Clifton Springs is a coastal town located on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Clifton Springs is a coastal town located on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
History
In December 1870 a report was published regarding the discovery of mineral springs
on "Clifton", the property of Thomas Bates (Jnr). The medicinal value of the waters was submitted to rigid chemical examination, and summarised as containing magnesia, seltzer, sulphur, soda and iron.In about 1871, Bates leased the land adjacent to the Springs to Mr. Levien, a large landholder at nearby Murradoc, who created a pleasure ground, and Clifton Springs boomed. A pier was built, along with salt water and sulphur baths. Steamers ran excursions from Geelong and other places, and regular coach services were provided by Cobb & Co. from nearby Portarlington and Drysdale. Other buildings, including a boiler house, mineral water bottling plant, kiosk, and manager's cottage were built in the vicinity of what became known as "Fairy Dell".
A well-appointed hotel was constructed above the Springs. It was destroyed by fire in 1921, and a second one was built in 1926, which was remodelled as the Clifton Springs Country Club in about 1957, as part of a real estate development, and became the Clifton Springs Community Centre in 1977 when the building was purchased by the then Shire of Bellarine.A Clifton Springs Post Office was open from 1902 until 1921, and from 1927 until 1932. Fairy Dell Post Office opened on 1 July 1916 and closed in 1971.The springs area, located around Fairy Dell, was closed due to possible landslides, but was re-opened in 2007 after extensive work to repair the area.
The former Mineral Springs site on Spring Street is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
Weather
Things to do