Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Barwon South West Region were the Bunganditj, Coladjin, Djab Wurrung, Djargurd Wurrung, Gadubanud, Girai Wurrung, Gulidjan, Gunditjmara, Jardwadjali, Tjap Wurrung and Wathaurong (Wadawurrung) Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from the 1830s, with land used mainly for timber-getting, farming, grazing and vineyards. Growth was minimal until the 1840s, when many small townships were established. Expansion took place from the 1850s to the late 1800s, particularly in Geelong, aided by improved access, the gold rush and the establishment of industries. Gradual population growth continued in the early 1900s. The most significant development occurred in the post-war years, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s, aided by the rapid expansion of industry, immigration, the construction of public housing estates and tourism. Population growth continued from the 1980s, particularly from the late 1990s. Recent growth has largely been on the fringes of the Geelong urban area, as well as the Bellarine Peninsula, the Surf Coast, and various coastal towns.

Land use

The Barwon South West Region is a rural, residential and resort area, with some industrial and commercial land use. The Region encompasses a total land area of nearly 30,000 square kilometres, including significant areas of State Forest and National Park. Much of the rural area is used for timber-getting, farming, grazing, cropping, dairying, mining and viticulture. Tourism is an important industry, especially in the southern section along the Great Ocean Road and the Bellarine Peninsula. Geelong is the largest city and population centre in the Barwon South West Region. Other major towns in the Region include the inland rural centres of Camperdown, Colac and Hamilton, and the coastal towns of Aireys Inlet, Anglesea, Apollo Bay, Lorne, Ocean Grove, Port Campbell, Port Fairy, Portland, Torquay and Warrnambool.

Transport

The Barwon South West Region is served by the Princes Freeway, the Great Ocean Road, the Bellarine Highway, the Glenelg Highway, the Hamilton Highway, the Henty Highway, the Hopkins Highway, the Midland Highway, the Princes Highway, the Surf Coast Highway, Avalon Airport, Geelong Port, the Port of Portland, the Port of Port Fairy and the Melbourne-Geelong-Warrnambool railway line.

Major features

• Major features of the Barwon South West Region include Brisbane Ranges National Park,
• Budj Bim National Park,
• Cobboboonee National Park,
• Grampians National Park,
• Great Otway National Park,
• Lower Glenelg National Park,
• Mount Richmond National Park,
• Port Campbell National Park,
• Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park,
• Twelve Apostles Marine National Park,
• Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary,
• Bay of Islands Coastal Park,
• Discovery Bay Coastal Park,
• Thunder Point Coastal Reserve,
• Cape Nelson State Park,
• Dergholm State Park,
• Mount Napier State Park,
• You Yangs Regional Park,
• Byaduk Caves,
• Princess Margaret Rose Cave,
• The Twelve Apostles,
• Loch Ard Gorge,
• London Bridge,
• Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve,
• Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve,
• The Great Ocean Road,
• Otway Fly Treetop Adventures,
• Cape Otway Lightstation,
• Old Geelong Gaol,
• National Wool Museum,
• Adventure Park Geelong,
• Tiger Moth World,
• Fort Queenscliff,
• The Bellarine Railway,
• Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village,
• Logans Beach Whale Nursery Viewing Platform,
• Queenscliff-Sorrento Ferry,
• Deakin University (Geelong Waterfront,
• Warrnambool and Waurn Ponds Campuses),
• The Gordon Institute of TAFE (East Geelong and Geelong City Campuses and Colac Trade Training Centre),
• RMIT University Hamilton,
• South West TAFE (Hamilton,
• Portland and Warrnambool Campuses and Glenormiston College),
• Hamilton Institute of Rural Learning,
• Marcus Oldham College,
• Kardinia Park,
• The Great Ocean Walk,
• The Great South West Walk,
• Geelong Waterfront,
• The Geelong CBD,
• Westfield Geelong Shopping Centre,
• Market Square Shopping Centre,
• Geelong Hospital,
• Queenscliff Harbour,
• Geelong Port,
• The Port of Portland,
• Bells Beach,
• Eastern Beach and numerous other beaches,
• Erskine Falls,
• Hopkins Falls,
• several other waterfalls and various wineries.

Included areas