Warrnambool is a former port city in Victoria, Australia. It
lies to the south west of the county, on the Princes Highway and has a population
of more than 34,000. The city has an oceanic temperate climate, and sees higher
than average rainfall compared to other parts of Victoria. The predominant
language spoken in Warrnambooll is English.
The word Warrnambool derives from the Indigenous Australian
name for a volcanic cone, and is said to have several meanings. One of the
popular interpretations of Warrnambool is “the land between two rivers, two
swamps or ample water”.
It’s believed that the first Europeans to discover
Warrnambool were Portuguese explorer, Cristóvão de Mendonça and his crew who
arrived to city in as early as the 16th century. However, official
sources indicate that it was in fact Scottish explorer, James Grant, who came
upon the city for the first time. His arrival was followed shortly after by
visits from French explorer, Nicholas Baudin, and English navigator, Matthew
Flinders.
It was during the Victorian gold rush of the mid-19th
century that Warrnambool came into its own. The area was transformed into a
major port, and, following that, was classified a town in 1883.
Today, Warrnambool is a booming commercial hub with beautiful
buildings, beaches, parks and tree-lined streets. It has sizeable student
population, and great bars, as well as excellent art galleries. Points of
interest include Logan’s Beach, Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, Warrnambool Botanic Gardens and Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. Other attractions include Bay
of Islands Coastal Park and Thunder point Coastal Reserve.
Warrnambool forms part of the Princes Highway, between
Terrang and Port Fairy. It’s linked by the Hopkins Highway and is situated
close to the Great Ocean Road – which runs from Torquay and Allansford. The
city offers rail services to both Melbourne and Geelong via two train stations:
Warrnambool and Sherwood Park. The town is also served by a number of buses
which run on to neighbouring towns and suburbs. The closest airport to
Warrnambool is Warrnambool Airport at roughly 8 miles from the city centre.
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