Rural City of Bellarine
Encyclopedia
The Rural City of Bellarine was a Local Government Area located to the southeast of the regional city of Geelong
, Victoria
, Australia
, and covered most of the Bellarine Peninsula
. The shire covered an area of 331.78 square kilometres (128.1 sq mi), and existed from 1853 until 1993.
On 18 May 1993, the Shire was abolished, and merged with Cities of Geelong
, Geelong West
and Newtown
, the Shire of Corio
, part of the City of South Barwon
and parts of the Shires of Barrabool
and Bannockburn
to form the City of Greater Geelong
.
* Estimate in 1958 Victorian Year Book.
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
, 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
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and covered most of the Bellarine Peninsula
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...
. The shire covered an area of 331.78 square kilometres (128.1 sq mi), and existed from 1853 until 1993.
History
Bellarine was first incorporated as a district on 12 December 1853, and became a shire on 26 September 1865. On 12 December 1989 it was proclaimed a Rural CityOn 18 May 1993, the Shire was abolished, and merged with Cities of Geelong
City of Geelong
The City of Geelong was a Local Government Area located about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1849 until 1994.-History:...
, Geelong West
City of Geelong West
The City of Geelong West was a Local Government Area located about west of the regional city of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1875 until 1994.-History:...
and Newtown
City of Newtown
The City of Newtown was a Local Government Area located about west of the regional city of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1858 until 1994.-History:...
, the Shire of Corio
Shire of Corio
The Shire of Corio was a Local Government Area located between Geelong and Werribee about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire, which included all of Geelong's northern suburbs, covered an area of , and existed from 1861 until 1993.-History:Corio was first...
, part of the City of South Barwon
City of South Barwon
The City of South Barwon was a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, which contained some Geelong suburbs south of the Barwon River, and extending to Torquay in the south and Barwon Heads to the east...
and parts of the Shires of Barrabool
Shire of Barrabool
The Shire of Barrabool was a Local Government Area located about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1853 until 1994.-History:...
and Bannockburn
Shire of Bannockburn
The Shire of Bannockburn was a Local Government Area located about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1862 until 1994.-History:...
to form the City of Greater Geelong
City of Greater Geelong
The City of Greater Geelong is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia.It is located in the western part of the state, south-west of Melbourne. It has an area of 1,240 square kilometres. In 2006 it had a population of 191,000...
.
Wards
Bellarine was divided into three ridings, each of which elected three councillors:- Bellarine Riding
- Paywit Riding
- Moolap Riding
Towns and localities
- Bellarine
- Clifton SpringsClifton Springs, VictoriaClifton Springs is a coastal town located on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Geelong, Victoria, Australia, named after local mineral springs, which were found around Fairy Dell, which was closed due to possible landslides however re-opened in 2007 after extensive work repairing the area.-History:A...
- CurlewisCurlewis, VictoriaCurlewis is a bounded rural locality of the City of Greater Geelong Local Government Area on the Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. At the 2006 census, Curlewis had a population of 399.-References:...
- DrysdaleDrysdale, VictoriaDrysdale is a rural township near Geelong, Victoria, Australia, located on the Bellarine Peninsula. The town has an approximate population of over 3700....
- Fenwick
- Indented HeadIndented Head, VictoriaIndented Head is a small coastal township located on the Bellarine Peninsula, east of Geelong, in the Australian state of Victoria. The town lies on the coast of the Port Phillip bay between the towns of Portarlington and St Leonards.-History:...
- LeopoldLeopold, VictoriaLeopold is a residential eastern suburb of Geelong and is a gateway to the Bellarine Peninsula.-History:The area was formerly known as Kensington. The Post Office opened as Kensington on 19 May 1858, and was renamed Kensington Hill in 1882, Leopold Hill in 1884 and Leopold in 1885. -The town...
- MannerimMannerim, VictoriaMannerim is a semi-rural locality on the Bellarine Peninsula of Victoria, Australia.Characterised by hobby farms and wineries, it is centred on the Grubb Road-Bellarine Highway intersection.-History:...
- MarcusMarcus Hill, VictoriaMarcus Hill is a bounded rural locality of the City of Greater Geelong Local Government Area on the Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria, Australia to the east of Ocean Grove. At the 2006 census, Marcus Hill had a population of 277.-References:...
- MoolapMoolap, VictoriaMoolap is a residential and industrial suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The name Moolap is derived from an Aboriginal word for nearby Point Henry, moo-laa, thought to mean 'men gathering to go fishing'. Moolap in Aboriginal tongue means "Shady Place" ....
- Murradoc
- NewcombNewcomb, VictoriaNewcomb is a residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia.The Post Office opened on 2 July 1962 as the suburb developed.The suburb has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Bellarine Football League....
- Ocean GroveOcean Grove, VictoriaOcean 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:...
- Point Henry
- Point LonsdalePoint Lonsdale, VictoriaPoint Lonsdale is a coastal township on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia, and included in the Borough of Queenscliffe. Point Lonsdale is also one of the headlands which, with Point Nepean, frame The Rip, the entrance to Port Phillip. The headland is dominated by the...
(split with Borough of QueenscliffeBorough of QueenscliffeThe Borough of Queenscliffe is a municipality in Victoria, Australia. It is situated on the south coast, south-east of Geelong on the Bellarine Peninsula south of Swan Bay and next to the Port Phillip Heads, the entrance to Port Phillip Bay from Bass Strait.The Borough has an area of...
) - PortarlingtonPortarlington, VictoriaPortarlington is a historic coastal township located on the Bellarine Peninsula, 27km from the city of Geelong, in the state of Victoria, Australia. The gently rising hills behind the town feature vineyards and olive groves, overlooking Port Phillip Bay. Portarlington is a popular family holiday...
- St LeonardsSt Leonards, VictoriaSt Leonards is a coastal township near Geelong, Victoria, Australia, at the eastern end of the Bellarine Peninsula and the northern end of Swan Bay...
- Swan BaySwan Bay, VictoriaSwan Bay is a bounded rural coastal locality of the City of Greater Geelong between Queenscliff and St Leonards. It is bounded in the west by Portarlington-Queenscliff Road, in the north by Anderson Road, in the east by an offshore line across Swan Bay excluding Swan Island, and in the south by the...
- WallingtonWallington, VictoriaWallington is a rural township near Geelong. At the 2006 census, the town and surrounding area had a population of 1,353.The township was settled in the early 1870s, the Post Office opening on February 22, 1872...
- WhittingtonWhittington, VictoriaWhittington is a residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, located 4km south-east of the city centre. It is bordered by Boundary, Townsend and Coppards roads and by the former Geelong to Queenscliff railway line now known as the Bellarine Rail Trail....
Population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1954 | 7,015 |
| 1958 | 9,270* |
| 1961 | 10,127 |
| 1966 | 14,529 |
| 1971 | 18,791 |
| 1976 | 24,495 |
| 1981 | 30,014 |
| 1986 | 35,302 |
| 1991 | 41,130 |
* Estimate in 1958 Victorian Year Book.