DEPARTMENT OF RURAL HEALTH; Living and Working in Shepparton, Victoria. INFORMATION PACK. 1 CONTENTS. LIVING IN SHEPPARTON 3 Attraction, Culture and Climate 4 Getting around Shepparton 5 Local facilities 6 Eating Out 8 UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE – SHEPPARTON CAMPUS 9 Going Rural Health student support team 10 Accommodation 11 MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHEPPARTON 12 CONTACT US 12 This information booklet has been developed to provide you with relevant information about your living and working arrangements within Shepparton Australia. We acknowledge that re‐locating to a new region is a daunting yet exciting experience, and there are many logistical aspects to consider. Therefore the ‘Going Rural Health’ team wish to make this transition as easy for you as possible. Please consider the information in this booklet as a general guide to living and working in Shepparton, Victoria. Our information booklet contains general information and is to be used as a guide only. This activity has been supported by the Australian Government Department of Health through the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program programme. The Department of Rural Health takes no responsibility or liability of the accuracy of the information provided in this document or information provided on the listed websites. This booklet does not endorse the products/services listed throughout. 2 LIVING IN SHEPPARTON: Shepparton is located in the Hume region, in the north‐east of Victoria around 190km from Melbourne. It is home to approximately 63,000 people. The city of Shepparton is at the centre of the Greater Shepparton region, with many diverse towns and communities located in the surrounds. An easy drive to riverside locations, as well as the snowfields, and surrounded by wineries. Shepparton’s largest industry by employment is health care and social assistance. The median age is 38 years old, with ~4% of the total population being of Indigenous origin. There is also a high proportion of residents from various multicultural backgrounds, including: Italian; Arabic; Turkish; and Albanian. Shepparton is also a declared ‘Refugee Welcome Zone’. 3 ATTRACTIONS, CULTURE AND CLIMATE: Shepparton is renowned for farming and irrigation, but also has a rich World War II and Aboriginal history. The Goulburn River forms the backbone of the region, bringing life to the rich agricultural landscape. Heritage Centres located in Shepparton, Mooroopna, Murchison, Tatura and Merrigum are filled with the history of the World War II internment camps; to the history of farming and irrigation. The historic river crossing of McGuires Punt over the Goulburn is the location for the Shepparton Heritage Museum. Filled with Shepparton treasures and home of the family history group, the Museum gives you an insight as to how Shepparton used to be and the importance of rivers to the local towns. Other notable attractions include: the Victoria Lake precinct – where you can picnic, walk, or ride by the waterfront; fish, boat, or canoe on the lake itself. The region’s wetlands include Cussen Park in Tatura, Gemmills Swamp in Mooroopna and Reedy Swamp in Shepparton. Shepparton is also home to the Australian Botanic Gardens, Lower Goulburn National Park and the Shepparton Regional Park. The Shepparton region has a temperate climate. Summers are hot and dry, spring and autumn are typically warm, whilst winter mornings that are cold and frosty turn in to bright sunny days. Season Average maximum Average minimum Summer (December to February) 30.6 C 14.3 C Autumn (March to May) 20.8 C 8.8 C Winter (June to August) 9.4 C 3.6 C Spring (September to November) 22.1 C 7.8 C Greater Shepparton is about experiencing and soaking up its diversity and discovering all the region has to offer. Greater Shepparton is home to a variety of stone fruit, apples, pears, cherries, olives, grapes, tomatoes and meat and dairy products. You can visit producers, cellar doors and farm gate outlets throughout the region – particularly popular is the ‘Farm Gate Trail’ which passes through the towns of Yarrawonga Mulwala, Cobram‐Barooga, Barmah and Nathalia. Greater Shepparton is home to the Shepparton Art Museum, affectionately known as SAM, and home to the renowned Sam Jinks sculpture “Woman and Child”. The region’s unique public art exhibition, MooovingArt, sees over 90 colourful life‐sized cows scattered throughout the area. Other notable attractions include: Aquamoves – Shepparton’s premier fitness and leisure centre; Inflatable World; SPC KidsTown; Riverlinks; and Shepparton Golf Club. 4 GETTING AROUND SHEPPARTON: Getting around Shepparton is easy, the city is well signposted and easy to navigate. Public Transport. Buses and taxis operate a regular service throughout Greater Shepparton. Local bus timetables are available from the Greater