Leopold, Victoria

{{Infobox Australian place | type = suburb

| name = Leopold

| city = Geelong

| state = vic

| image =

| caption =

| postcode = 3224

| pop = 12,814

| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2016}}

| pop_footnotes = {{Census 2016 AUS | name = Leopold (State Suburb) | id = SSC21484 | access-date = 2017-11-16 | quick = on}}

| area =

| maxtemp =

| mintemp =

| rainfall =

| local_map = yes

| zoom = 12

| stategov = Bellarine

| fedgov = Corangamite

| near-nw = Moolap

| near-n = Corio Bay (Outer Harbour)

| near-ne = Corio Bay (Outer Harbour)

| near-w = Moolap

| near-e = Curlewis

| near-sw = Connewarre

| near-s = Connewarre

| near-se = Wallington

| dist1 = 86

| dir1 = SW

| location1= Melbourne

| dist2 = 11

| dir2 = E

| location2= Geelong

| dist3 = 14

| dir3 = NW

| location3= Ocean Grove

| dist4 = 11

| dir4 = W

| location4= Drysdale

| lga = City of Greater Geelong

| use_lga_map = yes

| coordinates = {{coord|38|11|21|S|144|27|52|E|display=inline,title}}

}}

Leopold is a residential eastern suburb of Geelong and is a gateway to the Bellarine Peninsula in the Australian state of Victoria. At the 2016 census, Leopold had a population of 12,814.

History

The area was formerly known as Kensington, but was renamed in 1892 after Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of Queen Victoria.{{cite web |title=Leopold (Locality) |url=https://maps.land.vic.gov.au/lassi/VicnamesUI.jsp?placeId=101816 |website=VICNAMES |publisher=Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning |access-date=10 February 2021}} The post office opened as Kensington on 19 May 1858, and was renamed Kensington Hill in 1882, Leopold Hill in 1884 and Leopold in 1885.{{Citation | last = Phoenix Auctions History | title = Post Office List | url = http://www.phoenixauctions.com.au/cgi-bin/wsPhoenix.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&filter=*Leopold* | access-date = 4 March 2021 }}

=Heritage listed sites=

Leopold contains a number of heritage listed sites, including:

221-229 Matthews Road, Melaleuka{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/1919 | title=Melaleuka (H1117) | publisher=Heritage Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Register | access-date=4 July 2014}}
715-729 Bellarine Highway, St Marks On The Hill{{cite web | url=http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/649 | title=St Marks On The Hill (H0776) | publisher=Heritage Victoria | work=Victorian Heritage Register | access-date=4 July 2014}}

Today

The Bellarine Rail Trail passes through Leopold. The Gateway Plaza is situated on the corner of the Bellarine Peninsula and Melaluka road.{{Citation | last = Gateway Plaza Leopold | title = Gateway Plaza Leopold | url = http://gatewayplazaleopold.com.au | access-date=2012-07-26 }}

Leopold is constructing four new residential developments called the Kensington Estate, the Estuary Estate, the Debonair Heights Estate and the Gateway Estate. Much of the available land has been sold. Houses are either in construction or others near finished.

The town has an Australian rules football team competing in the Geelong Football League known as the Lions.{{Citation | last = Sporting Pulse | title = Leopold Football and Netball Club | url = http://www.sportingpulse.com/club_info.cgi?clubID=80511&c=1-6160-0-0-0 | access-date=2012-07-26 }}

The Leopold Sportsmans Club provides bowls green, squash, function rooms and other facilities.{{Citation | last = Leopold Sportsmans Club | title = Leopold Sportsmans Club | url = http://www.leopold.vic.bowls.net.au/ | access-date=2012-07-26}}

Leopold is also home to Lake Connewarre—a Ramsar listed estuary.{{cite web |title=Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve |url=https://www.barwoncoast.com.au/sites/default/files/park-note-lake-connewarre-state-game-reserve.pdf |publisher=Parks Victoria |access-date=11 February 2021}}

The town has a tennis club featuring 8 hard courts that competes in Geelong regional competitions.{{Cite web |title=Leopold Tennis Club |url=https://play.tennis.com.au/leopoldtennisclub |access-date=2022-11-08 |website=Leopold Tennis Club |language=en}}

Education

As of 2012, Leopold consists of four sources of education.

Leopold Primary School{{Citation | last = Leopold Primary School | title = Leopold Primary School | url = http://www.leopold.vic.edu.au/ | access-date=2012-07-26}}
Leopold Kindergarten{{Citation | last = Geelong Kindergarten Association | title = Leopold Kindergarten | url = http://www.gka.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=97 | access-date = 2012-07-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120324085657/http://www.gka.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=97 | archive-date = 24 March 2012 | url-status = dead}}
Allanvale Preschool Centre{{Citation | last = Geelong Kindergarten Association | title = Allanvale Preschool Centre | url = http://www.gka.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=58 | access-date = 2012-07-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120324034900/http://www.gka.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=58 | archive-date = 24 March 2012 | url-status = dead}}

Image:RailTrailLeopoldVictoria.jpg as it approaches Leopold from the west.]]

References

[http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2011/quickstat/SSC20786?opendocument&navpos=220 "Census Populations 2011"]

Category:Suburbs of Geelong

Category:Towns in Victoria (state)

Category:Bellarine Peninsula