La Trobe Valley, in Victoria, is one of Australia’s most productive river valleys. South of the La Trobe River, large deposits of brown coal have been developed as a major source of Victoria’s electric power supply. The La Trobe Valley’s coal reserves exceed 19 billion tons (17 billion metric tons). The coal deposits are at least 200 feet (60 meters) thick and lie close to the surface. The seams can be worked without difficulty by open-pit methods.
The main towns in the valley are Moe, Morwell, and Traralgon. The main industries are power stations, briquette works, and pulp and paper mills.