Marlo is a small village in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is located east near the mouth of the Snowy River where the Snowy River meets and flows into the Southern Ocean. The name "Marlo" is generally accepted to have roots in tribal aboriginal language. "Marloo" meaning white clay is suggestive of the Marlo Bluff, whilst "Murloo" meaning "muddy banks" was reportedly used by the local indigenous people. At the 2006 census, Marlo had a population of 340.
The first settler to occupy the Marlo township area was James Stirling around the year 1875. He built a bark hut on the bluff that had two rooms, bark walls, earthen floors and a shingle roof. By 1884, this structure had expanded to a 9 roomed accommodation house and in 1886 became the Marlo Hotel when a liquor license was granted.
The Governor-in-Council declared Marlo to be a township on 18 February 1889. During May 1889, the government surveyor, E.L. Bruce set out 19 sections of the new township, with the first sales of subdivided land occurring the following May.
At this time, Stirling's Marlo Hotel was the unofficial hub for the community. It was a general store, accommodation house and the unofficial post office, with settlers taking turns in bringing the mail from Orbost or Cunningham. This continued until Aug 1942, and in 1969 was located in a house adjacent to the Marlo Hotel, before being transferred to the Marlo General Store in this year. The official Post Office List states the Marlo Post Office opened around 1902.
Marlo is the destination where St Michael's Grammar School's Year 11 'Kosi to Coast' program concludes . Students travel for 3 weeks in September using snowshoes, hiking, whitewater rafting and canoeing from the highest point in Australia at Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales down to zero altitude at the mouth of the Snowy River into the beach. The program has been running each year since 1993.
Notable years in Marlo's History:
1845-1874 Norman McLeod holds the land around Marlo1854 Charles Petersen employs 40 men to strip wattle bark along the Snowy River for tanneries in Europe1875 James Stirling occupies land at the Marlo Bluff1880 Snowy River Shipping Company formed1880 Marlo's population is 30 residents1884 James Stirling's Marlo Accommodation House1886 James Stirling's Marlo Hotel1889 The "Neptune" wrecked at Pearl Point with Martin Jorgenson1889 Marlo declared a township1890 First Marlo land sales adjacent to Jorgenson St1891 Samuel Richardson builds the Curlip paddle steamer1893 First telephone installed at Marlo Hotel1894 Duncan Cameron's Marlo Hotel1895 The "Ridge Park" wrecked on Beware Reef1900 Unofficial school taught by Miss Mulfahey1902 Marlo State School 3433 opened1906 Gluth's Marlo Hotel1906 Marlo's first bridge completed1907 Sir Reginald Talbot visits Marlo1907 Marlo Cemetery Gazetted1908 Stewart's Marlo Hotel1908 Experimental farm developed on Marlo Plains1910 Post Office at Stirling residence in Willis Ave1914 Marlo Race Course Gazetted as temporary recreation reserve1915 Shipping ceases in Port of Marlo1916 Marlo Estate land sales along Willis Ave and Old Marlo Rd1921 Gas light beacon flashing every 11 secs replaces kerosene1925 Walter Rice builds a general store1925 Post Office at Marlo Hotel1926 First tour bus arrives in Marlo1927 Seagull flying boat lands in estuary1930 Walter Rice builds the "Ozone Picture Theatre"1933 Marlo State School goes into recess1936 Marlo State School reopened1937 Land extension sales from Jorgenson St1940 Marlo State School goes into recess1942 Post office leaves Marlo Hotel1946 Marlo State School reopened1946-1947 Marlo Rural Fire Brigade formed1946 Cape Conran Houses erected1950 Snowy River Boat Club formed (power boats)1950 Marlo Aerodrome land reserved1950 Hall built at Cape Conran1952 Marlo State School located in Jorgenson St1954 Marlo Race Course Gazetted1956-1960 Land extension sales north from Jorgenson St1958-1961 Marlo Bridge built by J.C. Hourigan of Traralgon1958 Marlo Tennis Club formed1963 Electric light beacon flashing every 6 secs replaces gas1965 Marlo Tennis Courts laid down in Jorgenson St1965 Marlo Aerodrome opened1967 Marlo Tennis Club Rooms built1969 Post Office operates from Marlo General Store1969 Electric power connected to Cape Conran1970 Electric beacon moved to lighthouse reserve1970 Mains water supplied from Rocky River1971 First night flight into Marlo aerodrome1972 Snowy River Boat Club goes into recess (power boats)1972 Brick CFA building erected1973 Moderate wildfire burned from Marlo to Cape Conran1974 Automatic telephone exchange installed1974 Marlo Boat Rescue Club formed1977 Snowy River Boat Club emerges from recess1981 Marlo's first take away food store1981-1982 West Cape Boat ramp constructed1982 CFA building extended1982 Marlo Boat Rescue Club Shed on Jorgenson St built by Orbost Secondary College studentsStreet Name Derivations: Most street names were derived from the families that lived there or notable Marlo identities of the time.
Argyle Pde - Named for Sir Stanley Argyle who often fished Marlo in his boat, "Mascot"Brodribb Dr - After the Brodribb River, which itself was named after an early settler. A Patterson subdivision.Conlon Rd - Named for the Conlon family, landholders at Marlo Plains adjacent to Point RicardoConran Crt - Named after Cape Conran. Originally a Fatchen subdivision.Duncan St - Named for Duncan Cameron, early settler and licensee of the Marlo HotelForeshore Rd - runs adjacent to the estuary foreshoreHarding Crt -Healeys Rd - Possibly named for the Healey family who farmed the areaHoly Nelly Ln - So named for a prominent local resident and hotel licensee who often proclaimed 'Holy Nelly' and lived in the laneJorgenson St - Named for Martin Jorgenson, early settler after being wrecked at Pearl Point. He also kept the "Ricardo Guest House" that operated opposite the Marlo Hotel and is still in the family.Mills St - After a captain of one of the early trading vesselsMots Beach Av - Named after Mots Beach. Local belief is that it may stem from the acronym Mouth Of The Snowy. Originally a Fatchen subdivision.Perry St - After Henry Perry, longtime resident and descendant of early Orbost settlerRicardo Dr - Named for Point Ricardo. This drive was originally a Fatchen subdivision and the road this family lived onRodwell St - Named for the settler family that owned property adjacent to itSaleni Dr -Sampson's Lookout/St - After Mrs Sampson, a wealthy dentist and keen angler who fished around this areaStewart St - Named for the licensees of the Marlo HotelStirling St - Named for James Stirling and said to be the site of his homeTowner St - Named for the early settlers who lived near the corner of Argyle Pde and Foreshore Rd opposite the Marlo Hotel. This house was said to be one of the first built in MarloWakefield St - After Norman Wakefield, a Victorian naturalist and son of an Orbost saddlerWard St - After Roy WardWilliam Crt - Originally an Eddlington subdivisionWilliam Hunter Dr - Originally a Fatchen subdivisionWillis St - Said to be named after a city jeweller who called his home "Marlo". Willis was the name of one of the persons associated with the syndicate that bought, subdivided and sold Stirling's property around the Old Marlo Rd in 1915.