Town by town snapshot: Wye River

The size of Wye River for ABS data collection purposes is approximately 35.8 square kilometres with the population of Wye River in 2011 being 234 people and by the 2016 Census the population was 51 showing a population decline of 78.2 per cent in the area during that time.

Situated some 155 kilometres from Melbourne, Wye River is one of the smaller coastal communities along the coast, but has much to offer visitors, holidays-makers and locals alike.

The seaside hamlet boasts delightful coastal scenery with a quaint café, general store and pub.

The first European settlement in Wye River was reportedly made by Alexander and Donald McRae who established a fishing camp in the valley in 1882, while their cousin, Alex McLennan, made camp at Kennett River.

They cut a six-foot-wide track the 17 miles to Forrest which enabled Edward ‘Paddy’ Harrington to travel down this track to Wye River in 1895, where he selected 1000 acres in the valley to grow potatoes and onions and took out the first grazing lease.

On Christmas Day 2015, on the town’s darkest day in history, a bushfire destroyed at least 98 homes in Wye River and 18 in nearby Separation Creek.

CoreLogic data indicates that the predominant age group in Wye River is 50-59 years, with households in Wye River being primarily childless couples and are likely to be repaying $1,000 – $1,399 per month on mortgage repayments, and in general, people in Wye River work in a labourer occupation.