Edi and Edi Upper

Edi is on the King River, 35 km south of Wangaratta in north-east Victoria. Edi Upper, 8 km south-east of Edi, is on Black Range Creek which is a tributary of the King River.

The name Edi came from a pastoral station taken up by George Faithfull in 1849. It was also known as Hedi.

Edi township came about from the discovery of gold in its vicinity in 1862. When first established it was known as King Flat. A school was opened in 1874. The fertile river flats made Edi famous for tobacco growing, and hops were grown in the vicinity.

In 1899 the narrow gauge railway from Wangaratta to Whitfield was opened, with a station at Edi. The railway, which ended in 1953, provided Edi with improved market access for its agricultural products.

Edi is now the lesser of the two settlements, with a hall and a fire station. Edi Upper has a church, hall, tennis courts and a school (29 pupils, 2014).

Edi's and Edi Upper’s census populations have been:

Area Census date Population
Edi 1911 314
  1921 149
  1961 100
Edi Upper 1921 85
  1961 119
Edi, Edi Upper and environs 2011 296

At the 2011 census farming and wine-making accounted for 35.6% of employment.

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