OVERVIEW

Apollo Bay is located 186km south west of Melbourne between Lorne and Cape Otway on Victoria’s scenic coastal route, the Great Ocean Road.

As a popular tourist destination, Apollo Bay offers both swimming and surf beaches, as well as a large boat harbour and marina which is home to a major fishing fleet. The towns commercial center, which features a good selection of restaurants and cafes, is situated along one side of the Great Ocean Road, overlooking a wide, grassy foreshore which fronts the main swimming beach. Another popular beach is located at the mouth of the Barham River in Mounts Bay.

Overlooking Apollo Bay are rolling green hills, which create quite a scenic backdrop when viewed from the beach, foreshore or shops. Panoramic views down to the town and along the coast can be enjoyed from the Marriners Lookout, located at the northern end of town.

STATS & FACTS

POPULATION
The population in Apollo Bay is approximately 1400 people (including Marengo)

PUBLIC SERVICES
Public services are provided by the Colac Otway Shire. For information on local government services visit www.colacotway.vic.gov.au

HEALTH CARE
Colac Otway has a well-established network of health services including the Shire Otway Health and Community Services which operate the Apollo Bay Hospital and medical clinic. Other health care providers include dentists, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, and community care.

LIBRARIES
A mobile library visits Apollo Bay on regularly. For more infomation visit www.colacotway.vic.gov.au

BANKS
Banking facilities are provided in Apollo Bay by the ANZ, Westpac and Bendigo Bank.

EDUCATION
Primary and secondary education is provided by a local government school. Additional education facilities and services are located in nearby Colac and Geelong.

HOUSING
In 2004, median house prices were $190,000, median flat prices $150,000 and for a vacant block prices were $78,000. Apollo Bay is a popular location for holiday homes, with a standard occupancy rate of 50 per cent. As a result, housing prices are not so low for a regional area. Short-term accommodation including hotel/motels, Bed and Breakfasts and caravan parks are available for new arrivals in Apollo Bay.

OVERVIEW

Belmont is a residential suburb 3km south-east of Geelong's centre. It is one of Geelong's oldest, largest and most popular suburbs. Belmont Common, originally a lagoon, borders the Barwon River. Facilities include a boat ramp, playing fields, the 18-hole Barwon Valley Golf Club and a wildlife reserve.

To the west, the ground rises steeply towards the High Street Shopping Centre, one of the largest and busiest strip shopping centres in Geelong. Further west along the river lies Barwon Valley Park and several caravan parks close to the city centre.

Great shopping facilities, proximity to Deakin University, views across the river and the bay and excellent community services and parks, make Belmont a popular address.

STATS & FACTS

POPULATION
The population of Belmont is approximately 13,735 people.

EDUCATION
There are 7 schools (proximity to Deakin University) and 2 childcare centres located in Belmont.

OVERVIEW

The township of Drysdale is situated in the centre of the Bellarine Peninsula about 20 kilometers from central Geelong along the Bellarine Highway.

Over the years Drysdale has become one of Geelong's great rural hubs. Its sandy loam soil was perfect for Potato farming and more recently small quality vineyards have popped up making some of the states finest wines, including Scotchman' Hill, Kilgour Estate Winery and the Spray Farm just to name a few. Until the late 1990's Drysdale was the administrative centre of the former Shire of Bellarine. The City of Greater Geelong now administers the whole peninsula with the exception of Queenscliff.

STATS & FACTS

POPULATION
The population of Drysdale in 2001 was 2,877 people.

EDUCATION
There are 3 schools and 2 childcare centres located in Drysdale.

SHOPPING
Drysdale has a well developed town centre with large supermarket complex and specialty shops. There are plenty of cafe's and specialty shops for visitors to explore.

THINGS TO DO
A popular tourist experience is to travel on the Drysdale to Queenscliff historic steam train which operates every Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday year round with extra running days on most public holidays & during Summer School Holidays. Drysdale Station is open on all running days and hosts a Kiosk ,Museum & Tourist Info centre. This delightful trip back in history takes visitors through the rolling Bellarine Peninsula plains to the historic seaside town of Queenscliff. There are special Blues Train tours available too, where local blues bands play in the carriages.

The Drysdale Market is one of the more popular of the things to do in Drysdale it is held on the third Sunday of the month between September and April on the local recreation reserve.

OVERVIEW

This waterfront city offers a diverse range of food, wine, cultural and recreation attractions. Its historical importance is also evident in the city’s 100 National Trust-listed buildings. Geelong is the second-largest city in Victoria, and is the major gateway to the Bellarine Peninsula and Great Ocean Road.

Geelong is one of Australia’s leading commercial and industrial centres. The region’s traditional manufacturing sector has major industry strengths in automotive components, transport equipment, aerospace activities, timber products, petroleum, chemicals, textiles and food items. Through its port and rail-land-road linkages, the city has access to international and domestic markets and suppliers. To complement the traditional industries, Geelong offers opportunities in tourism, hospitality, biotechnology, aquaculture, research, education and health-related industries.

Geelong takes full advantage of its unique north-facing bay with fabulous waterfront eateries, landscaped gardens and walking paths set against the backdrop of Corio Bay. Close by is Eastern Beach, which features an art deco-style pool and promenade complex, and the restored pavilion that houses a restaurant, café and kiosk. There are many different restaurants and eateries as well as delicatessens, wine merchants, and clothing and homeware boutiques.

