Suburb Profile

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.

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.

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.

Travel time by car to/from:

• Melbourne is one hour and 15 minutes • Geelong is 20 minutes 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.

Libraries
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.