Whitfield

History

Pastoral runs were established in the area in the 1840s but population was small until the 1870s, the Post Office opening on 1 May 1874 as Upper King River and being renamed Whitfield in 1889. The name Whitfield is believed to come from the name of a pastoral run Whitefields. In the early 1900s Whitfield was the site of a Government experimental farm growing tobacco and hops. After World War II many European immigrants settled in the area and grew tobacco. Commencing in the 1980's many of the tobacco farms converted to vineyards and today Whitfield hosts many independent wineries including Dal Zotto, (famed for the introduction of Prosecco in Australia), Pizzini, Darling Estate, and the Politini and Chrismont wineries in nearby Cheshunt. Many wineries along the Oxley to Cheshunt Road, colloquially known as "Prosecco Road", offer their own Prosseco. There is also the King River Brewery located approximately 4 km before Whitfield. The area holds a number of wine and culinary events throughout the year. Tragedy struck the township when the only general store in town (which had recently been taken over by new owners) was destroyed in a fire early in 2013.

Most-observed species

• Gray Fantail

  Rhipidura albiscapa Gould, 1840 · Aves
  293
• Yellow-faced Honeyeater

  Caligavis chrysops (Latham, 1801) · Aves
  274
• Gray Shrikethrush

  Colluricincla harmonica (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  205
• Crimson Rosella

  Platycercus elegans (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  197
• Golden Whistler

  Pachycephala pectoralis (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  194
• Superb Fairywren

  Malurus cyaneus (Ellis, 1782) · Aves
  187
• White-browed Scrubwren

  Sericornis frontalis (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) · Aves
  184
• White-throated Treecreeper

  Cormobates leucophaea (Latham, 1802) · Aves
  174

Most recent

• M 3.9 — 2024-08-06
  34 km SSW of Mount Buller, Australia
• M 4.4 — 2023-06-29
  34 km SSW of Mount Buller, Australia
• M 4.1 — 2021-09-21
  35 km SSW of Mount Buller, Australia
• M 5.9 — 2021-09-21
  39 km S of Mount Buller, Australia
• M 3.2 — 2013-06-22
  24 km SE of Benalla, Australia
• M 2.8 — 2010-01-08
  39 km N of Briagolong, Australia