Meetings
Dinner 2nd Thursday of each month at the Leopold Sportsmans Club
Fellowship 7:00 pm/ Meeting begins 7:30 pm
Contact the Secretary or any member of the Club if you are
interested in attending.
Business 4th Thursday, The Lions Shed, Melaluka Rd, Leopold
7.00 for 7.30pm start
Our Board meeting has now been abandonded other than when specially called together, and is part of our normal business meeting
Apologies and Guest Bookings
To the secretary before 8.00pm on the Sunday evening prior to the meeting or earlier if known. Note: If an apology is not lodged you will be expected to pay for your meal, or provide an explanation in writing to the Board.
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We meet the needs of our local communities and the world.
Our 1.4 million men and women in 210 countries and geographic areas conduct vision and health screenings, build parks, support eye hospitals, award scholarships, assist youth, provide help in time of disaster and much more.
Leopold Area and History
Leopold is a residential suburb In the Bellarine Peninsula, 10km to the east-south-east of Geelong's city centre and 85 km from Melbourne.
Description
Leopold lies on both sides of the Bellarine Highway, with the Ash Rd and Dorothy Street Shops in each part, and the Gateway Plaza Shopping Centre at the bottom of the hill. Further development is occurring, and the shopping centres at the top of the hill are also changing in their nature. Leopold is on high ground but has several waterholes and wetlands around its perimeter. One has been made into the Gateway Sanctuary reserve. Boating is popular among residents since the town enjoys quick access to jetties along Corio Bay, a short drive to the north. Leopold also enjoys proximity to the dramatic beaches and bays around Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale and Ocean Grove.
History
The town was called Kensington before it was renamed Leopold in 1892, after Queen Victoria's son, the Duke of Albany. It was established in 1852 after other small subdivisions had failed. Initially, buildings were of wattle and daub, or even canvas. Later there were paling houses with wooden roof shingles. Proximity to Point Henry attracted settlers who had been to the goldfields and wanted to buy small farms. The first church services were held in different pioneers' homes - according to denomination.
In 1885, Kensington was described as a good fruit-growing area with a population of 100 people living within a mile of the post office. Early postal activities were conducted from the first shops in the area. And the famously named hotel - the Help Me Through The World Hotel - operated on the Portarlington Road , towards Curlewis. Leopold remained a rural community until the 1960s, when industrial development at Moolap and Point Henry made Leopold an attractive place to live. Its population doubled between 1961 and 1971 and doubled again in the following decade.
