VICTORIA, or PORT PHILLIP, a British colony in Australia, situated at the southern extremity of the continent, extends between 31' and 39* S. lat., 141° and E. long.; and is bounded N. and E. 1 y New South Wales, from which it is divided by the river Murray, and a line drawn from the head waters of that river to Cape Howe ; S. by BMA's Strait and the Pacific Ocean ; and W. by South Australia, from which it is separated by the meridian of 141° E. long. The farm of the province is triangular, its greatest length being from east to west about 500 miles; its greatest breadth about 300 miles. The area is 93,000 square miles, or nearly 63,000,000 acres. The popu lation in 1846 was 32,800; on March 2nd 1851 it was 77,345; on December 31st 1852 it was estimated at 151,127. The progress of emigration has since considerably increased the population of the colony. On the 19th of August 1854, it was estimated that the popu lation on of Victoria colony was 111,735, including 77,550 men, 16,555 women, and 17,630 children.
From Cape Howe, at the eastern extremity of the province, a line of coast, called the Long Beach, extends 200 miles in a south-westerly direction to Wilson's Promontory. This part of the coast, which curves slightly inwards, consists for the most part of low and sandy 'bores backed by hills. Near the centre are several lagoons, and a considerable sheet of water called Lake Wellington. A short distance north of Wilson's Promontory is Corner's Inlet, where a settlement called Albcrton has been formed. The inlet is full of shoals, but it forms a harbour for small vessels, and maintains considerable inter course with Hobart Town, exporting sheep and fat cattle front the adjoining country. Near Cape Wilson are a number of email rocky islands, forming a continuation of the ridge of the Australian Alps. From Wilson's Promontory to the western boundary of the province, the coest-line rune in a northwesterly and westerly direction more than ZOO miles. Only three harbours are found on it—Portland Bay, near the western, and Port Phillip and Western Port, near the eastern extremity. Between Portland Bay and Port Phillip, a distance of
snore than 200 miles, there is no place of safety even for small vessels, with the exception of Warrnambool and l'ort Fairy, small harbours for coasting vessels. During the summer the eouth-eastern winds blow on this coast for three months with great force. From Wilson'e Promontory to Western l'ort the coast is mostly high. From Western l'ort to the western boundary-line it is generally low. The low shores are sandy, except at some places where swamps exist. West of Cape Nelson the coast is bounded by sand-hills.
Western Port affords good anchorage for vessels of considerable gee, and is safe, being protected against the southern and south eastern winds by Phillip Island, which lies across its entrance. Port Phillip, situated at the western entrance of Bass's Strait, is a harbour of great capacity. It is entered ity a passage a mile and a half wide, 1 -sundial by Cape Nepcan on the cast, and Cape Lonsdale on the west. The channel is still fnrther narrowed by some shoals which front the entrance. Within, tho basin extends about 40 miles north, and about midway attains the same breadth, sending off an arm to the west, where it forms the harbour of Geelong. Hobson's Bay, at the northern extremity of the basin, affords good anchorage for vessels of all sizes, and forms the port of Melbourne. Lighter vessels ascend the Yarra Verret 8 miles to the capital, which is only a mile and a half distant by land. Portland Bay, near the western boundary, extends 26 miles from east to west, and 10 miles from north to south, and has good anchorage on its western shores in from 4 to 6 fathoms; but it is open to the south-east winds, and during the south-west gales a swell sets in, causing a heavy surf on the beach.
Wilson's Promontory, the most southern headland of Australia, is formed by a spountain, which is visible at the distance of 15 leagues.