Clifton Springs, Victoria

Clifton Springs is a coastal town located on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Geelong, Victoria, Australia.HistoryIn December 1870 a report was published regarding the discovery of mineral springs on "Clifton", the property of Thomas Bates (Jnr). The medicinal value of the waters was submitted to rigid chemical examination, and summarised as containing magnesia, seltzer, sulphur, soda and iron.In about 1871, Bates leased the land adjacent to the Springs to Mr. Levien, a large landholder at nearby Murradoc, who created a pleasure ground, and Clifton Springs boomed. A pier was built, along with salt water and sulphur baths. Steamers ran excursions from Geelong and other places, and regular coach services were provided by Cobb & Co. from nearby Portarlington and Drysdale. Other buildings, including a boiler house, mineral water bottling plant, kiosk, and manager's cottage were built in the vicinity of what became known as "Fairy Dell".A well-appointed hotel was constructed above the Springs. It was destroyed by fire in 1921, and a second one was built in 1926, which was remodelled as the Clifton Springs Country Club in about 1957, as part of a real estate development, and became the Clifton Springs Community Centre in 1977 when the building was purchased by the then Shire of Bellarine.