Anakie

Postcode: 3221

Anakie is a rural township between Geelong, Victoria, and Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia. The name is believed to be derived from 'Anakie Youang', an expression in one of the local Australian Aboriginal languages, meaning 'little hill'. The nearby Brisbane Ranges National Park contains three hills known as The Anakies, as well as Mount Anakie.

Attractions in Anakie include the Brisbane Ranges National Park and Fairy Park. Staughton Vale and Balliang are smaller villages in the Anakie district.

The area was first settled by Europeans in 1842 when Frederick Griffith established his Anakie pastoral run. In the 1850s Griffith subdivided some of the land along the Anakie Creek, which became a small village. A Wesleyan school opened in 1858 and a Catholic school in 1859. By 1865 the town had a hotel, post office, Presbyterian church, and two schools. A Catholic church was established in 1871 followed by an Anglican church in 1891. The size of the farming lots were too small for most farmers to make a living, and so consolidations occurred, which resulted in a drop in population.

Residents in Anakie experienced severe bushfires on January 22, 2006 with fires spreading over 67 square kilometres of land and at least three homes being lost in conditions surpassing 42 °C.

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