Like much of the Geelong region, Point Lonsdale was originally inhabited by the Wathaurong people who hunted and fished in the area. The first recorded European visit dates back to 1802 when Lieutenant Murray and his party spent some time in the area. Matthew Flinders and party was the next group through a little later that year.
Famous convict William Buckley lived in the Port Lonsdale area with the Wathaurong People for a while during his 32 years on the run. Buckley lived for quite a while in a cave beneath where the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse now stands.
The township gained its name from a police officer called William Lonsdale; Lonsdale was the first Police Magistrate for Port Phillip. He emigrated from England in 1831 where he had joined the army making his way to Captain of the King’s own regiment in 1834. An interesting piece of trivia is that he married the eldest daughter of Benjamin Smythe whose daughters name was Martha. Today you can see Mount Martha in the distance on the Mornington Peninsula.
Any substantial settlement wasn’t until the 1830’s but nothing much really happened until the first land was sub-divided and sold in 1876. A team lead by Wedge and Gellibrand surveyed the land in 1835 and squatters were the really only inhabitants for the first few years. The first signal station was erected in 1852 and the light house in 1863. Fishing and shell processing became employment opportunities for many. Today shell grit is still harvested; it is used in the poultry industry and sometimes in glass manufacture.
The Geelong to Queenscliff railway opened in 1879 and made Point Lonsdale more accessible. Many guest houses started to flourish with people travelling from Melbourne to stay at Point Lonsdale. Today the town boasts plenty of accommodation from caravan parks to luxury boutique hotels and quaint bed and breakfasts.
The waters around Point Lonsdale have taken several vessels including the schooners Sophia and Thetis which were wrecked on the submerged reef of the shore. In 1948 the Princess Royal suffered the same tragic fate. During the 1850’s quite a few ships were destroyed entering the dangerous heads including the Conside, Portland, Isabella and Sacramento. This tragic period cemented the need for a signal station which was commissioned in 1852.
1946 saw the beginning of one of Point Lonsdale’s most loved traditions the mighty Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club. This brave team has patrolled the beaches of Point Lonsdale for over 60 years and saved many lives in the rugged and untamed surf. Records show the club has saved over 1600 people but that number is likely to be higher. The number gives testament to how dangerous the local sea can be. No one should ever consider bathing where the beach is not patrolled and even when patrolled it is still extremely dangerous. The club is one of the state’s most respected and has a pretty impressive trophy cabinet from its competition in surf carnivals.
