Lara, Victoria
Encyclopedia
Lara is a residential rural suburb, 15 km north-east of Geelong, inland from the Princes Freeway to Melbourne
.
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, Hovell's Creek, Cheddar, Swindon and Lara Lake. The area of Lara was no more than a few farms at this time.
The railway though the town was opened in 1857 along with the local railway station
, with several subdivisions then announced. A Post Office opened on March 1, 1858 as Duck Ponds (Hovell's Creek in 1872 and finally Lara in 1884).
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. Most of the victims were trapped by the fast-moving grass fire while travelling on the Princes Highway.
Several scenes from the 1979 feature film Mad Max
were shot on location around Lara.
. Granite peaks known as the You Yangs
rise dramatically to a height of 352m and can be seen from most areas of Geelong.
, which accommodates years 7 - 12 and the VCE
since 2008. Lara is also home to Avalon college, a school for International Students preparing them for traditional schools.
In the Lara outskirts are industry parks and 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 1980s.
The township of Lara is also home to St. Laurence Park, which is set on 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) of parkland and houses 86 fully self-contained cottages and 22 flats for the elderly http://www.stlaurence.org.au/housing_park.asp.
Ford Motor Company of Australia operates a proving grounds for automotive testing and evaluation.
passenger train services on the Geelong line 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 Melbourne and have ties to Geelong.
Benders Busways
also operate public transport services between Lara and the Geelong city centre
. Taxis are also available.
store. There are four real estate agencies and one news agency.
Lodging and entertainment are provided by a pub/hotel, sports club, and lawn bowl.
As well as several eat in-bakery/coffee/cake shops, there are two pizza shops, two fish and chip shops, and other take away. There are two petrol stations, one of which is open for business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The town has an Australian rules football
team competing in the Geelong Football League
.
Lara has two football clubs: North Geelong Warriors
and Lara Soccer Club
. North Geelong play in the Victorian State League Division 1
Australian 3rd tier and Lara Soccer club play in Geelong Premier Division the GRFA
Men Division 1 in 2009 been promoted from Division 2.
Golfers play at the course of the Elcho Park Golf Club on Elcho Road, Lara.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
History
Hume and Hovell expedition
The Hume and Hovell expedition was one of the most important journeys of explorations undertaken in eastern Australia. In 1824 the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Thomas Brisbane, commissioned Hamilton Hume and former Royal Navy Captain William Hovell to lead an expedition to find new grazing land...
arrived at Lara on December 16, 1824, believing that they had reached Westernport Bay. They recorded that the Aboriginals
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
described the bay as Jullong and land as Corago, suggesting origins for the names of Geelong and Corio
Corio, Victoria
Corio is a residential, industrial and one of the largest suburbs of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, located approximately 9 km north of the Geelong central business district...
.
The area was originally named Kennedy's Creek but was also given several different names including Duck Ponds, Hovell's Creek, Cheddar, Swindon and Lara Lake. The area of Lara was no more than a few farms at this time.
The railway though the town was opened in 1857 along with the local railway station
Lara railway station, Victoria
Lara railway station is located in Lara, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. There are two broad gauge passenger tracks at this station, and trains can travel in either direction on either line...
, with several subdivisions then announced. A Post Office opened on March 1, 1858 as Duck Ponds (Hovell's Creek in 1872 and finally Lara in 1884).
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. Most of the victims were trapped by the fast-moving grass fire while travelling on the Princes Highway.
Several scenes from the 1979 feature film Mad Max
Mad Max
Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action film directed by George Miller and revised by Miller and Byron Kennedy over the original script by James McCausland. The film stars Mel Gibson, who was unknown at the time. Its narrative based around the traditional western genre, Mad Max tells a story...
were shot on location around Lara.
Geography
Hovell's Creek runs through Lara and ends at Limeburners Bay, a small inlet of Corio BayCorio Bay
Corio Bay is one of numerous bays in the southwest corner of Australia's Port Phillip, and is the bay on which abuts the City of Geelong. The nearby suburb of Corio takes its name from Corio Bay.-Name:...
. Granite peaks known as the You Yangs
You Yangs
The You Yangs are a series of granite ridges that rise to 364m above the Werribee Plain approximately 55km south west of Melbourne and 22km north east of Geelong, in Victoria, Australia. The main ridge runs roughly N-S for about 9 km, with a lower extension running for about 15 km to the west...
rise dramatically to a height of 352m and can be seen from most areas of Geelong.
