Polwarth County is a cadastral county in Victoria’s Western District, used for land titles. It was proclaimed in 1849 and covers the Cape Otway area. Colac is the largest town.
Key Facts
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| State | Victoria |
| Region | Western District, Cape Otway |
| Proclaimed | 1849 |
| Principal town | Colac |
| Local government areas today | Colac Otway Shire, Surf Coast Shire |
Parishes in Polwarth County
- Aire
- Angahook
- Bambra
- Barongarook
- Barramunga
- Barwon Downs
- Barwongemoong
- Birregurra (part in the County of Grenville)
- Boonah
- Colac
- Elliminyt
- Gerangamete
- Irrewarra
- Irrewillipe
- Kaanglang
- Krambruk
- La Trobe (part in the County of Heytesbury)
- Lorne
- Moomowroong
- Moorbanool
- Murroon
- Nalangil
- Natte Murrang
- Newlingrook
- Olangolah
- Otway
- Pirron Yaloak
- Wangerrip
- Warrion (part in the County of Grenville)
- Weeaproinah
- Wensleydale
- Whoorel
- Wongarra
- Wyelangta
- Yan Yan Gourt
- Yaugher
- Yeo
Towns and Localities Today
Colac anchors the county’s north, while Lorne is the main town on the Cape Otway coast. Both sit inside separate local government areas today.
| Town | Local government area |
|---|---|
| Colac | Colac Otway Shire |
| Lorne | Surf Coast Shire |
| Winchelsea | Surf Coast Shire |
| Beech Forest | Colac Otway Shire |
Geography
The Gellibrand River runs through the county’s west. The Anglesea River and the Barwon River run through the east. In the north, a line from Winchelsea runs through Colac to Larpent. Bass Strait forms the southern boundary, splitting the county in half around Cape Otway. Polwarth shares parishes along its border with Grenville County and Heytesbury County.
History
Polwarth County was proclaimed a county in 1849, one of the original counties defined across Victoria’s Western District.
FAQ
Where is Polwarth County?
It covers the Cape Otway area of Victoria’s Western District, between the Gellibrand and Barwon Rivers.
What is the biggest town in Polwarth County?
Colac is the largest town, sitting at the county’s northern edge.
Is Polwarth County still used?
The cadastral division remains in land titles and property descriptions, but it has no government function today.