Where is Mitta ?
Mitta is at the southern end of the Mitta Valley, 90 kms from Albury/Wodonga. Equidistant from Melbourne and Canberra (415kms), Mitta is the gateway on the Omeo Highway to Gippsland. Air traffic on the busy Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne route pass over the town.
The Mitta Valley
The 80km-long Mitta Valley containing the Mitta Mitta River is one of the most spectacular valleys in Australia. Mt Bogong, the highest peak in Victoria, dominates the southern end, rich river flats to the north. Mitta is one of 3 towns in the Valley, the largest is Dartmouth. Part of Towong Shire, the population of the Valley is around 830, most being involved with agriculture. The permanent population of Mitta is around 45 with about the same number of people involved with holiday houses.
Climate
Month Mean Av
Temp Rain
C mm
January 20.8 60.7
February 21.2 54.1
March 18.0 61.4
April 13.7 66.6
May 9.1 96.5
June 6.5 107.2
July 6.1 121.6
August 7.5 123.0
September 9.9 95.6
October 13.0 101.1
November 15.1 79.8
December 18.0 71.6
1039.0
Mitta Mitta Development Crisis
Mitta’s future direction is now based on an altered premise,
the near impossibility of building a new dwelling in the town.
Towong Shire has advised that the CFA will not grant a Planning
Permit in the township due to the bushfire management overlay.
Towong has previously rezoned three areas within the town
for new housing but this is now redundant because the scheme will not meet the
bushfire overlay requirements.
Also, the overlay will prevent building on currently vacant
blocks of land.
This will have a profound effect on increasing housing
stocks and the ability to create new businesses such as accommodation and food
outlets. It will also add to the number of orphaned blocks (due to size)
throughout Mitta.
Note also that extensive alterations and/or extensions to
existing dwellings are subject to bushfire overlay regulations.
The declaration by North-East Water that Mitta will never
get reticulated water and sewerage together with the above obstacles requires a
reset of how the township can be socially and economically developed.
A positive outcome though is that existing dwellings may
improve their value.
The bushfire overlay issue now adds to the complexity of
developing plans for the future for a hamlet already under visitor pressure
with lack of water, sewerage, parking, accommodation, mobile phone
coverage.