South Barwon was formed as a road district, when it was severed from the Corporation of Geelong on 2 June 1857.

[2] It was incorporated as a borough on 21 October 1863, and became a town on 24 December 1874, when it was amalgamated with the Connewarre Road District, and now covered 64 square miles (170 km2) and 1714 people.

[2] New chambers were built in 1970, and in 1974, plans were made for a new Civic Centre on the corner of the Princes Highway and Reynolds Road, Belmont.

After amalgamation, the Civic Centre was used by the City of Greater Geelong as offices, before being sold to Barwon Health.

The Shire of Barrabool, which had been significantly reduced by the creation of Greater Geelong and had lost much of its rates base, joined Torquay residents in suggesting the Kennett Liberal government create a coastal shire, which united Torquay and Anglesea.