Osbornes Flat
Osbornes Flat, a rural locality and former mining area in north-east Victoria, is 22 km south of Wodonga. It was probably named after James Osborne, the holder of the Yackandandah pastoral run (1837-59). Yackandandah is 5 km west of Osbornes Creek, and both places are on the Yackandandah Creek.
In 1854 most of Yackandandah Creek around Osbornes Flat was being mined for gold. Two years later an Anglican school was opened at Osbornes Flat. In 1865 Bailliere’s Victorian gazetteer estimated that the district’s population was about 500 people and the township had three hotels, a public library, a flour mill and a sawmill. There were also grazing and agriculture. A primary school opened in 1874, sufficient for 200 pupils.
After the conclusion of gold mining Osbornes Flat became an agricultural district until river dredging in north-east Victoria located tin in the Yackandandah Creek. Tin dredging ended in 1929.
Osbornes Flat’s census populations have been:
| census date | population |
|---|---|
| 1881 | 330 |
| 1911 | 191 |
| 1921 | 209 |
| 1933 | 170 |
| 1947 | 99 |
| 1961 | 85 |
| 2011 | 395 |
Osbornes Flat has a refurbished public hall and a school (83 pupils, 2014).
