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

[edit] History

Landsat 7 imagery of the greater Geelong area. Lara is visible in the north.

The explorers Hume and Hovell arrived at Lara on December 16, 1824, believing that they had reached Westernport Bay. They recorded that the Aboriginals described the bay as Jullong and land as Corago, suggesting origins for the names of Geelong and Corio.

The area was originally named Kennedy's Creek but was also given several different names including Duck Ponds, Hovell's Creek, Cheddar, Swindon and Lara Lake. The area of Lara was no more than a few farms at this time.

The railway though the town was opened in 1857 along with the local railway station,^[2] with several subdivisions then announced. A Post Office opened on March 1, 1858 as Duck Ponds (Hovell's Creek in 1872 and finally Lara in 1884). ^[3] The population grew to a few hundred by 1890, and several facilities like schools and churches were built, but town water did not extend to the town until 1947.

In January, 1969, 17 people were killed in bushfires which ravaged Lara over the summer period. Several scenes from the 1979 feature film Mad Max were shot on location around Lara.

[edit] Geography

Hovell's Creek runs through Lara and ends at Limeburners Bay, a small inlet of Corio Bay. Granite peaks known as the You Yangs rise dramatically to a height of 352m and can be seen from most areas of Geelong.

[edit] Education

Lara offers education through its three primary schools; St. Anthony's Primary School, Lara Lake Primary School and Lara Primary School. The town also has the recently opened Lara Secondary College, which accommodates years 7 - 12 and the VCE since 2008. Lara is also home to Avalon college, a school for International Students preparing them for traditional schools.

[edit] Industry

Princes Freeway at Lara.

In the Lara outskirts are industry parks and several prisons, the maximum security HM Prison Barwon, opened in January, 1990, the medium security Marngoneet Correctional Centre, opened 3 March, 2006, and the former Pirra Girls' Home, a female juvenile detention centre closed during the 1960s.

The township of Lara is also home to St. Laurence Park, which is set on 42 acres (170,000 m²) of parkland and houses 86 fully self-contained cottages and 22 flats for the elderly [1].

Ford Motor Company of Australia operates a proving grounds for automotive testing and evaluation.

[edit] Transport

Lara railway station.

Lara has regular V/Line passenger train services on the Geelong line to Melbourne and Geelong to cater for the many residents who commute to work each day via the Lara railway station. Lara has become a popular place to live for those wishing to work in Melbourne and have ties to Geelong.

Benders Busways also operate public transport services between Lara and the Geelong city centre. Taxis are also available.

[edit] Amenities

Lara has a post office, two banks, and a Safeway store. There are four real estate agencies and one news agency.

Lodging and entertainment are provided by a pub/hotel, sports club, and lawn bowl.

As well as several eat in-bakery/coffee/cake shops, there are two pizza shops, two fish and chip shops, and other take away. There are two petrol stations, one of which is open for business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The town has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Geelong Football League.

[edit] See also

• Avalon Airport
• Avalon Raceway
• Serendip Sanctuary

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• City of Greater Geelong, Lara

Coordinates: 38°01′S 144°25′E / -38.017, 144.417

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