Noorat | Towns of the south-west - January 18, 2024 - The Standard - video Dailymotion

WATCH: How Noorat put its name on the map.

Transcript

00:00 Nurat can be found near the western border of the Karangamite Shire, 8km from Turang.

00:06 Thought to be named after an Aboriginal elder, the small town is home to just over 200 residents,

00:12 with an average age of 51.

00:14 They live in the shadow of the famed Mount Nurat, a dormant volcano that last erupted

00:19 at least 5000 years ago.

00:22 Standing 310m tall at its peak, the volcano is best recognised by its deep crater that's

00:28 been reclaimed by vegetation.

00:30 Mount Nurat has maintained strong cultural ties to the region for centuries, with the

00:35 town's first roads being paved with its volcanic rock.

00:38 The Djerai Orung people historically used the area as a meeting site to hold ceremonies

00:43 and barter for goods.

00:45 Nurat was first settled by Europeans as early as 1839, with the town's post office to

00:50 come in 1874.

00:53 Alan Marshall, the author of I Can Jump Puddles, was born in the Nurat General Store in 1902.

00:59 A plaque and tree dedicated to his memory can be found on the town's main street.

01:04 Founded in 1932, the Nurat Show is by far the town's largest event, attracting thousands

01:11 to the recreation reserve every November.

01:13 The agricultural show hosts family-oriented activities such as carnival rides, alongside

01:18 showcases of livestock and crafted items.

01:21 The event has maintained impressive attendance numbers for a town of its size, being one

01:26 of the largest one-day shows between Geelong and Mount Gambier.

01:30 The town is served by two schools, Nurat Primary and Mersey Regional College, which operates

01:35 a junior campus for Year 7 and 8 students.

01:38 The Kulora-Nurat Power represents the town in the Warrnambool District Football and Netball

01:43 League.

01:44 The club has some of the youngest teams in the league, having formed through a 2002 merger

01:48 of the Nurat Bombers and Kulora Magpies.

01:51 They had a dominant spell just a few years later, winning five premierships between 2009

01:57 and 2019.

01:58 [music]

02:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]