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 the recently opened Lara Secondary CollegeLara Secondary College
Lara Secondary College is a public co-educational secondary school located in Lara, Australia, which shares fences with the local primary school Lara Primary School. Lara secondary college accommodates approximately 900 students from years 7–12...
, which accommodates years 7 - 12 and the VCE
Victorian Certificate of Education
The Victorian Certificate of Education or VCE is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete high school level studies in the state of Victoria, Australia. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases...
since 2008. Lara is also home to Avalon college, a school for International Students preparing them for traditional schools.
Industry
HM Prison Barwon
HM Prison Barwon is a maximum security Australian prison located at 1140 Bacchus Marsh Road, 6 km from the township of Lara, , Victoria, Australia. Barwon provides accommodation and services for maximum security mainstream prisoners including a 20-bed facility for high security prisoners and a...
, opened in January, 1990, the medium security Marngoneet Correctional Centre
Marngoneet Correctional Centre
Marngoneet Correctional Centre is a medium security Australian prison in Lara, Victoria, Australia, located adjacent to maximum security HM Prison Barwon. Marngoneet Correctional Centre officially opened on 3 March 2006.-See also:*HM Prison Barwon...
, opened 3 March, 2006, and the former Pirra Girls' Home
Pirra Girls' Home
Pirra Homestead, a former inebriates home for girls known as the Pirra Girls’ Home was an Australian Government run Children's Home located in Lara, Victoria, Australia...
, a female juvenile detention centre closed during the 1980s.
The township of Lara is also home to St. Laurence Park, which is set on 42 acres (169,968.1 m²) of parkland and houses 86 fully self-contained cottages and 22 flats for the elderly http://www.stlaurence.org.au/housing_park.asp.
Ford Motor Company of Australia operates a proving grounds for automotive testing and evaluation.
Transport
Lara has regular V/LineV/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
passenger train services on the Geelong line to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and Geelong to cater for the many residents who commute to work each day via the Lara railway station
Lara railway station, Victoria
Lara railway station is located in Lara, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. There are two broad gauge passenger tracks at this station, and trains can travel in either direction on either line...
. Lara has become a popular place to live for those wishing to work in Melbourne and have ties to Geelong.
Benders Busways
Benders Busways
Benders Busways is a privately owned transport company in Geelong, Victoria. It operates a number of public transport routes in Geelong under the Geelong Transit System umbrella, as well as bus charter work, and is part of the ComfortDelGro Cabcharge group....
also operate public transport services between Lara and the Geelong city centre
Geelong city centre, Victoria
The Geelong city centre is a locality surrounded by suburban Geelong. It is the oldest part of Geelong and includes many of the city's important landmarks such as the Geelong Town Hall, St...
. Taxis are also available.
Amenities
Lara has a post office, two banks, and a SafewaySafeway (Australia)
Safeway was the trading name used by Woolworths Limited until 2008 for its supermarkets in Victoria, Australia. Elsewhere in Australia the trading name is Woolworths. In August 2008, Woolworths announced the discontinuation of the Safeway name, and has since gradually rebranded Victorian stores as...
store. There are four real estate agencies and one news agency.
Lodging and entertainment are provided by a pub/hotel, sports club, and lawn bowl.
As well as several eat in-bakery/coffee/cake shops, there are two pizza shops, two fish and chip shops, and other take away. There are two petrol stations, one of which is open for business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The town has an Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
team competing in the Geelong Football League
Geelong Football League
The Geelong Football League is an Australian rules football league in Victoria, Australia. It is the highest quality league in the Geelong area, with numerous former AFL players playing for various clubs.-History:...
.
Lara has two football clubs: North Geelong Warriors
North Geelong Warriors
The North Geelong Warriors Football Club, , is a Croatian backed football club from the regional Victorian city of Geelong. The club continues to have strong links to and support from the city’s large Croatian community. The club is a regular participant in the Australian-Croatian Soccer...
and Lara Soccer Club
Lara Soccer Club
Lara Soccer Club is an association football club based in the Geelong area. Lara SC was established in 1998 and has enjoyed success in a number of age groups and leagues.- Teams :...
. North Geelong play in the Victorian State League Division 1
Victorian State League Division 1
The Victorian State League Division 1 is the second tier association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and the third nationally, including the A-League...
Australian 3rd tier and Lara Soccer club play in Geelong Premier Division the GRFA
GRFA
Geelong Regional Football Association is the Governing body of Association Football in Geelong, Victoria, Australia...
Men Division 1 in 2009 been promoted from Division 2.
Golfers play at the course of the Elcho Park Golf Club on Elcho Road, Lara.