Leopold, Victoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids LeopoldGeelong, Victoria |
|||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Leopold
Location in City of Greater Geelong
|
|||||||||||||||
| Population | 12,814 (2016 census) | ||||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3224 | ||||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | City of Greater Geelong | ||||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Bellarine | ||||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Corangamite | ||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Leopold is a suburb located on the eastern side of Geelong, a city in Victoria, Australia. It's often called the "gateway" to the beautiful Bellarine Peninsula. In 2016, about 12,814 people lived in Leopold.
Leopold's Past
Leopold used to be called Kensington. In 1892, its name changed to Leopold. This was to honor Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, who was the youngest son of Queen Victoria. The local post office opened in 1858 as Kensington. Over the years, its name changed a few times before finally becoming Leopold in 1885.
Special Historic Places
Leopold has some special places that are protected because of their history. These are called heritage-listed sites. They include:
- 221-229 Matthews Road, known as Melaleuka
- 715-729 Bellarine Highway, known as St Marks On The Hill
Leopold Today
The Bellarine Rail Trail is a path for walking and cycling that goes through Leopold. You can also find the Gateway Plaza shopping center here, located at the corner of the Bellarine Peninsula and Melaluka Road.
Leopold is growing with new housing areas being built. These include the Kensington Estate, Estuary Estate, Debonair Heights Estate, and Gateway Estate. Many new houses are being built or are almost finished.
The town has an Australian rules football team called the Lions. They play in the Geelong Football League. Leopold also has the Leopold Sportsmans Club, which offers facilities for bowls, squash, and other activities.
Leopold is home to Lake Connewarre. This lake is a special estuary (where a river meets the sea) that is protected by the Ramsar Convention. This means it's an important wetland for nature. The town also has a tennis club with 8 hard courts. They compete in local Geelong tennis competitions.
Education in Leopold
As of 2012, Leopold has several places for learning:
- Leopold Primary School
- Leopold Kindergarten
- Allanvale Preschool Centre
