Stratford (Victoria)

Stratford is a rural town in Gippsland on the Avon River. Easily accessible from Melbourne, Stratford has many parks and cafes to visit, and a yearly Shakespeare festival held in the autumn months, making it a lovely town to see for any traveller looking for a quieter, lesser-known destination.

History
Prior to European settlement, the Braiakaulung clan of the Gunai nation inhabited the area around what was to become Stratford. The first European to discover the Avon River which Stratford sits on was the explorer Angus McMillan in 1840. It was given the name held by various rivers in McMillan's native Scotland; avon meant "river" in several ancient British languages. Stratford was first settled by Europeans two years later. While the origins of the name are unclear, it is possible it was named after Stratford-upon-Avon (a town in England), or that it was named as it was a fording place across the Avon River.

When gold was discovered north of Stratford in 1860, many supplies were brought through the town. The post office, Anglican church, and some buildings at the Stratford primary school date back to this time. Flooding was a frequent issue, and in 1950, a particularly destructive inundation smashed the bridge and claimed the life of Stratford resident Florence Evelyn Beechey. Her grave is marked on the banks of the Avon at McMillan St. The local government finally built a strong bridge in 1965 that still stands.

In 1991, the Shakespeare Festival began in Stratford, drawing visitors to the town yearly to see performances of the Bard's plays. It also joined a sister group of other Stratfords around the world, including those in England, Ontario, Connecticut, Prince Edward Island, and New Zealand.

As of the 2016 census, Stratford has a population of 2,617. Compared to Victoria as a whole, a disproportionate amount of Stratford residents work in dairy farming and oil and gas extraction. Many residents work in local businesses or in nearby Sale.

Climate
Stratford's climate is generally temperate, though at times a bit colder than Melbourne's. In the summer, while it can reach as high as, however, the average high is around. But the winter months can dip to around. Rain is generally most likely to fall in the spring months; however, like Melbourne, weather can change from sunny in the morning to raining in the afternoon; another four seasons a day town.

By car
The drive from Melbourne to Stratford is mainly along the Princes Freeway. From the Melbourne CBD, you can take the M1 route along the Citylink and Monash Freeway towards the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne, which will take you through the not-very-scenic route past Chadstone, Dandenong and Pakenham. When you're on the Princes Fwy heading east, however, you'll find yourself on the same road until you get to Stratford — although the road does change from the Princes Freeway (M1) to the Princes Highway (A1) in Traralgon.

You don't pass as many towns as you might expect, as the highway bypasses Warragul, Moe and Morwell, but you will pass the small towns of Yarragon and Trafalgar, which have fuel stations. You'll also drive straight through Traralgon and Sale, both regional centres with chain restaurants like KFC and McDonald's that are useful for a quick snack. Sale can also be bypassed using C491 and C492, which is an unofficial bypass used by freight vehicles. Stratford is the next town after Sale on the Princes Hwy. Rental cars can be hired within Melbourne and from Melbourne Airport.

By train
is on the Bairnsdale railway line. Train services are available 7 days a week, 3 times a day (except on Sundays, where there are only 2 train services), from Melbourne's Southern Cross and Flinders Street stations. Interchanging to a coach service may be necessary in Traralgon or Sale, depending on your choice of schedule. A full list of services is available here.

Myki cards cannot be used to book public transport to Stratford — you must purchase a paper ticket using either the V/Line website or by visiting a V/Line ticket outlet. Tickets cost $33.40 one way and $66.80 return, with the price halved for concession card holders and children. Among other places, tickets are available at Southern Cross and Flinders Street railway stations. Tickets aren't actually available in Stratford, oddly enough, so if you didn’t book a return ticket to Melbourne, you will have to get the ticket from Sale train station. Due to maintenance work or other events, coaches may be replacing trains when you plan to visit. Check the V/Line website to stay up to date.

By bus
On Thursdays, a bus service operates from Sale to Stratford, leaving from Gippsland Shopping Centre at 2:15PM and arriving at the Stratford Post Office at 2:30PM. While there are 4 stops in town, there is practically zero usefulness in using them to get around town — the only two areas of interest they connect are the memorial park and the post office, and they're across the road from each other. It's easier to just walk. The full timetable is available here.

Get around
Stratford is traversable almost entirely by foot. Stratford has a single BP gas station for refuelling. The roads are mainly flat, so cycling is an option. However, many roads do not have footpaths, and the road to Knob Reserve, Old Redbank Rd, is a tad steep. There is no useful public transport in the town. Note that the Princes Hwy is named "Tyers Street" within the town, and is the main road in Stratford. There is no car rental available in Stratford, but you can hire a car from nearby Sale to get around. There are some useful signs that have been put up in town that show how far away certain attractions are by walking distance.

See
Stratford doesn't have a lot of tourist attractions to see, and that's kind of its charm. There isn't nothing, though. Stratford has parks and reserves that are usually pretty quiet and pleasant to visit.





Do
Again, there's not a lot to do in Stratford. However, in the summer months, swimming is an option, and there's also a yearly Shakespeare festival.



Buy
There are a few stores and shops in Stratford, all on or around Tyers St. Some specialise in specific unique items or crafts, like the model train store.





Eat
For breakfast and lunch, there are a few good options in Stratford. However, the only dinner option open is the bistro at the Avon Hotel. Self-catering may be needed here, and you'll likely want to pick up supplies from the IGA in that case.



If all of these have reached maximum capacity or are closed, then there are some popular restaurants in Sale, the next closest city and only a 10-minute drive away.

Drink
Liquor is also available for purchase from the IGA.

Sleep
These listed places are the only options for accommodation within Stratford. If they’re all at capacity, you may wish to search for accomnodation in a nearby town like Sale or Maffra.

Stay safe
Apart from usual travel precautions, there are no significant safety concerns in Stratford. The is at 89 Tyers St  and the  is at 51 McFarlane St. is available for general medical concerns, and also has a pharmacy. The nearest hospital is in Sale.

Connect
Internet is available at, which is open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10AM-1:30PM and 3-6PM, as well as Saturdays from 10AM-noon. In town, mobile phone coverage is available on the Telstra, Optus and Vodafone 4G networks. They can be spotty but are generally fine. There's a at 11 Hobson St, opposite the IGA. is Stratford's only post office.

Cope
There are three churches in town: the Catholic, , and , the latter of which holds services from Sundays at 9:30AM.

North

 * Dargo is a small hamlet that's a 90-minute drive up into the High Country from Stratford.

South

 * Sale is about a 10-minute drive away; you can also catch the train here. It's a regional centre, where you can see things such as the Gippsland Art Gallery, go on a heritage cruise from the Port of Sale, visit the Sale botanical gardens, and more. Sale is also useful for food if you're based in Stratford — being a larger town, the choice of cuisine tends to be larger, and Sale is also home to international fast food brands like KFC and Maccas.
 * Seaspray is about a 35-minute drive from Stratford on the scenic Ninety Mile Beach. Swimming, fishing and boating are all options.

West

 * Maffra is the closest town to Stratford. As it's slightly larger, it's useful for groceries — it has an IGA, Woolworths and FoodWorks. Maffra has a sugarbeet museum chronicling the industry in the town.

Southwest

 * Traralgon is a major town and a gateway to Melbourne, as it is where the Princes Fwy (M1) starts.