]] and [[Buxton, Victoria|Buxton]].<ref name=waghorn/>{{rp|12}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60184656 |title=Narbethong State School |newspaper=[[Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian]] |location=Vic. |date=12 May 1917 |access-date=21 July 2013 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1913, the [[Shire of Healesville|Healesville Shire]] health officer reported that a lack of ventilation made the building a health hazard for students and teachers.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10780506 |title=Unhealthy school building |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=29 April 1913 |access-date=21 July 2013 |page=10 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> A new school building was officially opened by [[William Vanneck, 5th Baron Huntingfield|Lord Huntingfield]], the [[Governor of Victoria]], on 9 April 1937.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11055433 |title=Boy welcomes Governor |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=9 April 1937 |access-date=21 July 2013 |page=7 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

The town was devastated in the Black Friday bushfires in 1939. Initial reports suggested that the hotel was the only building left standing.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/newspapers/390111_a_volunteers_wanted.htm |title=Black Friday – newspaper reports – The Age – 11/01/39 Township Gutted – Narbethong ablaze |first= |last= |work=abc.net.au |year=2013 |access-date=21 July 2013}}</ref> but other buildings survived including the school and The Hermitage.

Narbethong was again severely affected by the [[Black Saturday bushfires]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/08/2485378.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209112921/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/08/2485378.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 February 2009|title=Wiped out: Towns destroyed by killer fires|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=2009-02-07}}</ref> In 2011, a new public hall was built using local timbers, with the whole building being wrapped in a bronze mesh fire resistant screen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpn.com.au/news/narbethong-hall-rebuilt-bushfire-resistant-followi|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130721111943/http://www.bpn.com.au/news/narbethong-hall-rebuilt-bushfire-resistant-followi|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 July 2013|title=Narbethong hall rebuilt bushfire-resistant following Black Saturday|work=bpn.com.au|year=2013|access-date=21 July 2013}}</ref> It was officially opened on 26 November 2011 by the Governor of Victoria, [[Alex Chernov]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.narbethonghall.org.au/our-history/the-history-of-narbethong-community-hall.html |title=Narbethong Community Hall |first= |last= |work=narbethonghall.org.au |year=2012 |access-date=21 July 2013}}</ref>

A scene in the 1959 film ''[[On the Beach (1959 film)|On the Beach]]'' was set in Narbethong. It featured the characters played by [[Gregory Peck]] and [[Ava Gardner]] spending their first night together.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_086142.shtml | title=Narbethong climate – site name: TOOLANGI (MOUNT ST LEONARD DPI) | work=Bureau of Meteorology | publisher=Australian Government | access-date=28 Feb 2009}}
* [http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/PhotoSearchItemDetail.asp?M=0&B=9515670&SE=1 Narbethong Post Office 1901 photograph]
* [https://archive.today/20130721111300/http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/items/766666/negative-post-office-narbethong-victoria-circa-1925 Narbethong Post Office 1925 photograph]

{{Towns in Murrindindi Shire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Shire of Murrindindi]]

{{Hume-geo-stub}}

Narbethong, Victoria - Revision history

imported>GreenC bot: Rescued 1 archive link. Wayback Medic 2.5 per WP:URLREQ#abc.net.au/news/stories