NATHALIA Nathalia is a small town on the Murray Valley Highway some 50k’s from Echuca. Nathalia is another of those towns in the region that has not grown wealth wise as many of the towns in the region have grown. Big wide streets are a feature of Nathalia. In 1838, Charles Sturt was the first European to explore the area, following the Murray River downstream... The squatter, W.J Locke established Kotupna station on the future site of Nathalia in 1843. The station was broken up for closer settlement in 1869. A selector, Richard Blake took up the townsite in 1875 and established a saw mill and flour mill soon after. Hotels, a post office (opened on 7 September 1878), schools and churches followed and Nathalia was officially gazetted as a village in 1880. The railway arrived in 1888, allowing local production to increase and a butter factory was established in 1895. The main industries in Nathalia are dairy farming, cropping and grazing. Nathalia is developing its creative arts tourist potential through the Nathalia Living Arts/ Rural Arts Project under the guidance of internationally recognised resident artist William Kelly. The three hotels in Nathalia are classic and in the business district. The Nathalia War Memorial has a strong presence on entry from the East of the town but there also the Memorial Gardens to look. All of the churches in Nathalia are, or approaching the century. The Museum in Nathalia is just off the main road. If the timing is right a coffee or refreshment, or a look at the gardens  rather than just passing through would be in order. Heritage diary