Albury-Wodonga

Albury-Wodonga is the broad settlement incorporating the twin Australian cities of Albury and Wodonga, which are separated geographically by the Murray River and politically by a state border: Albury on the north of the river is part of NSW while Wodonga on the south bank is Victorian.

Whilst in many senses the centre operates as one community, it has parallel municipal governments and state government services. Psychologically, the closer proximity of Melbourne and the predominance of Australian Rules Football give Albury close cultural links to Victoria.

Albury-Wodonga was selected as the primary focus of the federal Whitlam government's scheme to arrest the uncontrolled growth of Australia's large coastal cities (Sydney and Melbourne in particular) by encouraging decentralisation. Grand plans were made to turn Albury-Wodonga into a major inland city. Some industries were enticed to move there, and a certain amount of population movement resulted, but the plans quickly faded away with the next change of government and the long-term result was little changed.

In 1851, Victoria was split from New South Wales, after more than a decade of argument and deliberation over the location of the border.