MERRIGUM is only a 28-minute drive from Shepparton’s CBD, and 15 minutes from Kyabram, but it seems it’s often thought of as out of the way, a quaint town, but one you would only travel to if you had to visit a friend that lives there for example.
With the demand for land and housing far outstripping supply across the Goulburn Valley and beyond, weighing up a couple of minutes extra travel time compared to other towns just out of Shepparton against the ability to live somewhere peaceful, in a community that has strong bonds and offers the country lifestyle we are afforded by living in a regional part of Victoria, a few extra minutes seems to be a minor trade off.
Merrigum has recently seen the conversion of its heritage listed Butter Factory into a new pharmacy, with the potential for the site to be further developed while keeping the historical façade intact.
The addition of a new amenity to Merrigum is a welcome relief for locals, most having lived through the demise of a supermarket, butchers, banks and other crucial businesses that serviced the people who live in the town.
Since the closure of the Carnation Factory in 1986, the slow decline in population has seen a once bustling Merrigum Bowls Club dwindle from over 140 members in its heyday to just a handful.
“Back in the day, if you wanted to play a game of bowls on Thursday, if you hadn’t booked in by Monday mid-morning, you had no hope, we had that many bowlers,” said Merrigum resident John.
“Now we have 24 members”.
“The addition of this pharmacy to our town has been a wonderful start to rebuilding our township, with no need to travel to Kyabram or Shepparton for my medication, I’m hoping other businesses follow suit and see the potential our town has to be thriving once again.”
Merrigum resident Dean Wileman believes the most challenging aspect of enticing people to the town lies in the lack of employment opportunities, “Even though we are only minutes away from other towns, having more jobs actually in Merrigum would really help.” he said.
Breathing new life into Merrigum will require the reestablishment of industry, facilities, amenities and the availability of land to build upon, but the beauty of the town and its people is the heart of Merrigum, and with the aforementioned provisions, it has the potential to flourish.
