Ocean Grove, Victoria
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| Ocean Grove Victoria |
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 One of the many beaches at Ocean Grove |
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| Population: | 11,274[1] |
| Postcode: | 3226 |
| Location: | |
| LGA: | City of Greater Geelong |
| State District: | Bellarine |
| Federal Division: | Corangamite |
Ocean Grove is a seaside town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Bellarine Peninsula. At the 2006 census, Ocean Grove had a population of 11,274.[1]
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[edit] History
During the 1870s the American Methodist church started a religious camp on the coast at Island Heights, New Jersey. The camp was so successful that the church decided to spread their camps overseas. Following a collaboration with the Victorian Methodists, a camp was set up near Point Lonsdale. By 1882 the need arose for the church to acquire a large area of land, so they could set up their Australian Ocean Grove.
The place they chose was situated on the Eastern side of the mouth of the Barwon River, overlooking Bass Strait.
In 1887, Charles James and James Grigg purchased, surveyed and subdivided land into 2,500 blocks bearing the covenant no part of the above Land shall be used for the Manufacture or Sale of Malted Spirituous, or Vinous Liquors, the Ocean Grove Coffee Palace was built for the Methodist and Temperance Society, the first church service was held on January 1, 1888, and the population was such that a Post Office opened on September 14, 1888 [2]
In 1927 the town was linked by the Barwon Heads Bridge to Barwon Heads on the other side of the river, previous access being by rowboat.
Many street names take on the names of important people in the old Methodist community, while the local youth camp was run by the Methodist church from the 1920s up until 1996.
[edit] Today
Now the largest town on the Bellarine Peninsula, it has one of the largest shopping centres of any of the Bellarine towns. The centre is only a few blocks from the beach, making it popular with tourists and locals alike. In 2005 a new shopping centre was built in the Collendina area, allowing the locals to shop at both Coles and Safeway supermarkets. Ocean Grove was featured in the 2006 film Kenny, and the bridge between Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads featured in the popular ABC show SeaChange.
Ocean Grove has a resident population of approximately 10,000 which during the school summer holidays swells to 4 times this number as tourists from Melbourne, Geelong, interstate, and overseas flock to the idealic coastal town. The area offers fantastic surf beaches, fishing, kayaking/canoeing, bushwalking trails and other such outdoor activities.
Whilst tourism makes up the largest part of the local economy, during the slower months a large portion of the economies income is derived from orchards, fruit and vegetable growers, and the local wineries.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). Ocean Grove (State Suburb). 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
- ^ Premier Postal History, Post Office List, <https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&country=>. Retrieved on 11 April 2008
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