Cape Bridgewater is a locality in the Australian state of Victoria located on the western shore of Bridgewater Bay about 21 kilometres (13 mi) south-west of Portland and about 383 kilometres (238 mi) west of Melbourne. The area was settled in the 1860s by the Henty family who had settled nearby Portland, and a post office opened in 1863 (closed 1968) though known as Bridgewater Lower for some years. Both Cape Bridgewater and Bridgewater Bay were named after the Duke of Bridgewater (1756-1829), by Lieutenant James Grant sailing on the Lady Nelson on 4 December 1800.