Snake Valley is a town in central Western

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Australia, o
Linton-Carngham Road
west of

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. Within months of Vi ...

and west of

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...

, in the

Shire of Pyrenees The Shire of Pyrenees is a local government area (LGA) in Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of and in June 2018 had a population of 7,353. It includes the towns of Avoca, Beaufort, Lexton and ...

. A

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional serv ...

was opened on 1 March 1859. At the 2016 Census, Snake Valley had a population of 743, up from 329 in 2006.

Aboriginal Snake Valley

Aborigines inhabited Snake Valley for tens of thousands of years before Europeans arrived. The Carringum balug clan of the

Wathaurong The Wathaurong nation, also called the Wathaurung, Wadawurrung and Wadda Wurrung, are an Aboriginal Australian people living in the area near Melbourne, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula in the state of Victoria. They are part of the Kulin ...

are the

traditional owners Native title is the designation given to the common law doctrine of Aboriginal title in Australia, which is the recognition by Australian law that Indigenous Australians (both Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander people) have rights ...

of the land surrounding Snake Valley/Carngham district. The nearby town of Carngham therefore appears to be the name of the Aboriginal clan that originally lived in the area. They called Snake Valley itself ''Nimbuck'' or ''Nimluck''

Religion

Snake Valley has churches of five Christian denominations, although not all of them are being used as places of worship. The Anglican Church of Holy Trinity is located on Linton-Carngham Rd and is a part of the Woady Yaloak Mission District, Anglican Diocese of Ballarat. The Catholic St Brigid's is located on the corner of Linton-Carngham Road and is a part of St Peter's Parish, Linton. The Carngham Uniting Church on the Linton-Carngham Road has hosted organ recitals as part of the Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields Festival.Organs of the Ballarat Goldfields, Fifteenth Annual Festival Retrieved 13 February 2010

Sport and recreation

Snake Valley has football, netball and cricket teams as well as an irregular 12 hole golf course.

Education

Woady Yaloak Primary School provides the first level of education to the town. Secondary students must travel to other places such as Ballarat or Beaufort for education.

Community

For a small population Snake Valley has a large number of active Community groups and organisations: *Snake Valley & District Historical Society, *

Snake Valley Astronomical Association (SVAA) The Snake Valley Astronomical Association (SVAA) is an Amateur Astronomy Club based in Snake Valley, Victoria, Snake Valley, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. Established in 2005, membership of the SVAA is open to people with an interes ...

, *Snake Valley-Carngham Branch Friends of the RSL, *Snake Valley CFA Auxiliary & Community Fireguard, *Mag Dam Reserve Group, *Snake Valley CERT (Community Emergency Response), *Carngham Recreation Reserve, * Woady Yaloak Primary School Parents and Friends Group, *Snake Valley & District CFA, *Snake Valley Landcare, *Snake Valley Playgroup, *St. Brigid's Altar Society,

Economy

The local economy is agricultural in nature. It is dominated by broad acre farming, grazing, and timber industries. The township also contains a general store and a hotel.

Transport

Snake Valley is serviced by a twice-weekly bus service from

, which runs on Mondays and Fridays. The main means of transport is private vehicle.

Notable people

John "Jack" Worrall,

Australian rules footballer Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

and cricketer was born at Chinaman's Flat in the locality in 1861.

References

External links

{{authority control Towns in Victoria (Australia) Western District (Victoria)