View source for Corio Bay

{{Short description|Bay in Victoria, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name               = Corio Bay
| native_name        = {{ubl|{{native name|wth|Corayo}}|{{native name|wth|Jillong}}}}
| other_name         = 
| image              = Corio bay 1927.jpg
| image_size         = 250
| alt                = 
| caption            = Corio Bay, overlooking [[Geelong West, Victoria|Geelong West]], [[Drumcondra, Victoria|Drumcondra]] and [[North Geelong, Victoria|North Geelong]] in 1927
| image_bathymetry   = greater Geelong.png
| alt_bathymetry     = 
| caption_bathymetry = [[Landsat 7]] imagery of the greater [[Geelong]] area, showing Corio Bay
| location           = [[Port Phillip]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
| pushpin_map             = Australia Victoria
 |pushpin_relief          = 1
 | pushpin_label_position = 
 | pushpin_map_alt        = 
 | pushpin_map_caption    = Location  in [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
 | coor_pinpoint          = 
 | coordinates_footnotes  = <ref name=gazateer>{{Gazetteer of Australia|name=Corio Quay (VIC)|feature=VIC13511}}</ref>
| coords             = {{coord|38|06|26|S|144|21|38|E|type:waterbody_region:AU_region:AU-VIC|display=inline,title}}
| type               = [[Bay]]
| inflow             = 
| outflow            = [[Port Phillip]]
| catchment          = 
| basin_countries    = 
| date-built         = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} For man-made and other recent bodies of water -->
| date-flooded       = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} For man-made and other recent bodies of water -->
| agency             =
| length             = 
| width              = 
| area               = 
| depth              = 
| max-depth          = 
| volume             = 
| residence_time     = 
| shore              = 
| elevation          = 
| frozen             = ''never''
| islands            = 
| cities             = [[Geelong]]; [[Corio, Victoria|Corio]]
| reference          =
| embedded = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Ramsar
| designation1_offname = Shoalwater and Corio Bays
| designation1_date = 1 March 1996
| designation1_number = 792<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shoalwater and Corio Bays|website=[[Ramsar Convention|Ramsar]] Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/792|accessdate=25 April 2018}}</ref>}}
}}
'''Corio Bay''' is one of numerous internal bays in the southwest corner of Australia's [[Port Phillip]], and is the bay on which abuts the City of [[Geelong]]. The nearby suburb of [[Corio, Victoria|Corio]] takes its name from Corio Bay.

==Etymology==
When [[Hamilton Hume]] and [[William Hovell]] arrived at the bay in 1824 they met with the local [[Wautharong]] people who referred to the bay as "Jillong" and the surround land "Corayo", but by the time the area was surveyed in the late 1830s the Aboriginal names had been swapped.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/library/elect/eldivnam.htm |title=Origins of present electoral division names |accessdate=2007-08-02 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610163028/http://www.aph.gov.au/library/elect/eldivnam.htm |archivedate=10 June 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy }}</ref>  The names "Corayo" and "Jillong" had since been Anglicised to "Corio" and "Geelong".{{fact|date=June 2025}}

==Shipping==
{{main article|Port of Geelong}}
The Port of Geelong is located on the shores of Corio Bay, and is the sixth largest port in Australia by tonnage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/Accessing_Council/Transportation/Sea/|title=City of Greater Geelong - Sea|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322031817/http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/Accessing_Council/Transportation/Sea/|archivedate=2009-03-22}}</ref>

Before the initial settlement of Geelong, a [[sandbar]] across the bay from [[Point Lillias]] to [[Point Henry]] prevented ships from entering the inner harbour. Ships were required to drop anchor in the bay, and cargo was brought into Geelong on small [[barges]]. At times it was possible to walk across the bay on the sandbar at low tide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zades.com.au/gandd/index.php/bellpen/bellhist|title=The History of the Bellarine Peninsula|accessdate=2007-08-02}}</ref>

The first [[shipping channel|channel]] through the sandbar was started in 1853, providing less than 4 metres draught for ships. This channel was straightened out and dredged at a depth of 6 metres in the 1860s. In 1881 a new channel started that took 12 years to complete. It was named the Hopetoun Channel after [[Lord Hopetoun]] who opened it on 20 December 1893.<ref>{{cite book  | last = Begg  | first = Peter  | title = Geelong - The First 150 Years  | publisher = Globe Press  | date = 1990  | isbn = 0-9592863-5-7 }}</ref>

Management of the channels and port was the responsibility of the [[Geelong Harbour Trust]] that was formed in December 1905. In 1981, the [[Port of Geelong Authority]] took over from the trust. The authority was [[privatised]] by the State Government in mid 1996, being sold to [[Thomas Nationwide Transport|TNT Logistics]] for $49.6 million.<ref name="doi">{{cite web 
 |url=http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/doi/doielect.nsf/2a6bd98dee287482ca256915001cff0c/9db05d5823e38074ca256be9000d0835/$FILE/PortReform02_chap1.pdf 
 |title=DoI - THE REVIEW OF PORT REFORM IN VICTORIA 
 |accessdate=2007-08-02 
 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023060445/http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/doi/doielect.nsf/2a6bd98dee287482ca256915001cff0c/9db05d5823e38074ca256be9000d0835/%24FILE/PortReform02_chap1.pdf 
 |archivedate=23 October 2007 
 |url-status=dead 
 |df=dmy 
 }}</ref> It was later re-branded as 'GeelongPort'.

