Location
Lara is a residential and rural town, 15km north-east of Geelong, inland from the Princes Freeway to Melbourne.

Description
Hovells Creek runs through Lara and into a lake on the eastern side of the freeway, before dispersing into Limeburners Bay, a part of Corio Bay. The beautiful You Yangs, which rise like a crown out of the western plains, are also one of Lara's natural attractions. The local Wathaurong clan's term for the hills - 'Yowang' - comes from words which meant 'forward movement' and 'the flight of a flung weapon'. Lara township has a large Brotherhood of St. Laurence residential estate for older people, several schools, two shopping centres and an outdoor heated pool complex.

The lakeland wetlands in town and the Serendip Sanctuary, just to the north, contain local parklands and bush rich in wildlife and native birds. To the east of town, the Elcho Park Golf Course is surrounded by playing fields and hosts major soccer and equestrian events. An historic homestead at the Elcho reserve and Pirra Homestead, which now houses an Arts Centre, are great cultural attractions. The freeway and Lara railway station, near the middle of town, give swift access to Melbourne and Geelong, making Lara a popular place to live for people who work in Melbourne. New housing developments are under way to meet demand.

History
The explorers Hume and Hovell arrived at Lara on 16 December, 1824, and recorded the words 'Jillong' for bay and 'Corago' for land, from the language of local Aborigines. The area was first known as Duck Ponds which describes the small creek, ponds and waterfowl that surround Lara lake. It was also called Hovells Creek before residents eventually petitioned for the name 'Lara', which is thought to mean 'stone' or 'building of stones' in the local Aboriginal dialect. Until the 1920s, Lara was a contained village with hedgerows. Access to both Melbourne and Geelong has helped Lara grow throughout its history and the population more than doubled between 1954 and 1966.