Devenish is a rural town located approximately 230 kilometers north of Melbourne, within the Rural City of Benalla, Victoria. The area was initially part of the Major Plains district, which came under pastoral occupation in the 1840s. Farm selections began in the early 1870s, leading to the establishment of the Devenish parish in 1873.
The Devenish Post Office opened on 9 June 1877 under the name Broken Creek and was renamed Devenish in 1878. With the arrival of the railway in 1883, the post office was relocated and named Devenish Railway Station, before reverting to Devenish around 1889 as the township developed.
The town’s concrete grain silos, situated between the railway line and the main street, began receiving wheat in December 1943. A bulk oat storage facility was added in 1965.
During World War I, fifty young men and women from the Devenish community enlisted in the military services, representing one in six residents at that time. This significant contribution is commemorated through murals on the town’s silos, painted by artist Cam Scale. The artworks honor the service of these individuals and include depictions of a World War I nurse and a modern-day combat medic.
In 2007, Devenish hosted the Australian hot air balloon championships, highlighting the town’s community spirit and capacity to host national events.
As of the 2016 census, Devenish and its surrounding area had a population of 197, reflecting its status as a small yet historically rich community in Victoria’s northeast.