Anglesea is located on the popular tourist drive of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. It is 110 kilometres from Melbourne, the state’s capital and 37 kilometres from Geelong. The town marks the spot where the Great Ocean Road returns to the coast since leaving Torquay and it is a popular artist’s colony and tourist resort. Located between Torquay and Aireys Inlet on the Anglesea River, the area has protected waters ideal for family fun at Split Point and some great beaches for surfing. The river is a popular attraction for swimmers and fishermen. All beaches are patrolled in summer by the Anglesea Surf Lifesaving Club that was started in 1952. Surf carnivals and ocean swims fill the summer calendar and attract people from all over the region.
The town boasts a great cosmopolitan shopping centre with cafes, restaurants along with boutique shopping in a relaxed atmosphere with a charm reminiscent of years gone by.
The area around the town offers you great outdoor activities including bush and coastal walks with abundant and diverse natural flora and fauna such as rare native flowers and orchids. Kangaroos can be seen in many places around the town including the popular Golf Course.
A wetlands area in Coogarah Park has been developed complete with boardwalks so you can enjoy the native area without causing any harm to plants and animals. Out from Point Addis, 10 kilometres North East is a marine national park that looks back to the rugged sandstone cliffs where hang gliders often take off for flights. The beach below is a great place for swimmers and surfers alike.
Swampy Creek was the original name of the town and it was changed to Anglesea River in 1884 when the township became established. Since 1950 the town has been known as Anglesea. The population is around 2,500 but this grows to 10,000 in the summer.
The closest airport and train station is in Geelong 37 kilometres away and you can travel by bus from Geelong and Melbourne. All international flights land in Melbourne while the national flights land at both Melbourne and Geelong.
A major attraction is the biennial Anglesea Music Festival held on Australia Day the 26th January that showcases acts local, national and international with a huge market day and festival activities.
Behind the town is an industrial area with a pine plantation and the Alcoa Open Cut Coal Mine that powers the Alcoa Aluminium Plant.