Little River, Victoria

This article is about the river and township near Geelong. For river in southeastern Victoria, see Little River (Gippsland).

Little River Victoria
Little River
Population:	375(2006)
Established:	1840
Postcode:	3211
Elevation:	22 m (72 ft)
Location:	51 km (32 mi) from Melbourne 31 km (19 mi) from Geelong
LGA:	City of Greater Geelong City of Wyndham
State electorate:	Lara
Federal Division:	Corio
Localities around Little River: Balliang Quandong and Mambourin Werribee Lara Little River Cocoroc Point Wilson Point Wilson Cocoroc

Little River is a town in Victoria, Australia, 51 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Wyndham and Greater Geelong. At the 2006 Census, Little River had a population of 375.

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.

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.

The railway line though the town was opened in 1876, as part of the line to Geelong. The local railway station is served by V/Line passenger services on the Geelong line.

Aboriginal History

In the vicinity of Mount Rothwell, near Little River, an semi-circular arrangement of rocks now known as Wurdi Youang was discovered and in 2011 described by an astrophysicist from the CSIRO as indicating the setting sun at the solstices and equinox. Although the age is unknown, it could range from 200 to 30,000 years.

Family Tree History

Thomas James Wilkinson and Katherine (nee Heher)were pioneers from England and Ireland, they married 15 July 1855, Christchurch Geelong,Victoria, and had their first Australian born child in this town of 'Little River'. Her name was Mary Wilkinson, b 5 May 1856, died a year later on 16 March 1857.

Today

The township has a petrol station and post office, a primary school, a kindergarten, a pub, a bed and breakfast, a park, two playgrounds, a train station, 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 the name on a road sign on their way to a gig in Geelong. Some scenes for the Australian television series We Can Be Heroes: Finding The Australian of the Year and Angry Boys were filmed at Little River, although it was referred to as the fictional town of 'Dunt'. Little River also featured in the movie Mad Max, with Little River Road being used as the movie's infamous "Highway 9".

Some parts of Little River, and surrounding areas where filmed in the successful television show, Blue Heelers.

Also, in nearby, You Yangs, the 2003 film, Ned Kelly was shot.

Census populations

• 1861 - 4
• 1871 - 121
• 1911 - 294
• 1954 - 358
• 1966 - 191
• 2001 - 353

See also

• Little River railway station
• You Yangs

External links

• Little River, Victoria is at coordinates 37°57′50″S 144°29′49″E
• Open Learning Australian Places site