STATS & FACTS

CLIMATE AND GEOGRAPHY
Geelong is framed by water, from Corio Bay to the rugged ocean coastline and the Barwon River, which connects the town, country and ocean. With kilometres of pristine beaches, the region is also the major gateway to some of the world's best surf beaches and the Great Ocean Road.

The average daily maximum temperature for January (summer) is 24° Celsius, or 75° Fahrenheit, while for July (winter) it is 14° Celsius, or 57° Fahrenheit. The average rainfall is 740 mm.

POPULATION
The total population of Geelong local council area is 200,067 (2003) and the population of the township is 130,194 (2001).

TRAVEL
Geelong is 75 km southwest of Melbourne and is accessible by car, train and bus.
The travel times from Melbourne are:
• 1 hour by car
• 1 hour by train
• 1 hour 10 minutes by bus ( to Tullamarine Airport).

The driving distance to neighbouring towns is:
• 25 minutes to Torquay
• 35 minutes to Queenscliff
• 1 hour to Colac
• 1 hour 5 minutes to Lorne
• 1 hour 15 minutes to Ballarat
• 2 hours 10 minutes to Warnambool
• 2 hours 20 minutes to Bendigo.

HEALTH CARE
Geelong has the Geelong Hospital (public and private), St John of God Hospital and other medical clinics, aged care facilities, women’s health services, chiropractors, acupuncture therapy, massage therapy, general practitioners, child and maternal health services, dentists, psychologists, physiotherapists, disability support services, optometrists, orthodontists, podiatrists and naturopaths.

EDUCATION
Geelong has the following educational facilities:
• Government primary schools
• Government secondary schools
• Several Catholic and independent schools
• Post-secondary institutions, including Deakin University, Gordon Institute of TAFE, Marcus Oldham Farm Management College, International Fibre Centre and Kardinia International College.

OVERVIEW

Ocean Grove is the largest town on the Bellarine Peninsula, covering about 20 square kilometres. It has a large permanent population and is a thriving holiday destination.

The town has a large shopping precinct which more than meets your basic household, clothing, medical and food needs. There is also a high number of community services and facilities available.

Residents can enjoy an active lifestyle with many ocean and river activities available. The Ocean Grove surf beach is spectacular, popular for surfing in summer and long ‘rugged up’ walks in winter. Located on the banks of the Barwon River, locals also enjoy fishing and boating.

It is also close to the Bellarine Peninsula's golf courses and wineries, and has plenty of cafes, modern restaurants and family pubs.

Retail, hospitality, education, health, construction and property services are the major industries within Ocean Grove. There are job opportunities locally and in Geelong (Victoria’s largest regional city) which is a 20 minute commute.

STATS & FACTS

CLIMATE
Ocean Grove has a mild climate. The average temperature in summer (Dec-Feb) is 22C. In winter (Jun-Aug) the average is 14C.

Rainfall is around 650mm per year.

STATS & FACTS

POPULATION
Ocean Grove’s permanent population is 10,055 (2001 Census). However, during the holiday seasons, the town experiences a large influx of tourists, and people with holiday homes.

TRAVEL
Ocean Grove lies on the east side of the mouth of the Barwon River and is only 98km from Melbourne. It is 23km southeast of Geelong.

Ocean Grove is 1 hour and 15 minutes from Melbourne and 20 minutes from Geelong.
There are also good train services to nearby Geelong with connecting coach services to Ocean Grove.

HEALTH CARE
There are several doctors working in the town for the Ocean Grove Medical Clinic. Hospitals and other medical services are also located in nearby Geelong.

SERVICES
Library
The Geelong Regional Library Corporation provides public library facilities in Ocean Grove.

Banks
The town is well-serviced by the major banks, with facilities from ANZ, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Westpac, Bendigo and National Australia Bank.

Education
Children’s education services are provided by local government schools; two primary schools and a secondary college. Tertiary adult education can be found in nearby Geelong at one of Melbourne’s largest universities, Deakin University.

Social services
Ocean Grove is serviced by Australia Post and Victoria Police and a full range of social and government services can be found in nearby Geelong.

Housing
The average weekly rental of a three-bedroom family home is about $210.
Short-term accommodation including hotel/motels, Bed and Breakfasts and caravan parks are available for new arrivals in Ocean Grove. However, during the busy summer months, accommodation will need to be booked well in advance.

OVERVIEW

St Leonards and neighbouring Indented Head are two small seaside townships on the tip of the Bellarine Peninsula some 30 kilometres east of Geelong's centre.

Like most of the Bellarine Peninsula the townships are a haven for holiday makers over the summer months, with camping grounds stretching the shoreline.

The area has grown steadily since the 1960, and in recent years has done extremely well with the help of the ABC television series "Seachange" being shot in the area a few years back.

The townships are made up of many holiday homes and a large proportion of retired people who have come to the area for fresh air and a quieter life. The local St Leonards bowling club football club and golf course are thriving activities for many of the locals.

Salt lagoons and the St Leonards lake and adjoining reserve backing onto Swan Bay ensure an abundance of native bird life, from grass parrots, finches, native wrens and sea birds.

Fishing is a favourite pastime in the area with boat ramps and piers close by.

STATS & FACTS

POPULATION
The population of St Leonards in 2001 was 1,352 people.

EDUCATION
There is 1 school located in St Leonards.