Bacchus Marsh
In this section
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Town information
Region
Moorabool Shire CouncilPopulation
17,000Distance from Melbourne
55km / 34 miles and 40 minutes travelling time from MelbourneRoad access
Western Freeway
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Places of interest
Avenue of Honour
Werribee River
Apple Orchards
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Accommodation
Bacchus Marsh Visitor Information Centre, Main Street, Bacchus Marsh
Website: www.discoverbacchusmarsh.org
Telephone: 03 5367 7488
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Overview
Only 55km west of Melbourne, Bacchus Marsh is a thriving town on the edge of Melbourne. It combines country living with easy access to the city. With a population of 17000, the town became famous for its apples and orchards. It nestles in a picturesque valley and is home to the famed Avenue of Honour, ever expanding housing developments, heritage buildings, and the languid Werribee River with its amazing river gorges.
History
The Bacchus Marsh area is named after Captain WH Bacchus who settled in 1838. The area was considered a site for settlement by retired military officers. Prior to European settlement the area is thought to have been occupied by the Kurung Aborigines. The area took off as a town in the 1850s after the discovery of gold at Ballarat to the west. The Border Inn (1850) was the first coach stop on the way to the goldfields. Chicory was a major crop (grown and roasted locally) from the 1880s.
