The City of Greater Geelong is a local government area in the

Barwon South West The Barwon South West is an economic rural region located in the southwestern part of Victoria, Australia. The Barwon South West region stretches from the tip of the Queenscliff Heads to the border of South Australia. It is home to Victoria� ...

region of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of and, had a population of 271,057 as of the 2021 Australian census. It is primarily urban with the vast majority of its population living in the Greater Geelong urban area, while other significant settlements within the LGA include Anakie, Balliang,

Barwon Heads Barwon Heads (previously known as Point Flinders) is a coastal township on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is situated on the west bank of the mouth of the Barwon River below Lake Connewarre, while it is bounded t ...

, Batesford,

Ceres Ceres most commonly refers to: * Ceres (dwarf planet), the largest asteroid * Ceres (mythology), the Roman goddess of agriculture Ceres may also refer to: Places Brazil * Ceres, Goiás, Brazil * Ceres Microregion, in north-central Goiás ...

, Clifton Springs, Drysdale,

Lara Lara may refer to: Places * Lara (state), a state in Venezuela *Electoral district of Lara, an electoral district in Victoria, Australia * Lara, Antalya, an urban district in Turkey * Lara, Victoria, a township in Australia * Lara de los In ...

, Ocean Grove, Portarlington and

St Leonards St Leonards may refer to: Places Australia *St Leonards, New South Wales **St Leonards railway station *St Leonards, Tasmania, suburb of Launceston *St Leonards, Victoria Canada *St. Leonard's, Newfoundland and Labrador New Zealand * St L ...

. It was formed in 1993 from the amalgamation of the

Rural City of Bellarine The Rural City of Bellarine was a local government area southeast of the regional city of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, covering most of the Bellarine Peninsula. The Rural City covered an area of , and from its origin as the Portarlington Ro ...

Shire of Corio The Shire of Corio was a local government area located between Geelong and Werribee, about southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire, which included all of Geelong's northern suburbs, covered an area of , and e ...

, City of Geelong,

City of Geelong West The City of Geelong West was a local government area about west of the regional city of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The city covered an area of , and existed from 1875 until 1993. History Geelong West was first incorporated as a borough ...

, City of Newtown, City of South Barwon, and parts of Shire of Barrabool and

Shire of Bannockburn The Shire of Bannockburn was a local government area about west-southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1862 until 1994. History Bannockburn was first incorporated a ...

. The City is governed and administered by the Greater Geelong City Council; its

seat of local government The seat of government is (as defined by ''Brewer's Politics'') "the building, complex of buildings or the city from which a government exercises its authority". In most countries, the nation’s capital is also seat of its government, thus that ...

and administrative centre is located at the council headquarters in Geelong, it also has service centres located in Drysdale, Ocean Grove and several other locations within Geelong. The City is named after the main urban settlement located in the centre-west of the LGA, that is Geelong, which is also the LGA's most populous urban centre with a population of 211,986. In 2019, City of Greater Geelong announced a new headquarters across the road from WorkSafe Victoria. The project will be part of the new "Civic Precinct" in the Geelong CBD.

History of former municipalities

*1838 – Geelong (Aboriginal word for 'Ocean') region declared a town *1849 – Geelong incorporated as a Town *1853 – Barrabool road district proclaimed *1853 – Portarlington Road District proclaimed *1856 – Connewarre Road District proclaimed *1857 – South Barwon Municipal District proclaimed *1857 – South Barwon Road District proclaimed *1858 – Newtown and Chilwell

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle A ...

proclaimed *1860 – Portarlington Road District renamed as Indented Head Road District *1861 – Corio Road District proclaimed *1862 –

Bannockburn Bannockburn ( Scottish Gaelic ''Allt a' Bhonnaich'') is an area immediately south of the centre of Stirling in Scotland. It is part of the City of Stirling. It is named after the Bannock Burn, a stream running through the town before flowing i ...

Road District proclaimed *1863 – Meredith Road District proclaimed *1863 – Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale separated from Indented Head Road District to form Queenscliffe Municipal District. Redesignated as Queenscliffe Borough October 1963. *1863 –

South Barwon South Barwon is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. Located in a mixed urban and rural area south of the Barwon River, it covers an area of 621 km², including the Geelong suburbs of ...