Shepparton Visitor Centre on 1800 808 839, while taxis can be booked by calling (03) 5822 2214 OR 131 008. V‐Line trains and buses run numerous times a day from Southern Cross Train Station in Melbourne to Greater Shepparton. For travel information and an up to date timetable, please visit the V‐Line website (https://www.vline.com.au/) or phone 136 196. If traveling to and from Melbourne Airport, Airport Direct have a regional bus service that connects with coach and train timetables in Wangaratta, Benalla and Shepparton – please visit http://www.airportdirect.com.au/ for more information. Myki is your ticket to travel on trains and buses in the Goulburn Valley region. For more information on the myki card, please visit: https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/tickets/myki Driving Yourself. The Hume and Midland Fwy’s are the main routes into Shepparton, with the option to explore the Goulburn River Valley region if travelling between Sydney or Melbourne and Shepparton. (http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/maps‐and‐guides/!/view/travelling‐to‐within‐greater‐shepparton‐1078) Given the nature of the weather patterns in the area, there may be road closures at particular times of the year that may affect your journey. For up to date emergency information and warnings, please see the VicEmergency website (www.emergency.vic.gov.au), or the VicEmergency app. 5 LOCAL FACILITIES: Shopping: Regional markets: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/events/markets Pental Factory Sales: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/shopping‐and‐ markets/!/view/pental‐factory‐sales‐1035 Shepparton Marketplace: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/shopping‐and‐ markets/!/view/shepparton‐marketplace‐1056 SPC Factory Sales: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/shopping‐and‐ markets/!/view/spc‐factory‐sales‐1037 Riverside Plaza Shepparton: http://www.riversideplazashepparton.com.au/ Plus more! Entertainment: Village Cinemas: http://villagecinemas.com.au/cinemas/shepparton Fun City: https://www.funcity.com.au/?setsite=shepparton Inflatable World: http://www.inflatableworldoz.com.au/stadiums/shepparton/ Kingfisher Cruises Barmah: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/recreation‐and‐ golfing/!/view/kingfisher‐cruises‐barmah‐1009 Star Bowl Tenpin Bowling: http://www.oztenpin.com.au/our‐locations/shepparton/ Riverside Gardens Garden Centre & Mini Golf: http://www.riversidegardens.com.au/site/ Shepparton Greyhound Racing Club: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/recreation‐ and‐golfing/!/view/shepparton‐greyhound‐racing‐club‐1072 Plus more! Medical facilities: Shepparton Medical Centre (49 Graham St – next door to Melbourne Uni Campus; Ph: 5823 3100) Nixon Street Medical Centre (46 Wyndham St; Ph: 5822 1000) Wyndham House Clinic (96 Maude St, Ph: 5820 3400) Princes Park Clinic (172 Welsford St, Ph: 5821 9655) GV Specialist Centre (20 Wyndham St, Ph: 5820 0500) Goulburn Valley Health (Graham St – opposite Melbourne Uni Campus, has an emergency department also – please call ‘000’ for all emergencies) Plus more! Health / leisure: Aquamoves: http://www.aquamoves.com.au/ Cycle in Greater Shepparton: https://issuu.com/prominentgroup/docs/cycle_in_greater_shepparton?e=2110454/2862675 Dookie Rail Trail: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/recreation‐and‐ golfing/!/view/dookie‐rail‐trail‐1004 Murchison Rail Trail: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/recreation‐and‐ golfing/!/view/murchison‐rail‐trail‐1011 River Country Adventours: http://adventours.com.au/tours/shepparton_tours.htm 6 Shepparton Gold Club: http://www.sheppartongolf.net.au/ Victoria Park Lake: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/recreation‐and‐ golfing/!/view/victoria‐park‐lake‐1018 Walk in Greater Shepparton: http://www.visitshepparton.com.au/see‐and‐do/recreation‐and‐ golfing/!/view/walk‐in‐greater‐shepparton‐1019 Shepparton Tri Club: http://www.sheppartontriclub.com.au/ Challenge Shepparton (Triathlon): http://www.challengeshepparton.com.au/ Shepparton Adventure Club (outdoor activities and bushwalking: http://www.shepadventureclub.org.au/about‐us.html Shepparton Native Garden Club: https://www.facebook.com/sheppartonnativegardenclub.club Plus more! Banks: See the links below for bank locations, opening hours and ATMs. The postcode for Shepparton is 3630. NAB ‐ see www.nab.com.au/locations for nab, and rediATM Westpac ‐ see www.westpac.com.au/locateus/#/ ANZ – see www.locate.anz.com/anz/australia/ Bendigo Bank – see www.bankofmelbourne.com.au/locator#/ Commonwealth Bank – see www.commbank.com.au/digital/locate‐us/ Bank of Melbourne – see https://www.bankofmelbourne.com.au/locator#/ Rabobank – see www.rabobank.com.au/branch/ Goulburn Murray Credit Union – see https://www.gmcu.com.au/locations‐mobile