THE WONDERFUL WEST
Surrounded by lush rural landscapes and the sparkling waters of Lady Bay, Warrnambool is the largest provincial city on Victoria’s south-west coast, midway between Cape Otway and the South Australian border. With a population of around 34,000, it punches well above its weight in commercial activity, with a $3 billion economy based on agriculture, retail, education, health and professional services.
Two kilometres from the harbour, the vibrant city centre is a neat grid interspersed with fine 19th century buildings and churches, unblemished by high-rise development.
Warrnambool’s temperate climate and coastal setting make it an attractive holiday destination, with safe swimming beaches, rewarding fishing, the historic allure of the ‘Shipwreck Coast’ and close proximity to the Great Ocean Road. During the winter months Logan’s Beach becomes a ‘nursery’ for southern right whales on their annual migration.
PLACE OF AMPLE WATER
In the language of local Aboriginal people, ‘Warrnambool’ has several meanings — running swamps, ample water and place of plenty — which epitomise the city’s riparian environment between the Merri and Hopkins Rivers.
Named by explorer Thomas Mitchell in 1836, the Hopkins River rises in the
