Entrepreneur pastoralist Benjamin Boyd initially named this corner of our world 'Ulupna' and later changed it to Strathmerton. Boyd took the Gaelic word for wide river valley, 'strath', added 'Merton' from the title of his family home in Scotland and the township of Strathmerton was born.
The sign at the entrance to Strathmerton reads, population 467 but it only counts the people living in the town. On the outlying properties, 401 people reside and work mainly on farms. Many are the direct descendants of the original pioneers. A proportion of the townspeople are also direct descendants, some of whom have moved off their farms and into the town.
The true owners and care-takers of this land are of course, the indigenous Australians, the Yorta Yorta Family Groups. Their language is referred to generally as the Yorta Yorta language. The indigenous people would no doubt prefer Ulupna Clan as a reference to their own place.
In comparison to other town names in the district, Strathmerton has a rather aristocratic ring. It was built on the same sweat/perspiration and determination as demonstrated by the people from surrounding towns. Even so, there was a certain sense of purpose from this population. For such a small community, many big hearts emerged to form a solid foundation that would prevail over the years and which lives on today.
Over time, the residents of Strathmerton have recorded the history of their various clubs and organisations, but until now the history of families in the district has never been compiled. This project was undertaken to provide an insight into the lives of past and present residents as a gift to future generations.
* Extracted from ‘Small Community, Big Hearts: A History of Strathmerton’, published by the Strathmerton Community Coordinators