Little River is a rural township north of Geelong and is 51 km west-southwest of Melbourne along the Princes Freeway. The area of town north of the river is part of the City of Wyndham while the area south of the river is part of the City of Greater Geelong. At the 2001 census, Little River had a population of 353.[2]
History
The Little River has headwaters in the nearby Brisbane Ranges. It was also known as the Cocoroc Rivulet, Cocoroc being a locality near the area. The road from Melbourne to Geelong once crossed the Little River and the Travellers Rest Inn was opened there in about 1839.[3]
It had been one of the Port Phillip Association's pastoral runs (the first occupier being James Simpson), and later a large part of the district was included in the Chirnside estate centred on Werribee. Early on small farmers had the benefit of an 80 km² common for grazing.
The Post Office opened on 1 February 1858. [4]
The railway though the town was opened in 1876,[5] as part of the line to Geelong. The local railway station is served by V/Line passenger services on the Geelong line.
Today
The township has a petrol station, a primary school, a kindergarten, a pub, a cricket ground and several churches. Visitors from Melbourne pass through the town on the way to the You Yangs Regional Park and the Little River Earth Sanctuary.
Australian rock band Little River Band is named after Little River after seeing it on a road sign on the way to a gig in Geelong.[6] Some scenes for the 2005 Australian television series We Can Be Heroes were filmed at Little River, although it was referred to as the fictional town of 'Dunt'.
Census populations
- 1861 - 4
- 1871 - 121
- 1911 - 294
- 1954 - 358
- 1966 - 191
- 2001 - 353
- 2006 - 375
References
See also
External links
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