Bacchus Marsh - VIC

In 1838 Captain William Henry Bacchus settled in the valley and gave his name to the district. At the time the valley was particularly marshy, hence Bacchus Marsh. The early settlers, realising the problem, drained the marshes and altered the flow of the local riverbed.

Traditionally a market garden area producing a large amount of the region's fruits and vegetables, in recent decades it has transformed into the main commuter town on the Melbourne-Ballarat corridor.

Historically Bacchus Marsh was an important rural service centre surrounded by dairying, mixed farming, grazing and orchards. In recent times, due largely to easy access to Melbourne, it has become part of the city's outer urban commuter belt. It is located on the edge of a scenic and fertile valley, surrounded by hills and situated by the Werribee and Lerderderg Rivers, at an elevation of 105 metres. The town's population has grown rapidly in the past three decades but it still retains many significant historic buildings and has access to some particularly beautiful state parks.

The town is known for its Avenue of Honour which stretches for 2.9 km along Bacchus Marsh Road to the east. It is regarded as the finest elm avenue in the world. The 281 Dutch elm and Huntington elm trees, each representing a soldier, were planted on 10 August, 1918 to honour those men and women from the district who volunteered to serve in World War I.