Lara

Within easy reach of Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat, Lara is notable for its spectacular views of the You Yangs granite peaks. It offers relaxed country living with good access to city facilities.

Lara is in the City of Greater Geelong.

Location information

Climate

In summer (January), Lara's average minimum temperature is 14.3 degrees, and the average maximum is 26.1. In winter (July) average temperatures range from a minimum of 5.0 to a maximum of 13.9. The town's average annual rainfall is 454.4mm.

Population

10,525 (Source: ABS Census 2006).

Cultural diversity

Around 18 percent of people living in Lara were born outside Australia.

Migrants have settled in Lara from:

  • England (5.2%)
  • Netherlands (1.1%)
  • Scotland (1.1%)
  • Philippines (1.0%)
  • New Zealand (0.9%)

Around seven percent of people living in Lara speak a language other than English at home.

Languages spoken in Lara include:

  • Filipino (0.5%)
  • Italian (0.5%)
  • Tagalog (0.4%)
  • German (0.4%)
  • Croatian (0.4%)

Finding a job

Key industries and employers

The top five industries by employment in Lara are:

Industry Road freight transport School education Supermarkets & grocery stores Motor vehicle & motor vehicle part manufacturing Cafes, restaurants & takeaway food stores
% 4.0 3.9 3.5 3.4 3.2

Local skill shortages

There is no specific information available on skills shortages in Lara. Information on skills shortages in the Barwon South West region is available on the South West Victoria map page.

Job search links

To see jobs currently available in Lara, visit:

Lifestyle information

Housing and accommodation

In the year to April 2008, the median price of houses sold in Lara was $278,000.

In December 2007, the median rent for a two-bedroom flat in Lara was $190 per week, and the median rent for a three-bedroom house was $248 per week.

For information about local hotels, motels and caravan parks, visit the Great Ocean Road accommodation directory.

To find a local real estate agent, visit the REIV agent directory, type 'Lara' into the search box, select 'suburb' and then press 'search'.

Healthcare

Barwon Health and St John of God Hospital are the main health services located near Lara.

For information about healthcare providers in the Lara area, please visit the Victorian Better Health Channel's health services directory.

More information on Victoria's healthcare system can be found in the Health & Medical section.

Schools

For information on schools in Lara, visit the Schools Online website and search for ‘Lara’. More information on Victoria's education system can be found in the Education & Childcare section.

Travel

Distance and travel time

Lara is 62km south west of Melbourne. You can travel from Lara to Melbourne by:

  • car (45 minutes)
  • coach (45 minutes)
  • train (45 minutes)

Nearby towns are:

Public transport

Buses operate around Lara, and between the town and surrounding areas. For specific routes and timetables, please visit the regional bus information on VicLink and select from the drop down list.

Places of worship

For information about where you can practice your faith, please visit your religion's Australian website. To find it, visit Google, type in the name of your religion, and select 'pages from Australia'.

Sport and recreation

For more information about sport and recreation in Lara, please visit the Greater Geelong City Council website.

Lara attractions

  • Visit the Serendip Sanctuary to learn more about local birdlife and wetlands ecology
  • Take a walk through the stunning You Yang ranges
  • See the historic homesteads at 'Elcho' and 'Wooloomanata'
  • Avalon Air show (March)

Also See

Last updated: 22 January 2009

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State Government of Victoria