The former Shire of Omeo encompassed Omeo, Benambra, Glen Valley, Glen Wills, Sunnyside, Nugong, Bindi, Swifts Creek, Ensay, Tambo Crossing, Cassillis, Brookville, Tongio West, Reedy Flat, Cobungra, Hinnomunjie, Upper Livingstone, Tongio, Dinner Plain among others.
1834 – First European, Johann Lhotski, Polish explorer, coming from the north, reaches as far as Mt Hotham
1835 – First settlement at Benambra, the first town of Gippsland – Agriculture has begun
1851 – Gold officially discovered, the rush has begun
1872 – 25th October, the Shire of Omeo officially proclaimed
1935 – “Back to Omeo” celebrating the centenary of first settlement at Benambra
1973 – another “Back to” with a Cavalcade of History parade in Omeo along with a Moomba float in Melbourne
1994 – Shire of Omeo becomes part of the newly formed East Gippsland Shire Council
On the 27th October the Omeo Historical Society and East Gippsland Shire Council held an event at the A M Pearson Historic
Park at Omeo to celebrate the occasion of the 150th of the Proclamation of the Shire of Omeo on 25th October 1872.
This event was also a time to celebrate the 50th of the Omeo Historical Society and around 80 members and friends of the Society along with many community members attended the morning tea in the Civic Square before moving to the almost finished “new”, 1898 Courthouse which has been undergoing conservation works and as a result has a whole new look.
The “old” Courthouse is also almost finished but is delayed by persistent moisture issues that will be resolved soon.
For more information and photos check out this website https://www.omeo.org.au/omeo150.html
