Barwon Heads, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Barwon Heads is a coastal township on the Bellarine Peninsula
, near Geelong, Victoria
, Australia. It is situated on the west bank of the mouth of the Barwon River
below Lake Connewarre
, while it is bounded to the west by farmland, golf course
s and the ephemeral
saline
wetland
Murtnaghurt Lagoon
.
Fishing was the mainstay of the town in its early years. In the 1920s and 1930s the town became a popular holiday resort and a number of the richer families of Melbourne built houses here. The summer period today still sees a large influx of holidaymakers to the town.
In 1959 the closing scenes of the film On the Beach
based on a Nevil Shute
novel about the end of the world was filmed in the town.
was opened in 1927, crossing the Barwon River
between Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove
. Prior to this there was a rowboat service across the river. The bridge was used in filming the ABC television series SeaChange
.
In July 2006, the Government of Victoria shelved plans to replace the heritage-listed bridge with a new one.
A proposal was made to align a new bridge with Geelong Road, permitting traffic flows to bypass the main shopping precinct and primary school, but with the consequence of taking out one home. An independent panel was appointed by the then Minister for Planning, Rob Hulls
to decide on a location. Evidence was presented, for and against Geelong Road, and the existing site, and concluded that Geelong Road was unsuitable for environmental, social, economic reasons. On 16 March 2007 it was announced that the current bridge would be improved and there were no plans to build a second bridge upstream. The new road bridge and a parallel pedestrian bridge
were constructed in 2010.
During the late 1990s, Barwon Heads was the primary location of filming for the popular Australian television series, SeaChange
. In the past decade Barwon Heads has become subject to what is colloquially known in some parts of Australia as the "seachange effect".
Since the SeaChange television series first aired in 1998 there has been a significant increase in tourism
and real estate
sales and development (both commercial and residential) in the area. This has resulted in a very substantial increase in property and land values, making the town an ideal location for property developer
s.
Nearby Thirteenth Beach
is a popular surfing location, the beach is named for its proximity to the 13th hole of the golf course. The town was subject to flooding, including a flood that lasted some weeks in 1952, until the construction of levee
banks in the 1950s.
The artist Jan Mitchell
erected her first bollard sculptures in Barwon Heads. Visitors to the area will encounter the colourful soldier and parrot bollards which designate a route for the local children from the primary school, through the streets to the bike path, park and playground. She then went on to produce more than 100 bollards at the Waterfront Geelong
.
team competing in the Bellarine Football League
. Its last premiership was in 1993, it has made finals in a number of seasons since but has failed to make it to another Grand Final.
Barwon Heads has a cricket club which has won two premierships in three seasons (2005/2006 and 2007/2008). They are currently competing in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association.
Barwon Heads also boasts a tennis, bowls, surf life saving, soccer and pony club. Golfers play at the Barwon Heads Golf Club on Golf Links Road, or at the course of the Thirteenth Beach Golf Links on Barwon Heads Road. Barwon Heads has great recreational fishing from its river to the heads, it caters for all types of anglers.
and the entertainer Barry Crocker
were born there.
, the cyclist who won the 2011
Tour de France
, owns a house in the area and is regularly seen training on local roads.
Bellarine Peninsula
The Bellarine Peninsula is a peninsula located south-west of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, surrounded by Port Phillip, Corio Bay and Bass Strait. The peninsula, together with the Mornington Peninsula separates Port Phillip from Bass Strait...
, near Geelong, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia. It is situated on the west bank of the mouth of the Barwon River
Barwon River (Victoria)
The Barwon River rises in the Otway Ranges of Victoria, Australia, runs through Winchelsea and the city of Geelong, where it is joined by the Moorabool River, and enters the sea at Barwon Heads after passing through Lake Connewarre on the Bellarine Peninsula...
below Lake Connewarre
Lake Connewarre
Lake Connewarre is a shallow estuarine lake located on the Barwon River, on the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong, Victoria. It is adjacent to, and downstream from, the freshwater Reedy Lake...
, while it is bounded to the west by farmland, golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s and the ephemeral
Ephemeral
Ephemeral things are transitory, existing only briefly. Typically the term is used to describe objects found in nature, although it can describe a wide range of things....
saline
Salinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
Murtnaghurt Lagoon
Murtnaghurt Lagoon
Murtnaghurt Lagoon, also known as Murtnaghurt Swamp or Lake Murtnaghurt, is a shallow, ephemeral wetland west of the town of Barwon Heads on the southern coast of the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria, Australia. It comprises two enclosed depressions, elongated west-east and separated by a low ridge...
.
History
The township of Barwon Heads was surveyed in 1870 but remained sparsely populated for years, a Post Office finally opening in the area on 15 December 1889 (renamed Connewarre East in 1890 when a new Barwon Heads PO opened in the township).Fishing was the mainstay of the town in its early years. In the 1920s and 1930s the town became a popular holiday resort and a number of the richer families of Melbourne built houses here. The summer period today still sees a large influx of holidaymakers to the town.
In 1959 the closing scenes of the film On the Beach
On the Beach (1959 film)
On the Beach is a post-apocalyptic drama film based on Nevil Shute's 1957 novel of the same name. The film features Gregory Peck , Ava Gardner , Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins...
based on a Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute
Nevil Shute Norway was a popular British-Australian novelist and a successful aeronautical engineer. He used his full name in his engineering career, and 'Nevil Shute' as his pen name, in order to protect his engineering career from any potential negative publicity in connection with his novels.-...
novel about the end of the world was filmed in the town.
