Batesford is a town located approximately 10 kilometres west of

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung language, Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in Victoria, Australia, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River (Victo ...

and 67 kilometres south-west of the state capital,

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

. It is located on the banks of the

Moorabool River The Moorabool River is a river in Victoria, Australia, which runs for 160 kilometres through several small towns such as Meredith, Anakie, and Staughton Vale. It runs into the Barwon River at Fyansford. It is believed that the name Moorabool ...

and on the Midland Highway. The town is divided between the

City of Greater Geelong The City of Greater Geelong is a local government area in the Barwon South West region of Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of and, had a population of 271,057 as of the 2021 Australian census. I ...

and

Golden Plains Shire The Golden Plains Shire is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central-western part of the state. It covers an area of and in June 2018, had a population of 23,120. It includes the towns of Bannockburn, Inverleigh, L ...

History

Batesford is named after Alfred and John Bates who settled here in 1837 at a place where the river could be forded. The township was surveyed in 1854 and was originally named Hopeton after George Hope whose land it formed a part. A feature of Batesford is the

bluestone Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of natural dimension stone, dimension or building stone varieties, including: * basalt in Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, and in New Zealand * diabase, dolerites in Tasmania, ...

bridge dating from 1859 which now forms part of the service road past the Batesford Hotel (formerly the Derwent or Dog Rocks Hotel). Both these structures are on the

Register of the National Estate The Register of the National Estate was a heritage register that listed natural and cultural heritage places in Australia that was closed in 2007. Phasing out began in 2003, when the Australian National Heritage List and the Commonwealth Heri ...

. The Post Office opened on 18 August 1856 and closed in 1949. Batesford features a large granite outcrop, the 'Dog Rocks', in a reserve located within the town that obtained its name from local wild dogs that once lived around the rocks. Indigenous Australians believe the 'Dog Rocks' to be haunted. Batesford contains the Dogs Rocks Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, which is home to many endemic species. It was established when the current owner George Belcher’s great grandfather purchased the property in 1856. It is situated adjacent to the Dog Rocks outcrop on the top of a hill in west Batesford. This open eucalyptus woodland nurtures a rich variety of flora and fauna. Rare local native vegetation can be found. The Sanctuary is recognised for its concentration of bird life and provides a protected haven and habitat for them. It also contains a variety of mammals and reptiles which are all part of the complex ecology of the area.

Batesford today

Batesford in 2019 still has a Hotel and the other campus of Rollins Primary School. The Bell Park Soccer Club play their home games at the Bell Park Sport & Recreation Club even though the grounds are actually in Batesford. Batesford also has a Roadhouse.

Heritage listed sites

Batesford contains a number of heritage listed sites, including: * 56 Buchter Road, Laurence Park Homestead * Midland Highway, Moorabool River Bridge * Geelong-Ballarat railway line, Moorabool River Railway Viaduct * 750 Midland Highway, Travellers Rest Inn 1849

Gallery

Image:Batesford_Bridge.jpg, The old Batesford Bridge, built using

in 1859 File:BatesfordMooraboolRiverBridge.JPG, The bridge in 2010

References

{{authority control Suburbs of Geelong Towns in Victoria (state)