Netherby

History

The town was originally known as Warraquil. It was renamed to Netherby in 1886 because the town's first teacher got confused and went to a town with a similar name (Warragul - away). The town takes its name from the British full-rigged ship Netherby, 944 tons, which was wrecked on King Island in Bass Strait on 17 July 1866. The ship was carrying 52 crew and 452 emigrants to Brisbane, Queensland and all hands landed safely. After the castaways were rescued and taken to Melbourne, few elected to continue on to Queensland, but many settled in the district of Victoria then being opened up that was named after their ship. Netherby Post Office opened on 1 September 1886 and closed in 1975. The railway came to Netherby in 1916, when the line to Yapeet opened. The last passenger service ran in the 1950s, and the line was closed in December 1986.

Most-observed species

• Australian Magpie

  Gymnorhina tibicen (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  110
• Galah

  Eolophus roseicapilla (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  78
• Willie-wagtail

  Rhipidura leucophrys (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  62
• Red-rumped Parrot

  Psephotus haematonotus (Gould, 1838) · Aves
  56
• Striated Pardalote

  Pardalotus striatus (Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  49
• Common Bronzewing

  Phaps chalcoptera (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  47
• White-plumed Honeyeater

  Ptilotula penicillata (Gould, 1837) · Aves
  46
• Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater

  Acanthagenys rufogularis Gould, 1838 · Aves
  44

Most recent

• M 4.8 — 2021-10-08
  100 km NE of Keith, Australia
• M 3.4 — 2006-10-01
  83 km NE of Keith, Australia