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July Guided Historical Walk – Saturday 4 July 2026

The Wangaratta Historical Society’s July guided walk will explore the earliest days of European settlement in Wangaratta, led by society volunteer and local historian Phil Emslie.

The walk begins at Marmungun Rock in Apex Park at 10am and runs for approximately 90 minutes, returning to the same location. Phil will focus on the northern side of the Ovens River — the area that predated the township itself — sharing stories of the people who lived, travelled, and built there in Wangaratta’s formative years.

Highlights include the story of John Crisp, believed to be among the earliest permanent residents of the township, who operated a punt crossing and later established what became the Royal Hotel in Reid Street; Wangaratta’s early postal contractor, who began carrying mail on 1 January 1838 with no white settlement between the Murray River and Melbourne; and Meldrum’s Wangaratta Hotel, believed to be the town’s first brick building.

The walk is free, with donations to the Wangaratta Historical Society gratefully accepted. Register at https://www.revolutionise.com.au/whs/events to secure your spot.

WHS runs guided historical walks on the first Saturday of each month, with different volunteer guides bringing their own areas of expertise to each program.