Corio is a residential and industrial area, which forms one of the largest suburbs of Geelong, Victoria in Australia. It is located approximately 9 km north of the Geelong central business district. The area was formerly known as Cowie's Creek after James Cowie, an early land owner who was active in the local and state government. History Explorers Hume and Hovell reached Corio and reported that the local Aboriginals referred to the area as 'coraiyo', meaning either 'small marsupial' or 'sandy cliffs'. Land in the area was first subdivided and sold in 1852 as "Cowie's Creek", named after an early local businessman, James Cowie. By the 1860s, Cowie's Creek was home to two hotels and a population of approximately 500 people. A post office opened on 16 November 1864, and was renamed as Corio Post Office in 1913. It was situated on School Road, adjacent to the railway level crossing. In 1963, it was renamed Corio North Post Office, after the current Corio Post Office opened at the Corio Shopping Centre. The post office is located on the ground floor of the centre, having moved from its original first-floor location. Corio North Post Office was closed in 1977. In 1914, the Geelong Grammar School moved from Geelong to its current location near Limeburners Lagoon, an arm of Corio Bay. The Corio Village Shopping Centre complex was opened in 1973. It currently includes a K-Mart, Coles, Woolworths, Best & Less, McDonald's, Subway, Gloria Jean's Coffees, Optus, Telstra, Dodo Connect outlets, Cotton On, Millers, a Tattslotto agency, major banks, and a number of Australian Government agencies, which include Australia Post and a Centrelink office. Since a re-development in 2007/08, it has been known as the Corio Shopping Centre. The Aldi supermarket chain built a store adjacent to Beckley Park in the mid-2000s. At the same time, a new retail development, including Harvey Norman, Muzz Buzz and Red Rooster, opened nearby, on the Princes Highway. Industry The most notable industry in Corio is the Geelong Oil Refinery, which opened in 1956 by Shell Australia. In February 2014 the refinery was sold to the Swiss-based oil company Vitol, which has branded its Australian operations as Viva Energy and floated it on the ASX, retaining a minority stake. Transport Cars are the predominant mode of transport in the Corio region. CDC Geelong provides bus transport between areas of Corio and the Geelong Central Business District,