Poowong and Jeetho Shire

Poowong and Jeetho Shire (1891-1922) in south Gippsland was created on 29 May 1891, by severance of part of Buln Buln shire. Buln Buln shire was centred on Drouin and Warragul, but reached south to the hills around Loch, Nyora, Korumburra and Outtrim. Most of the new shire’s hills were forested.

The year the shire was created coincided with the extension of the Great Southern Railway from Loch to Korumburra and Leongatha. The line did not connect with Poowong, passing south of it, but it ran through Jeetho. Both places were substantial villages, about the same size as Korumburra. The shire’s area was approximately 390 sq km when formed, and enlarged to 603 sq km when the Arawatta and Kongwak districts were added.

Jeetho was the shire’s administrative centre until 1908, when the centre was moved to Korumburra which had grown into a large agricultural and coal-mining town. On 25 October 1922, the name of the shire was changed to Korumburra. The original shire office became the Jeetho public hall.

Poowong and Jeetho shire’s census populations were: