Military History itinerary

Discover the rich military history of the Goulburn River Valley. Beginning in Seymour, this fascinating 334-kilometre itinerary takes in major military landmarks, museums and memorials in Euroa, Benalla, Shepparton, Tatura, Murchison and Eildon.

Each town in the region has its own rich military history of people, places and stories, so take some time to explore.

Itinerary

1. Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk
High Street, Seymour

A one-of-a-kind memorial dedicated to Vietnam Veterans, the walk has been created using symbolic elements of Vietnam and the names of the more than 60,000 servicemen and women who served in Vietnam.

2. Australian Light Horse Memorial Park
Goulburn Valley Highway, Seymour

Explore relics and bush tracks on part of the former Seymour Camp, Victoria's largest training facility prior to the opening of Puckapunyal Camp in 1939.

3. Australian Army Tank Museum
Tobruk Road, Puckapunyal

Located on the functioning Puckapunyal Military Base, the Australian Army Tank Museum is home to more than 80 armoured vehicles and anti-tank weapons, making it one of the largest armour museums in Australia.

4. Honouring Our Heroes
VC Memorial Park, 19 Kirkland Avenue, Euroa

The small town of Euroa was once the home of three Victoria Cross recipients. Statues and information panels honour Lieutenant Frederick Tubb, Corporal Alexander Burton and Lieutenant Leslie Maygar in the Euroa VC Memorial Park.

5. Hec Waller Memorial
Benalla Botanical Gardens, Bridge Street, Benalla

A granite monument commemorates Captain Hector 'Hec' Waller as an outstanding naval officer who served during both world wars. It is also a tribute to all men and women lost at sea on operational service.

6. Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop Memorial
Benalla Botanical Gardens, Bridge Street, Benalla

A moving sculpture commemorates soldier-surgeon and Australian war hero Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop. As a prisoner of war during World War II in Singapore, Sir Dunlop worked as a doctor, saving men from the harsh conditions of camp life.

7. Benalla Aviation Museum
1 Hangar Lane, Benalla Airfield, 35 Samaria Road, Benalla

The historic home of the No. 11 EFTS Squadron, stationed at Benalla airfield during World War II. The museum explores Australia's military air training history, with memorabilia, static aircraft displays and two operational ex-RAAF training aircraft.

8. Graincorp Devenish Silo
33 Main Street, Devenish

Artist Cam Scale's large-scale artwork recognises local men and women who have served their country over the years, depicting a World War I nurse, an Australian Light Horseman and a contemporary female army medic.

9. Shepparton & District War Memorial
Welsford Street and Marungi Street, Shepparton

The Shepparton cenotaph commemorates those who have served Australia in various conflicts. View the Helping Hand sculpture by Charles Web Gilbert and Mateship by Belo Angyal.

9. Private Daniel Cooper Memorial
70 Welsford Street, Shepparton

Artist Cam Scale's mural depicts Yorta Yorta man Daniel Cooper, who fought for Australia in World War I. The street art project pays tribute to Cooper while recognising the little-told story of Aboriginal people's contribution to national war efforts.

10. Mooroopna War Memorial
McLennan Street, Mooroopna

Set before a World War I memorial rotunda, contemporary glass panels acknowledge local men and women who served in the World Wars I and II, Vietnam, Korea and Indonesia.

11. Tatura Irrigation & Wartime Camps Museum
Cnr Hogan and Ross Streets, Tatura

A unique collection of the history surrounding the three prisoner of war and four internment camps that were established during World War II in Tatura and surrounding areas.

12. German War Cemetery
Tatura Cemetery, Mulcahy Road, Tatura

The final resting place for 250 German prisoners of war and civilian internees who died while held in Australia during both world wars. The remains of each individual were brought from cemeteries across Australia to be interred in one commemorative place.

13. Private Robert Mactier VC Memorial Garden
Hogan Street and Flanagan Place, Tatura

A statue honouring Private Robert Mactier, posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, in the Robert Mactier V.C. Memorial Gardens. It stands along with an obelisk commemorating those who served in World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War.

14. Italian Ossario
Murchison Cemetery, Old Weir Road, Murchison

This Italian-style mausoleum commemorates and contains the remains of Italian World War II prisoners of war and detainees who died in Murchison.

15. Calder Woodburn Memorial Avenue
Goulburn Valley Highway, between Arcadia and Kialla

The avenue is the largest of Victoria's World War II commemorative plantings, with almost 20 kilometres of native trees. Fen Woodburn planted 2457 trees between 1945 and 1949 initially as a memorial to his son, Sergeant Calder Woodburn.

16. A4-4 AVRO Anson Memorial Track
Mt Torbreck, Eildon

A 2.4 kilometre uphill walk leads to the crash site and memorial of an RAAF Avro Anson aircraft that crashed on the north-east face of Mount Torbreck near Eildon in 1940, killing all four crew.