Merrijig

Merrijig is a town in Victoria, Australia, located between Mount Buller and Mansfield. At the 2016 census, Merrijig and the surrounding area had a population of 549.[1]

Merrijig
Victoria
War memorial at Merrijig
Merrijig
Coordinates37°06′S 146°15′E
Population549 (2016 census)[1]
Postcode(s)3723
Location
LGA(s)Shire of Mansfield
State electorate(s)Eildon
Federal Division(s)Indi

The first Merrijig Post Office opened on 4 October 1866 and was replaced by Boggy Creek in 1867. Another Merrijig Post Office opened on 1 April 1866 (known as Delatite from 1872 until 1924) and closed in 1970.[2]

A second placename in Victoria named "Merrijig" exists in East Gippsland, about 10 kilometres north of Lindenow.

The long held school of thought pertaining to the name Merrijig was that it was named for the town of Merrijig in Ireland of which the landscape resembles, there is a possible connection to Port Fairy where there is a ‘Merrijig Inn.’ Another school of thought is that it is an Aboriginal word meaning "good,well done".[3] However, the local Taungurung language does not appear to have similar sounding words ending in “jig.” In fact most area names derived from Indigenous Elders (& relatives) names end in the suffix “ite” sounds;example, Delatite, Booralite & Beolite. As there are Merrijig’s in Ireland, New Zealand and so forth, it is unlikely that the name is of Australian indigenous origins.

The Man from Snowy River was shot in Merrijig.

References
  1. "2016 Census QuickStats Merrijig (Mansfield - Vic)". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  2. Premier Postal History, Post Office List, retrieved 11 April 2008
  3. http://www.tourisminternet.com.au/chdoma10.htm

Media related to Merrijig at Wikimedia Commons


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