Please! Take all your rubbish away with you.
"Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints." -
Chief Seattle 1786-1866, Chief of the Suquamish

Welcome to Tatong!

The town is located 28km SE of Benalla, Victoria, on bitumen road. Or about 43 km NW of Tolmie on a windy gravel road. (See Map Page.)
The police station, store, post office, and the butchers are all now closed, and sadly the school is also being closed, despite desperate local efforts.
However the Tatong Tavern is still open and going strong.

The Tatong Heritage Group has placed a Heritage Information Booth near the Tatong Hall & the junction of Tiger Hill road and the main road.

To Download a Self-Drive map, right-click on this link, & choose "Save Target As".
This is a 65kb .PDF file.

Note: NextG phone coverage is poor or non-existent in the Tatong District.
This is Inconvenient; especially in the event of a bushfire.
However, Telstra Country Wide says they cannot justify installing a tower just because of safety concerns... and they won't put one up so people can communicate either...

Things to see and do in the Tatong District:

* Hume & Hovell Monument (S36 47.138  E146 08.346)
Drive 7 South East of Tatong  - an easy and beautiful cycling distance (but watch out for log trucks)
2 km beyond is Dodds Bridge, and on the Tolmie side is a picnic area.
Unfortunately, due to litter left there, the table has been taken away. We are hoping to have it brought back.

* St Patrick's Church
Is now privately owned and on private land. Kevin would be delighted to show you round the church; ring 03 5767 2309, or check the Riverview web site. Occasional services do still take place in St Patrick's.

* Tour the Rail Signs
The Benalla to Tatong Railway line was opened on 30th June 1914, and was officially closed on 1st July 1947.
This line was 18¼ miles long (approximately 25 km), and broad gauge.
There were four 'stations', Karn, Lima, Mallum and Tatong; but only Lima & Tatong had station buildings.
Tatong also had a 53' turntable.
The line was served, in the early years, by a mixed goods and passenger train pulled by a 'D' class locomotive.
It carried sawn timber, live stock and produce, as well as passengers.

By the start of the 21st century, the rail line was all but forgotten. The road leaving Tatong for Swanpool starts off along what was once the rail embankment. The sleepers and rails are long gone, the bridges burnt and fallen down, and the embankment runs through private land. The station buildings have long since been dismantled.

However, the Tatong Heritage Group, with the farmers who own the land where the stations once were, have erected signs in the original style to mark the sites.
The signs can be seen from the road, and by using the Self-Drive Map you may find them: down Karn lane, along Castle Hill road, on the Samaria road and on the Tatong-Swanpool road.
The Tatong Station site is now 1 km West of Tatong itself (the town shifted), and on most days you can revive yourself at the Tavern before your return trip.
(See "Launch of the Tatong Railway Precinct" on the Events page.)

Please do not try to get onto private land.

Any activity is to be undertaken at your own risk.
We make these suggestions leaving it to your own responsibility as to where you go, and what you do.
We hope find you much to please and interest you in the Tatong area.

Contact us via tatongheritage at yahoo.com.au

Go To Tatong Heritage Group Home