Underbool: Pioneer Memorial Wall and Mallee

The Pioneer Memorial Wall is on the Mallee Highway in the centre of Underbool. Together with the Underbool Swimming Pool, the Recreation Reserve and the memorial sites in Outen Park, it shows several sides of the town: local pioneer history, recreational places and connections to the region’s Mallee destinations.

Pioneer history at the Memorial Wall

The Pioneer Memorial Wall was built and unveiled in 2002 to honour the men, women and families who sought a new life in the Victorian Mallee District between Torrita and Boinka. The plaques record details about pioneer families and other pioneers: for families, they give the date of arrival and the parish or allotment in the town. For pioneers outside agriculture, they also list the person’s occupation. In this way, family, local and occupational details appear side by side, offering different biographical clues.

Memorial sites in Outen Park

The Memorial Gates in Outen Park are named after Roy Outen. He is believed to have been the first soldier from Underbool to die in the First World War; he was 19 years old. At the 2023 ANZAC Day march, participants set off from the primary school at 6:20 a.m., proceeding along Monash Ave. Five students carried the letters A, N, Z, A and C. The march reached the Memorial Gates, where the dawn service began.

Community and recreation

The Underbool Swimming Pool has been a local community facility since 1974. In March 2026, lap swimming and water walking were offered on Mondays and Fridays from 6 to 9 a.m.; everyone was welcome. Check the current schedule before your visit.

The 2023–2028 community plan names the Underbool Recreation Reserve as a place where travellers often camp; check the current camping rules in advance. A 2009–2019 master plan located the reserve on the northern edge of town and gave its area as approximately 11.6 hectares. It listed various sports and recreational activities and groups there, and noted a sports field for football and cricket. Check the current facilities and uses on site when planning your visit.

Park and regional Mallee destinations

The Underbool Bushland Reserve is a park. If you plan to visit, check the current conditions and facilities. Underbool is a gateway to Pink Lakes Country and Murray-Sunset National Park. The Mallee Track Highway provides a strong tourist link between South Australia and New South Wales. This makes it possible to combine a local perspective on Underbool’s memorial sites and recreational areas with the regional destinations mentioned above.

Discover more destinations: Kongwak, Chepstowe, Bethanga, Winchelsea, Kerang, Murrabit, Rochford, Tarneit.

For the main travel overview: Victoria.