Barwon Heads Bridge
The Barwon Heads BridgeBarwon Heads Bridge
The Barwon Heads Bridge is a road bridge and a separate pedestrian bridge over the Barwon River between Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove, Victoria , Australia. The bridge is the only crossing of the Barwon River between Geelong and the river mouth at...
was opened in 1927, crossing the Barwon River
Barwon River (Victoria)
The Barwon River rises in the Otway Ranges of Victoria, Australia, runs through Winchelsea and the city of Geelong, where it is joined by the Moorabool River, and enters the sea at Barwon Heads after passing through Lake Connewarre on the Bellarine Peninsula...
between Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove
Ocean Grove, Victoria
Ocean Grove is a seaside town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Bellarine Peninsula. At the 2006 census, Ocean Grove had a population of 11,274.-History:...
. Prior to this there was a rowboat service across the river. The bridge was used in filming the ABC television series SeaChange
SeaChange
SeaChange was a popular Australian television show that ran for 39 episodes from 1998 to 2001 on the ABC. It was created by Andrew Knight and Deborah Cox and starred Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham, William McInnes, John Howard, Tom Long and Kerry Armstrong...
.
In July 2006, the Government of Victoria shelved plans to replace the heritage-listed bridge with a new one.
A proposal was made to align a new bridge with Geelong Road, permitting traffic flows to bypass the main shopping precinct and primary school, but with the consequence of taking out one home. An independent panel was appointed by the then Minister for Planning, Rob Hulls
Rob Hulls
Rob Justin Hulls has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1996, representing the electorate of Niddrie. As well as previously serving as the Deputy Premier of Victoria, he was also the state Attorney-General and Minister for Racing.Rob Hulls was born in Melbourne and was...
to decide on a location. Evidence was presented, for and against Geelong Road, and the existing site, and concluded that Geelong Road was unsuitable for environmental, social, economic reasons. On 16 March 2007 it was announced that the current bridge would be improved and there were no plans to build a second bridge upstream. The new road bridge and a parallel pedestrian bridge
Barwon Heads Bridge
The Barwon Heads Bridge is a road bridge and a separate pedestrian bridge over the Barwon River between Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove, Victoria , Australia. The bridge is the only crossing of the Barwon River between Geelong and the river mouth at...
were constructed in 2010.
SeaChange and tourism
SeaChange
SeaChange was a popular Australian television show that ran for 39 episodes from 1998 to 2001 on the ABC. It was created by Andrew Knight and Deborah Cox and starred Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham, William McInnes, John Howard, Tom Long and Kerry Armstrong...
. In the past decade Barwon Heads has become subject to what is colloquially known in some parts of Australia as the "seachange effect".
Since the SeaChange television series first aired in 1998 there has been a significant increase in tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
sales and development (both commercial and residential) in the area. This has resulted in a very substantial increase in property and land values, making the town an ideal location for property developer
Real estate development
Real estate development, or Property Development, is a multifaceted business, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re-lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of improved land or parcels to others...
s.
Nearby Thirteenth Beach
Thirteenth Beach
Thirteenth Beach is located west of Barwon Heads, Victoria, Australia and the name is taken from the close proximity of the beach to the thirteenth hole of the Barwon Heads Golf Course...
is a popular surfing location, the beach is named for its proximity to the 13th hole of the golf course. The town was subject to flooding, including a flood that lasted some weeks in 1952, until the construction of levee
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
banks in the 1950s.
The artist Jan Mitchell
Jan Mitchell
Jan Mitchell was an Australian artist, born in Melbourne, known for her painted bollards and work as a television graphic artist.She spent her formative childhood years near Healesville before working at RTE in Ireland for 18 years in the graphics department...
erected her first bollard sculptures in Barwon Heads. Visitors to the area will encounter the colourful soldier and parrot bollards which designate a route for the local children from the primary school, through the streets to the bike path, park and playground. She then went on to produce more than 100 bollards at the Waterfront Geelong
Waterfront Geelong
Waterfront Geelong is a tourist and recreation area on the north facing shores of Corio Bay in Geelong, Australia. The area was once part of the Port of Geelong, falling into disuse before being redeveloped during the 1990s.-Attractions:...
.
Sport
The town has an Australian rules footballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
team competing in the Bellarine Football League
Bellarine Football League
The Bellarine Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Bellarine Peninsula region of Victoria, Australia, formed in 1971.Six of the eight founding clubs played in the Polwarth Football league the year before....
. Its last premiership was in 1993, it has made finals in a number of seasons since but has failed to make it to another Grand Final.
Barwon Heads has a cricket club which has won two premierships in three seasons (2005/2006 and 2007/2008). They are currently competing in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association.
Barwon Heads also boasts a tennis, bowls, surf life saving, soccer and pony club. Golfers play at the Barwon Heads Golf Club on Golf Links Road, or at the course of the Thirteenth Beach Golf Links on Barwon Heads Road. Barwon Heads has great recreational fishing from its river to the heads, it caters for all types of anglers.
Notable people
The footballer Jaxson BarhamJaxson Barham
Jaxson Barham is an Australian rules footballer. He played seven senior games for the Collingwood Football Club from 2009–2010, before being delisted at the end of the 2010 season.- Background :...
and the entertainer Barry Crocker
Barry Crocker
Barry Hugh Crocker OAM is a popular Australian singer, with a crooning vocal style.-Biography:...
were born there.
Cadel Evans
Cadel EvansCadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
, the cyclist who won the 2011
2011 Tour de France
-Pre-race favourites:2010 winner Alberto Contador was suspended from cycling during a doping investigation from September 2010 to February 2011, during which time 2010 runner-up Andy Schleck was regarded as the favourite. When the suspension was lifted, Contador declared his desire to compete in...
Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, owns a house in the area and is regularly seen training on local roads.