Balyang Sanctuary
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Balyang Sanctuary is a public park in the suburb of Newtown, Geelong. Situated at 38°09′51″S 144°19′52″E / 38.1642°S 144.3312°E on the banks of the Barwon River, it is 20 acres (8 ha) in size and consists of open park lands, lakes, and wetlands. It was opened in 1973.
The area occupied by Balyang Sanctuary was once owned by Captain Foster Fyans, who purchased it in 1845 at the first government land sale. It was on that land that Foster built his permanent home, "Bellbird Balyang", to remember a young Aboriginal Australian who accompanied him in the early days of the Geelong settlement.[citation needed]
The land was mainly used for grazing, as it was low lying and subject to flooding. It was reserved as public open space under the Geelong Planning Scheme 1959, with the local City of Newtown responsible for acquiring the land. Negotiations began in 1965, but the landowner, H.S. Hargraves, wanted to continue using the land. It was not until 1969 that a price was determined.
Also during 1965, the current Princes Bridge at the end of Shannon Avenue opened. The new high-level concrete and steel girder bridge replaced an older wooden bridge first opened in 1889 at the end of what is now Marnock Road. The northern approach of the bridge was built on a new embankment, which encircles the western side of what became Balyang Sanctuary.