Mitta Mitta

History

The Mitta Mitta Valley was settled by early pastoralists in 1835 and Mitta Mitta became a settlement when gold was discovered there in 1852. Substantial hydraulic sluicing replaced alluvial mining, the [https://mitta.com.au/history.html Pioneer Mine] being the most successful, yielding over 441 kg of gold until it closed in 1904. This large open-cut mine still forms the backdrop to the town. Aboriginals used the River as a food source, social connections and sometimes wars. Their presence goes back at least 4,000 years and artifacts are frequently found along the River and creeks. The principle tribe in the district was the Jaitmatang (also spelt Yaithmathang) with the theddora-mittung occupying the area around the southern end of the Valley near present Mitta Mitta. Their spoken language was Dhudhoroa Language, no longer spoken but being revived in some local primary schools.

Geography

Mitta Mitta is situated at the southernmost end of the intermontane Mitta Mitta Valley on the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. At the airport, Mitta Mitta is 250 m (820 ft) above mean sea level. The town is at the confluence of the Mitta Mitta River and Snowy Creek, 18 km from Mount Bogong, the highest mountain in Victoria. The hamlet sits between Mt Welcome (883 m) and Mt Misery (721 m). Mitta Mitta is on the Omeo Highway, a major transportation connection between Northern Victoria and Gippsland. Prior to the completion of the Dartmouth Dam in 1979, the valley was subjected to frequent flooding. The floral emblem of Mitta Mitta is the Mitta Wattle ([https://resources.austplants.com.au/plant/acacia-dawsonii/ acacia dawsonii]), also known as the poverty wattle and is to be found close to the town on the Omeo Highway and Dartmouth Road.

Most-observed species

• Abundant-fruited Bramble

  Rubus cissburiensis W.P.C.Barton & Ridd. · Magnoliopsida
  94
• common bird-orchid

  Chiloglottis valida D.L.Jones · Liliopsida
  74
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  68
• Sea trout, Brown trout

  Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758 · Animalia
  63
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  58
• Gray Fantail

  Rhipidura albiscapa Gould, 1840 · Aves
  56
• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  55
• Prickly Horn Snail

  Cerithium echinatum Lamarck, 1822 · Gastropoda
  54

Most recent

• M 2.6 — 2007-06-10
  12 km SE of Myrtleford, Australia
• M 2.9 — 2006-02-28
  14 km WNW of Falls Creek, Australia
• M 3 — 2003-09-26
  53 km SSE of Corryong, Australia
• M 3 — 2003-05-17
  8 km NW of Kosciuszko National Park, Australia
• M 3.2 — 2003-01-25
  2 km NNE of Jindera, Australia
• M 3.4 — 2001-12-16
  8 km SW of Hotham Heights, Australia