Where is the 'Bellarine'?

The 2022 Estimated Resident Population for Rural Bellarine Peninsula is 4,035, with a population density of 39.14 persons per square km.

The Bellarine Peninsula is a gently to moderately undulating landform that protrudes in an east and north-easterly direction into Port Phillip. The peninsula is generally considered to begin its protrusion between the town of Torquay and east of Geelong.

In the 2016 Census, there were 71,729 people in Surf Coast - Bellarine Peninsula. Of these 48.6% were male and 51.4% were female. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.7% of the population. The median age of people in Surf Coast - Bellarine Peninsula was 44 years.

Peri-urban areas are those which are characterized by a mix of rural and urban characteristics. Rural: Relatively low to no presence of administrative structures and government services and other infrastructure. Livelihood activities are predominantly centered on agricultural production. Peri-urban areas are zones of transition from rural to urban land uses located between the outer limits of urban and regional centres and the rural environment. The term "peri-urban area", cannot be easily defined or delimited through unambiguous criteria. It is a name given to the grey area which is neither entirely urban nor purely rural in the traditional sense; it is at most the partly urbanized rural area.

Geelong has a Rural and Peri-Urban Advisory Committee²  Aim is to to bring together interested community members and industry representatives to engage with Council on wellbeing and sustainability of its rural and peri-urban constituency. Committee is to advise CoGG about: rural and peri-urban agricultural and environmental management practices; ongoing community advocacy and policy development for best rural and peri-urban agricultural and environmental management practices³.