Bell Park is a residential suburb between Geelong North and Bell Post Hill. It was named after the Bell Park homestead, built by an early settler, John Bell. Part of the homestead is preserved in the buildings at the Grace McKellar Centre for Rehabilitation and Extended Care.
The residential settlement of Bell Park beganin the 1950s, and many of the new settlers were postwar European migrants. Two of the larger groups were Croatians and Italians. Many built make-do bungalows until they earned enough to build better finished dwellings. BellPark was made a separate Catholic Parish, and the Holy Family school and church are about central to Bell Park. Nearby is a Croatian community hall in a shopping area, along with the high school (1959) and the technicalschool (1968). They are now secondary colleges. There are also Greek Orthodox,Ukrainian (two), Russian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox and Macedonian Orthodox churches.
There are two reserves with soccer fields adjoining the schools. A linearreserve runs along Bell Park’s northern boundary, Cowies Creek. At the southernend of Bell Park there are the Geelong Golf Club’s links and the Grace MaKellarCentre.
In 1987 and 1996 the median house prices in Bell Park were $53,000 and $84,000 respectively.
Further Reading:
Gibson, Norm, (ed.), “A Fresh Start in a New Land”, (oral history),Shire of Corio, 1988.
Wynd, Ian, “So Fine A County: A History of the Shire of Corio”,Shire of Corio, 1981.
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