Dinner Plain
| Dinner Plain Victoria | |||||||||
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 Aerial panorama of Dinner Plain | |||||||||
  Dinner Plain | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°01′48″S 147°16′44″E / 37.03000°S 147.27889°E | ||||||||
| Population | 127 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3898 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 1,570 m (5,151 ft) | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| LGA(s) | Alpine Shire | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Ovens Valley | ||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Indi | ||||||||
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Dinner Plain is a town[2] in Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Great Alpine Road, 12km from Mount Hotham Alpine Resort, and 387km from Melbourne.[2] At the 2021 census[3] Dinner Plain had a population of 127, down from 230 in 2016.[4] It is a popular winter destination.
History
[edit]The late Holocene (pre-Contact) Aboriginal traditional owners of the Dinner Plain region were likely the Omeo tribe of the Yaitmatang language group.[5] Other groups of Aboriginal people, including neighbouring Dhuduroa, Brabalung (Gunai-Kurnai) likely passed through and visited the Alpine area of Victoria's High Country. Gunn has suggested a widespread "confederacy" of tribes existed across the Australian Alps during the late Holocene. He further argues that these connections may have ancient origins that are evident through a common rock art style that emphasises human figures.[6] This alpine art style has origins in the mid-Holocene around 3500 BP, when the rock shelters of the region were primarily used for ritual purposes,[6] and is likely to precede the tribal boundaries encountered historically by thousands of years.
The tradition of hospitality at Dinner Plain goes back well over a century, when mountain cattlemen first arrived to rest and graze their cattle. The site of Dinner Plain village was originally part of 640 acres (2.6 km2). When coaches ran between Omeo and Bright, they would stop here for midday dinner, hence the area became known as Dinner Plain.
In 1987, Peter McIntyre and Harry Seidler shared the Zelman Cowan Award for non-residential architecture; McIntyre won for his design for the Ski Lodge at Dinner Plain.[7] Dinner Plain hosts the Dinner Plain Sled Dog Sprint annually, one of Australia's only snow-based sled dog races.[8][9]
Alpine Sports
[edit]During winter months, Dinner Plain is a popular destination for skiing holidays. Its many ski lodges and chalets provide accommodation for visitors.[citation needed] The village prides itself on its aesthetic architecture which is predominantly in the Australian Alpine Style.[10] Vehicular snow chains are a legal requirement in the area during winter.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Dinner Plain (Urban Centres and Localities)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- ^ "Dinner Plain map". Google Maps. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
- ^ "2021 Dinner Plain (L), Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "2016 Dinner Plain, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ Howitt, Alfred William (25 November 2010). The Native Tribes of South-East Australia. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-00632-3.
- ^ a b Gunn, R. G. (2002). "Mudgegonga 2, Aboriginal rock art site (Site 8224/001) : a detailed recording of the art and its context with an assessment of its archaeological significance". Rock Art Research. 19: 1–17.
- ^ Peter Schumpeter, 'Buildings Share Top Award', Melbourne Age 31 October 1987 p. 16
- ^ Ginis, Elizabeth (1 July 2002). "Best In Snow". Australian Geographic (67): 106.
- ^ "Dinner Plain Sled Dog Sprint returns, with more this year". Mt Hotham News. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Explore Dinner Plain | Alpinelink". www.alpinelink.com.au. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Snow and winter driving". Transport Victoria. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
Other references
[edit]- Alpine Shire Council Master Plan Strategy “Executive Summary Adopted”(5 May 2015) Retrieved 27 May 2025
External links
[edit]
Dinner Plain travel guide from Wikivoyage- [1]
Localities in the Alpine Shire | ||
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