Anglesea is a town in Victoria,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It is located on the Great Ocean Road in the Surf Coast Shire local government area. In the , Anglesea had a population of 2,545 people. Originally known as Swampy Creek, the area's name was changed to Anglesea River in 1884 when the township was established. A Post Office under that name opened on 16 April 1886. and was renamed Anglesea in 1950. The name derives from Anglesey, an island in North Wales.

Alcoa of Australia Alcoa World Alumina and Chemicals is a joint venture between Alumina Limited (40% share) and Alcoa (60% share) and is abbreviated to AWAC. AWAC's business is the mining of bauxite, the extraction of alumina ( aluminium oxide) and the smelting of a ...

operated a power station and open-cut coal mine near the town from 1969 until August 2015. The site is now the subject of restorative work. In February 1983, the

Ash Wednesday fires The Ash Wednesday bushfires, known in South Australia as Ash Wednesday II, were a series of bushfires that occurred in south-eastern Australia on 16 February 1983, which was Ash Wednesday. Within twelve hours, more than 180 fires fanned by hot ...

swept through the area, destroying many houses.

Tourism

Aerial panorama of the coastal township of Anglesea, Victoria

There is a surge in population during the summer months, reaching a peak around Christmas and

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

, as many Melbourne residents arrive for the holiday season. Although the town's main beach usually has reasonable

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...

conditions, many surfers opt for the beach known as "Guvvo's", just west of town at the end of O'Donohue Road. Anglesea is also well known locally for its regular riverbank markets, which are held by the river on Anglesea's main street, the Great Ocean Road. The town's golf-course is renowned for its resident population of eastern grey kangaroos which graze on the fairways. In September the town hosts th
Angair
Wildflower Festival. Point Roadknight Back Beach Aerial Panorama

Point Roadknight Back Beach Aerial Panorama

The Surf Coast Walk passes through the town and can either be followed north-east along the coastline to Torquay or south-east towards

Aireys Inlet Aireys Inlet is a small coastal inlet and town located on the Great Ocean Road, southwest of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Aireys Inlet is located between Anglesea and Lorne, and joined with Fairhaven, Moggs Creek, and Eastern View to the ...

and Moggs Creek. Point Roadknight, Point Addis and Harvey Street are some of the tourist attractions along with several parks which surround the coastline. The Coogoorah Park is located towards the end of the River Reserve Road which boasts of a network of islands connected by boardwalks and bridges through wetlands.

Sport

Anglesea has an

Australian Rules Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

football team and Netball Club that both compete in the Bellarine Football League. The town is also home of the Anglesea Cricket Club which competes in the Bellarine Peninsula Cricket Association. Golfers play at the Anglesea Golf Club on Noble Street, home to a great many kangaroos. Anglesea has a recently re-built skateboard ramp which has led a controversial life, with the construction material having changed from wood to

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

, and then concrete. The area has a variety of

locations that cater to both beginners and experienced surfers. Both the patrolled main beach and the sheltered beach at Point Roadknight provide a perfect surfing environment for beginners. More experienced and adventurous surfers can tackle the more exposed beaches to the north and south of the town, or several offshore reefs, which are accessible via boat or a lengthy paddle from shore. These " bombies" can produce challenging waves during large swells.

References

External links

Australian Places - AngleseaOfficial Great Ocean Road InfoAnglesea
- Official government tourism site
Anglesea Visitor Information - Anglesea.com.auAnglesea Community website - www.anglesea.community
{{authority control Towns in Victoria (Australia) Towns in Barwon Surf Coast Shire Coastal towns in Victoria (Australia)

Tourism

Sport

See also

References

External links