Bellarine Peninsula

The Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria, Australia : bounded by Bass Strait to the south, The Rip at Port Phillip Heads to the east, Swan Bay and Port Phillip Bay to the north, and the Barwon River to the west.

The area was originally inhabited by the Bengalat balug (Clan) of the Wathaurong Tribe. The first European in the area was the infamous William Buckley in 1803, followed by members of the Port Phillip Association in 1835. By 1836 the peninsula was occupied by squatters before becoming an agricultural area. Today small farms still exist across the peninsula between the numerous towns and holiday resorts dotted around the coast, with Geelong (to the north west of the peninsula) being the nearest city.