City of Greater Geelong

About the area

Key Statistics

Location

The City of Greater Geelong is located in south-western Victoria, about 75 kilometres south-west of the Melbourne CBD. The City of Greater Geelong is bounded by Moorabool Shire in the north, Wyndham City and the Borough of Queenscliffe in the east, Bass Strait in the south, and Surf Coast Shire and Golden Plains Shire in the west.

Included Areas

The City of Greater Geelong includes the suburbs and localities of Anakie (part), Armstrong Creek, Avalon, Balliang (part), Barwon Heads, Batesford (part), Bell Park, Bell Post Hill, Bellarine, Belmont, Breakwater, Breamlea (part), Ceres, Charlemont, Clifton Springs, Connewarre (part), Corio, Curlewis, Drumcondra, Drysdale, East Geelong, Fyansford, Geelong, Geelong West, Grovedale, Hamlyn Heights, Herne Hill, Highton, Indented Head, Lara, Leopold, Little River (part), Lovely Banks, Manifold Heights, Mannerim, Marcus Hill, Marshall, Moolap, Moorabool, Mount Duneed (part), Newcomb, Newtown, Norlane, North Geelong, North Shore, Ocean Grove, Point Lonsdale (part), Point Wilson, Portarlington, Rippleside, South Geelong, St Albans Park, St Leonards, Staughton Vale, Swan Bay, Thomson, Wallington, Wandana Heights, Waurn Ponds and Whittington.

Land Use

The City of Greater Geelong is a rural, residential, resort, industrial and commercial area. Geelong is the largest regional city in Victoria and the leading commercial centre for south-western Victoria. Over two-thirds of the population live in the urban areas. The City of Geelong includes the historic coastal townships and resort areas of Barwon Heads, Indented Head, Ocean Grove, Portarlington and St Leonards. The City encompasses a total land area of about 1,250 square kilometres.

Name Origin

The City of Greater Geelong is named from an Aboriginal word which means "a place of the sea bird over the white cliffs".

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the City of Greater Geelong were the Wathaurong (Wadawurrung) Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from 1836, with the township of Geelong surveyed in 1838. Land was used mainly for farming, grazing and vineyards. Gradual growth took place in the 1840s and 1850s, aided by improved access, the establishment of industries and the gold rush. Substantial industrial growth occurred from the 1870s to the early 1900s. Population growth took place in the early 1900s, especially during the 1920s. The most significant development occurred in the post-war years, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s, aided by the rapid expansion of industry, the construction of public housing estates and immigration. Population growth continued from the 1980s, shifting to the Bellarine Peninsula. The population continued to increase from the 1990s, with growth centred in the fringe urban areas of Grovedale, Highton, St Albans Park, Wandana Heights and Waurn Ponds, and the outlying areas of Lara, Leopold and Ocean Grove. More recently growth has also occurred in Armstrong Creek and Mount Duneed in the south, and Curlewis on the Bellarine Peninsula, and also in North Geelong.

Major Features

Major features of the City of Greater Geelong include Brisbane Ranges National Park, You Yangs Regional Park, the Barwon River, Lake Connewarre State Game Reserve, Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary, Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, Serendip Sanctuary, Swan Bay, the Geelong CBD, Westfield Geelong Shopping Centre, Market Square Shopping Centre, Deakin University (Geelong Waterfront and Waurn Ponds Campuses), The Gordon Institute of TAFE (East Geelong and Geelong City Campuses), Marcus Oldham College, Geelong Waterfront, Geelong Port, Geelong Hospital, Kardinia Park (GMHBA Stadium), Geelong Arena, Geelong Baseball Centre, Geelong Motor Sports Complex, Geelong Racecourse, Beckley Park (Greyhound Harness & Racing Centre), Geelong Showgrounds, Avalon Raceway, Geelong Botanic Gardens, Eastern Beach, Geelong Heritage Centre, Old Geelong Gaol, National Wool Museum, Waterworld, A Maze ‘n Games, Adventure Park Geelong, Geelong Gallery, Geelong Performing Arts Centre, The Bellarine Railway, Barwon Valley Activity Centre, Leisuretime Centre, John Landy Athletics Field, The Potato Shed (Multi-Arts Facility), Barwon Valley Fun Park, Eastern Park, Jirrahlinga Koala & Wildlife Sanctuary, the Bellarine Rail Trail, Barwon Prison, Marngoneet Correctional Centre and numerous beaches, golf clubs and wineries.

Transport

The City of Greater Geelong is served by the Princes Freeway, the Bellarine Highway, the Hamilton Highway, the Midland Highway, the Princes Highway, the Surf Coast Highway, Avalon Airport, Geelong Port and the Melbourne-Geelong-Warrnambool railway line.

Last Note

The small areas or Suburbs used in this profile relate to “State Suburbs” as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). State Suburbs are an approximation of localities gazetted by the Office of Geographic Names. In some cases these Suburbs differ slightly to the gazetted localities defined by the Office of Geographic Names.

City of Greater Geelong

economic profile