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small town of Camperdown (pop. 3000) is one of South West Victoria’s
most picturesque townships nestling at the base of Mt Leura, an
extinct volcano, and surrounded by many lakes and craters. About
a kilometre south is a crater lake, Bullen Merri which offers excellent
fishing, yachting, water skiing and swimming, partnering a second
crater lake which is ten times more salty than the sea. In between
the lakes is an eighteen hole golf course also bowling greens, hockey,
tennis and cricket fields and a large cross country course
for horse trials. To the north of the town are some very shallow,
depression lakes that catch the blue of the sky and reflect the
rolling plains dotted with more ancient volcanos.
The town itself is famous for its gracious avenue of elm trees dominating
the main street and highlighted by a free standing clock tower built
in the 1800’s by the Manifold family in memory of their son
killed in a riding accident at an early age. The town boasts not
only of the sporting complex at the lakes, but a swimming pool,
football ground, modern sporting stadium, two secondary colleges,
two medical centres, hospital, historical buildings, gourmet cafes,
hotels and motels, antique shops, art studio and museum all within
walking distance of the CBD.
The Lions Club of Camperdown was chartered in 1979 with twenty five
members, and currently there are thirty five members with three charter
members still in attendance. Over the years, the club has been active
in Youth and Community based projects as well as supporting various
local charities and helping out the other local service clubs when
needed.
Camperdown is truly one of the gems of the southwest.
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