==Leisure==
The shores of Corio Bay have been a popular playground for Geelong residents. Since the 1930s, [[Eastern Beach, Victoria|Eastern Beach]] has been a popular swimming location. Boating is also popular, with a number of public boat ramps and piers provided. The bay is also the home of the [[Royal Geelong Yacht Club]] that was established in 1859, and the adjacent Bay City Marina that was constructed in the 1980s. Sometimes, [[whale]]s and [[dolphin]]s can be seen in the bay.

== Commercial fishing ==
Commercial net fishing in Corio Bay ended in 2018 after campaigning by recreational fishing groups.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/time-up-for-commercial-net-fishing-in-corio-bay/news-story/e41bd3cf8880eb55e964d751bd719c0d|title=Time up for commercial net fishing in Corio Bay|last=Fowles|first=Shane|date=1 April 2018|work=Geelong Advertiser|access-date=7 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/anglers-celebrate-netting-ban/story-fnjuhovy-1227124938433|title=Anglers celebrate netting ban|last=Dundas|first=Greg|date=16 November 2014|work=Geelong Advertiser|access-date=7 October 2018}}</ref>

== Contamination ==
Industrial activity around Corio Bay has resulted in pollution to the bay:

* In 1974, severe cadmium contamination of mussels from Corio Bay was reported. Levels as high as 41.5 μg/g had been found. The Corio Bay contamination was traced to an industrial effluent which later ceased. After that time, cadmium levels in Corio Bay mussels decreased to below the NH&MRC limits.<ref name=":0">{{Cite work|last=Harris|first=Graham|date=June 1996|title=PORT PHILLIP BAY ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY FINAL REPORT|url=https://publications.csiro.au/rpr/download?pid=procite:1e941c7a-3303-4b90-ba69-ecad2a810020&dsid=DS1|publisher=CSIRO|volume=|pages=13|via=}}</ref>
*Lead levels were significantly high in mussels in Corio Bay in 1977-78 and remained above the maximum permitted concentration of 2.5 μg/g up to the last measurements made prior to 1992<ref name=":0" />
*In 2002, [[Shell Australia]] was fined for three separate oil spills into Corio Bay.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2002-08-02|title=Shell fined over Geelong refinery spill|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/version/129919657|journal=Asia Africa Intelligence Wire|language=English}}</ref>
*In 2003, Shell refinery had 63 spills to the bay up until 8 September of that year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/shell-faces-fresh-charges-on-oil-spill-risk-20050912-ge0uu3.html|title=Shell faces fresh charges on oil spill risk|date=2005-09-12|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=2018-10-07}}</ref>
*In 2004, Shell Australia was ordered to pay $75,000 towards an environmental project near its Geelong refinery after it was convicted of polluting Corio Bay during three oil spills in 2003.
*In 2009, Shell Australia was fined over oil leaks into the bay and on land.
*In 2014, spills of 3500 litres and 6300 litres of an ammonia derivative chemical (diisopropylamine) used in oil refining by Viva Energy from the bayside oil refinery occurred.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/criminal-probe-into-viva-energy-after-operator-of-former-shell-refinery-leaks-10000-litres-into-corio-bay/news-story/c336a7cbc9e821ac6677b6cd1a246c8e|title=Criminal probe into Viva Energy after operator of former Shell refinery leaks 10,000 litres into Corio Bay|last=Begg|first=Peter|date=8 April 2015|work=Geelong Advertiser|access-date=7 October 2018}}</ref>
* In 2016, Incitec Pivot was fined twice for illegally discharging about 1.7 million litres of treated wastewater and untreated stormwater into Corio Bay.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2017/january/31/epa-fines-incitec-pivot-for-fourth-time-in-12-months|title=EPA fines Incitec Pivot for fourth time in 12 months|website=www.epa.vic.gov.au|language=en|access-date=2018-10-07|archive-date=7 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007145603/https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2017/january/31/epa-fines-incitec-pivot-for-fourth-time-in-12-months|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* In 2015, Impact Fertilisers was fined for two illegal discharges of contaminated liquid. During its investigations EPA found out that a second discharge had occurred. It is likely that this second discharge would have reached Corio Bay.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2016/april/20/epa-fines-corio-fertiliser-company-over-$15000-for-illegal-discharges|title=EPA fines Corio fertiliser company over $15000 for illegal discharges|website=www.epa.vic.gov.au|language=en|access-date=2018-10-07|archive-date=7 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007145615/https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2016/april/20/epa-fines-corio-fertiliser-company-over-$15000-for-illegal-discharges|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* In 2017, Midway Limited was fined for permitting a significant amount of contaminated water, the company's third spill in 12 months, to leave its site and enter Corio Bay.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2017/january/24/epa-sanctions-midway-limited-for-third-time-in-12-months|title=EPA sanctions Midway Limited for third time in 12 months|website=www.epa.vic.gov.au|language=en|access-date=2018-10-07|archive-date=7 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007145633/https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2017/january/24/epa-sanctions-midway-limited-for-third-time-in-12-months|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Eastern Beach, Victoria|Eastern Beach]]
*[[Waterfront Geelong]]
*[[Limeburners Bay]]
*[[Timeline of Geelong history]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Corio Bay From Overland.JPG|Corio Bay, from [[The Overland]], May 2011
Clifton Springs Pier.jpg|Corio Bay, from [[Clifton Springs, Victoria|Clifton Springs]]
Corio Bay.jpg|Corio Bay from Moorabool Street, [[Geelong]]
Bay-city-marina-geelong.jpg|Bay City Marina
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}


{{Bays of Victoria (Australia) |state=autocollapse}}

[[Category:Geography of Geelong]]
[[Category:Ports and harbours of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Port Phillip]]
[[Category:Bays of Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Australia]]