Nangiloc Collignan in north west Victoria on the Murray River

The district spreads along the Murray River, around 50 km south-east of Mildura, in north-west Victoria. The communities of Nangiloc, Colignan, Iraak and surrounding areas have a population of about 600.

The industry of the area is primarily irrigated agriculture on rich, sandy soil. Along with citrus and grapes (wine, table and dried) the area is becoming increasingly well known for its many niche agricultural goods produced in this area, including Garlic, Melons, Asparagus, Pistachios and Almonds.

The area is very popular for tourism as a camping destination with many beautiful places along the Murray River and within Hattah-Kulkyne National Park.

Brief history of the district

Colignan, Nangiloc and Iraak were established as soldier settlement farming areas after World War I, road access to the area was from the west via Boonoonar on what is now the Calder Highway. A Post Office opened in Colignan on August 22, 1922 marking the beginning of postal services to the area, which later closed in 1988. Both Nangiloc and Iraak's Post Offices opened one month later on September 22, 1922 and although the Iraak Post Office closed on the same day in 1960, the Nangiloc Post Office remains today as the only Post Office servicing these areas. After World War I, the various State governments saw the opportunity of attracting both Australians and specific groups of allied service personnel to some of the otherwise little inhabited, remote areas of Australia, which saw the rise of the soldier settlement scheme in this district with mostly dry land farming operations. In common with many other soldier settlement areas, most original settlers had left by the mid 1930s, with a Royal Commission identifying the four main reasons for the failure of soldier settlers being; the selection of inexperienced settlers, lack of capital, the size of blocks allocated and prices received for agricultural products. These small unviable blocks were replaced by a later generation using irrigation.

(Noelker Consulting, Nangiloc / Colignan and District Community Plan 2008)