Corio Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Corio Bay |
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 Corio Bay
Location in Victoria
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Landsat 7 imagery of the greater Geelong area, showing Corio Bay.
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| Location | Port Phillip, Victoria |
| Coordinates | 38°06′26″S 144°21′38″E / 38.10722°S 144.36056°E |
| Type | Bay |
| Primary outflows | Port Phillip |
| Frozen | never |
| Settlements | Geelong; Corio |
| Official name: Shoalwater and Corio Bays | |
| Designated: | 1 March 1996 |
| Reference #: | 792 |
Corio Bay is a large bay located in the southwest part of Port Phillip in Victoria, Australia. The city of Geelong is built right next to it. The nearby suburb of Corio gets its name from this bay. Corio Bay is an important natural area and a busy port.
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How Corio Bay Got Its Name
When explorers Hamilton Hume and William Hovell first visited the bay in 1824, they met the local Wathaurong people. The Wathaurong people called the bay "Jillong" and the land around it "Corayo".
However, by the late 1830s, when the area was being mapped, these names were accidentally swapped. So, "Corayo" became "Corio" (for the bay) and "Jillong" became "Geelong" (for the city).
Shipping and the Port of Geelong
Geelong's Busy Port
The Port of Geelong is located on the shores of Corio Bay. It is one of Australia's largest ports, handling a lot of goods by ship.
Clearing the Way for Ships
Before Geelong was settled, a natural sandbar stretched across the bay. This sandbar went from Point Lillias to Point Henry. It was so shallow that large ships could not enter the inner harbour. Sometimes, at low tide, people could even walk across the bay on the sandbar!
Because of this, ships had to drop anchor further out in the bay. Smaller boats called barges then carried the cargo to Geelong.
Building Shipping Channels
To allow bigger ships to reach Geelong, channels were dug through the sandbar.
- The first channel started in 1853. It was deep enough for ships needing less than 4 metres of water.
- In the 1860s, this channel was made straighter and deeper, reaching 6 metres.
- A new, even deeper channel was started in 1881. It took 12 years to finish! This channel was named the Hopetoun Channel. It was officially opened on December 20, 1893.
Managing the Port
The Geelong Harbour Trust was created in 1905 to manage the port and its channels. Later, in 1981, the Port of Geelong Authority took over. In 1996, the port was sold to a private company, TNT Logistics. It is now known as 'GeelongPort'.
Fun and Leisure at Corio Bay
Corio Bay is a popular spot for people in Geelong to relax and have fun.
- Since the 1930s, Eastern Beach has been a favourite place for swimming.
- Boating is also very popular. There are many public boat ramps and piers for people to use.
- The Royal Geelong Yacht Club, which started in 1859, is located here. Next to it is the Bay City Marina, built in the 1980s.
- Sometimes, lucky visitors might even spot whales and dolphins swimming in the bay!
Commercial Fishing
For many years, people used nets to catch fish for sale in Corio Bay. However, commercial net fishing in the bay stopped in 2018. This change happened after groups who enjoy fishing for fun asked for it.
Protecting Corio Bay's Environment
Over the years, some industrial activities near Corio Bay have caused pollution. It's important to keep the bay clean and healthy for everyone.
- In the past, there were concerns about certain substances found in mussels from the bay. These levels later decreased after industrial waste was stopped.
- Companies have sometimes been fined for spills into the bay. For example, Shell Australia was fined multiple times for oil spills in the early 2000s.
- Other companies, like Viva Energy and Incitec Pivot, have also been fined for accidentally releasing chemicals or wastewater into the bay.
- These fines show that there are rules in place to protect the environment. Companies are held responsible when they cause pollution.
Efforts are continuously made to monitor and improve the water quality of Corio Bay. This helps protect the plants and animals that live there, and keeps the bay safe for people to enjoy.
Images for kids
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Corio Bay, from The Overland, May 2011.
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Corio Bay, from Clifton Springs.
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Corio Bay from Moorabool Street, Geelong.
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Bay City Marina
