[1] In January 1852 the name of Nelson was adopted for the settlement, after the ship Lady Nelson, [3] [4] which was used by Lieutenant James Grant in explorations of the area in the early nineteenth century.

The town site was surveyed and named in 1852 by Lindsay Clarke, and sheep grazing began soon after.

The formally recognised traditional owners for the area in which Nelson sits are the Gunditjmara People[6] who are represented by the Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation.

[7] Media related to Nelson, Victoria at Wikimedia Commons

This article about a location in Barwon South West (region) is a stub.