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Location
Bellarine is a small rural district between Clifton Springs and Portarlington on the low slopes of Mount Bellarine, some 25km east of Geelong city.
Description
Although a few kilometres from the sea, Bellarine is elevated and affords some of the best bay views in Victoria. Views across the bay to Point Nepean, over the isthmus of Queenscliff and the nearby shores of Portarlington and Drysdale make this stunning land. Scotchmans Hill winery and the Spray Farm vineyard take full advantage of their views by hosting regular public festivals, concerts and events, especially during summer. Although most of Bellarine is occupied by small farms or large acreages, closer to Portarlington and the bay there are more houses. Proximity to bay beaches, surf beaches and Geelong make Bellarine a great place to live or visit.
History
During the 19th century Bellarine was a district that included Drysdale but its borders have narrowed several times over the past 150 years. The first Bellarine school was established in about 1854. The Bellarine Church, built of Portarlington bricks, opened in 1873. There are two more churches, almost as old, along Church Road. Farming - principally hay and wheat - and later, orchards and market gardens, occupied the land. There were creameries, a wattle liquor factory and boiling-down works elsewhere on the peninsula. Cereal crops were phased out when the north Victorian wheatlands were developed.
