Australia Calm Waters, Barrum River, Apollo Bay, VIC The Rose Series P.1379 Postcard

Apollo Bay is part of the traditional lands of the Gadubanud, or King Parrot people, of the Cape Otway coast.

The bay was named by a Captain Loutit in 1845 when he sheltered his vessel, the Apollo, here from a storm.

 A township on Apollo Bay was surveyed in 1853 and named Middleton. In 1881, the town and post office was renamed Krambruk.

That was changed to Apollo Bay in 1898.

The river's name is derived from the Aboriginal words Barrum or Burrum, meaning "river" or "junction of two rivers".

Meanwhile, the name of the river was first recorded by European surveyor George Smythe, with the name Burrum believed to mean a "stony river bed".

From its highest point, the river descends 481 metres (1,578 ft) over its 16-kilometre (9.9 mi) course.