Rural City of Bellarine

Rural City of Bellarine Victoria
File:Old lga Bellarine.png Location in Victoria
Population	44,180 (1992)
• Density	133.161/km2 (344.88/sq mi)
Established	1853
Area	331.78 km2 (128.1 sq mi)
Council seat	Drysdale
County	Grant
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LGAs around Rural City of Bellarine: Geelong Corio Bay Port Phillip South Barwon Rural City of Bellarine Queenscliffe South Barwon Bass Strait Bass Strait

The Rural City of Bellarine was a local government area southeast of the regional city of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, covering most of the Bellarine Peninsula. The Rural City covered an area of 331.78 square kilometres (128.1 sq mi), and existed from 1853 until 1993.

History

Bellarine was first incorporated as the Portarlington Road District on 12 December 1853, and became a shire on 26 September 1865. On 12 December 1989, Bellarine was proclaimed a Rural City.

On 18 May 1993, the Rural City of Bellarine was abolished, and, along with the Cities of Geelong, Geelong West and Newtown, the Shire of Corio and parts of the City of South Barwon and the Shires of Barrabool and Bannockburn, was merged into the newly created City of Greater Geelong.

Wards

The Rural City of Bellarine was divided into three ridings, each of which elected three councillors:

• Bellarine Riding
• Paywit Riding
• Moolap Riding

Towns and localities

• Bellarine
• Clifton Springs
• Curlewis
• Drysdale (including the neighbourhood of Murradoc)
• Indented Head
• Leopold
• Mannerim
• Marcus Hill
• Moolap (including the neighbourhood of Point Henry)
• Newcomb
• Ocean Grove
• Point Lonsdale (shared with the Borough of Queenscliffe)
• Portarlington
• St Leonards
• Swan Bay
• Wallington (including the neighbourhood of Fenwick)
• Whittington

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.