Lara, Victoria

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Lara
Geelong, Victoria

Population:

9,182 (2001 census)

Postcode:

3212

Area:

14.5 km²

LGA:

City of Greater Geelong

State District:

Lara

Federal Division:

Corio

Suburbs around Lara
	Little River
Lovely Banks	Lara	Avalon
	Corio	North Shore

Lara is a semi-rural township in the state of Victoria in Australia. It lies north of Geelong. As of 2005, Lara's population is approximately 9,000.

1 History
2 Education
3 Geography
4 Industry
5 Transport
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

Landsat 7 imagery of the greater Geelong area. Lara is visible in the north.

The explorers Hume and Hovell arrived at Lara on December 16, 1824, believing that they had reached Westernport Bay. They recorded that the Aboriginals described the bay as Jullong and land as Corago, suggesting origins for the names of Geelong and Corio.

The area was originally named Kennedy's Creek but was also given several different names including Duck Ponds, Hovel's Creek, Cheddar, Swindon and Lara Lake. The area of Lara was no more than a few farms until the railway line and station was established, several subdivisions were then announced. The population grew to a few hundred by 1890 and several facilities like schools and churches were built but town water did not extend to the town until 1947.

In January, 1969, 17 people were killed in bushfires which ravaged Lara over the summer period. Several scenes from the 1979 feature film Mad Max where shot on location around Lara.

[edit] Education

Lara offers education through its' three primary schools; St. Anthony's Primary School, Lara Lake Primary School and Lara Primary School. The town also has Lara Secondary College to accommodate for years 7 - VCE.

[edit] Geography

Lara is a residential and rural town, 15km north-east of Geelong, inland from the Princes Freeway to Melbourne. Hovells Creek runs through Lara and ends at Limeburners Bay, a smaller inlet bay of Corio Bay. Granite peaks, known as the You Yangs rise dramatically to a height of 352m and can be seen from most areas of Geelong.

[edit] Industry

Lara is also home to several prisons, the maximum security HM Prison Barwon, opened in January, 1990, the medium security Marngoneet Correctional Centre, opened 3 March, 2006, and the former Pirra Girls' Home, a female juvenile detention centre closed during the 1960's.

The township of Lara is also home to St. Laurence Park, which is set on 42 acres of parkland and houses 86 fully self-contained cottages and 22 flats for the elderly [1].

Ford Motor Company of Australia operates a proving grounds for Automotive testing and evaluation.

[edit] Transport

Lara has regular VLine passenger train services to Melbourne and Geelong to cater for the many residents who commute to work each day via the Lara railway station. Lara has become a popular place to live for those wishing to work in the city, yet also enjoy a lifestyle in rural surrounds.

Buses operate between Lara and the Geelong city centre [2]. Taxis are also available.