Omeo

Omeo is a historic High Country town in the Shire of East Gippsland, Victoria, located on the Great Alpine Road between Bairnsdale and Bright. Established after gold was discovered at Livingstone Creek in 1851, it became a major goldfields centre. The town retains heritage buildings such as the 1893 Omeo Courthouse and is surrounded by the Alpine National Park, serving as a gateway to Mount Hotham, Dinner Plain and the Victorian Alps.

Visitors can expect a small alpine town set in a valley surrounded by forested ranges and the Alpine National Park. The town centre has heritage streetscapes, historic buildings, a courthouse and historical park, cafes, accommodation and a visitor information centre. Surroundings offer Livingstone Creek, Oriental Claims historic gold workings, walking and mountain biking trails, fishing spots, and scenic drives along the Great Alpine Road with access to nearby ski resorts in winter.

Gold was discovered at Livingstone Creek in 1851, leading to the establishment of Omeo as a major goldfields town in the 1850s. It became the administrative centre for the Omeo gold district, with mining continuing into the early 20th century. Surviving heritage includes the Omeo Courthouse built in 1893 after earlier buildings were destroyed by fire, Oriental Claims where large-scale hydraulic sluicing was undertaken, and other gold-era buildings reflecting Victorian High Country settlement history.

Omeo is recognised as a historic High Country settlement reflecting gold-rush heritage and alpine pastoral traditions of East Gippsland. It retains community heritage collections, historic streetscapes and annual events celebrating High Country culture, and serves as a cultural gateway to the Victorian Alps and traditional alpine grazing and mining landscapes.