Borough created by amalgamating South Barwon Municipal District and South Barwon Road District *1864 – Bannockburn Road District redesignated as Shire *1864 – Corio Road District redesignated as Shire *1865 – Indented Head Road District redesignated and renamed as Bellarine Shire *1874 – South Barwon Shire created by amalgamating Connewarre Road District and South Barwon Borough *1875 –

Geelong West Geelong West is a commercial and residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. When Geelong was founded, the area was known as Kildare but its name was changed to Geelong West in 1875. The main street is Pakington Street. At the 2016 c ...

Borough proclaimed *1910 – Geelong proclaimed a City *1915 – Meredith Shire added to Bannockburn Shire *1922 – Geelong West proclaimed a Town *1924 – Newtown and Chilwell proclaimed a Town *1929 – Geelong West proclaimed a City *1959 – Newtown and Chilwell proclaimed a City *1967 – Newtown and Chilwell City renamed as Newtown City *1974 – South Barwon proclaimed a City *1989 – Bellarine proclaimed a City *1993 – City of Greater Geelong formed by amalgamating part of Bannockburn Shire, part of Barrabool Shire, Bellarine Rural City, Corio Shire, Geelong City, Newtown City & South Barwon City. The part that had been in South Barwon City was then transferred to

Surf Coast Shire The Surf Coast Shire is a local government area in the Barwon South West region of Victoria, Australia, located in the south-western part of the state. It covers an area of and in June 2018 had a population of 32,251. It includes the towns of ...

on its creation in March 1994. Sourced from Appendix V, ''A Journey to Destiny 1890–1990 – 100 Years of Cement Manufacturing at Fyansford by Australian Cement Limited ''.

Council

2017 Council

Due to conflicts in the previous council a new electoral structure was established for Geelong in 2017. The number of wards was reduced to 4 with 3 councillors for each (except Windermere having 2) elected by

proportional representation Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...

. Residents were also no longer able to directly elect a mayor. The current councillors, in order of election at the 2020 election, are:

Administrators

In December 2015, the Minister for Local Government

Natalie Hutchins Natalie Maree Hutchins (''née'' Sykes, born 9 March 1972), also known as Natalie Sykes-Hutchins, is an Australian politician. She has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2010, representing the electorates of ...

appointed a Commission of Inquiry into the Greater Geelong City Council in response to concerns about the workplace culture and adequacy of governance structures. The Inquiry found that the council is riven with conflict, unable to manage Geelong's economic challenges, has dysfunctional leadership and has a culture of bullying. On the recommendation of the Commission, the

Victorian Government The Victoria State Government, also referred to as just the Victorian Government, is the state-level authority for Victoria, Australia. Like all state governments, it is formed by three independent branches: the executive, the judicial, and th ...

dismissed the entire Greater Geelong City Council on 16 April 2016 and appointed Yehudi Blacher as interim administrator. On 25 May 2016, Dr Kathy Alexander (chairperson), Peter Dorling and Laurinda Gardner were sworn in as administrators, replacing Yehudi Blacher. Under the ''Local Government (Greater Geelong City Council) Act 2016'', the panel of administrators constitutes the Greater Geelong City Council, and has the same functions, powers and duties as the Greater Geelong City Council and its councillors. Likewise, the chairperson of the panel of administrators has the same functions, powers and duties as the mayor of the council. The council was run by administrators until fresh council elections were held on 27 October 2017. Australia Victoria Greater Geelong City location map

Australia Victoria Greater Geelong City location map

Former and current Mayors

* Gerry Smith (1995–1998) * Ken Jarvis (1998–2000) *

Michael Crutchfield Michael Paul Crutchfield (born 12 December 1961) is an Australian politician. He was formerly the member for South Barwon in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. Early life Crutchfield was born in Melbourne, but attended high school in the co ...

(2000–2001) * Stretch Kontelj (2001–2002) *

Barbara Abley Barbara may refer to: People * Barbara (given name) * Barbara (painter) (1915–2002), pseudonym of Olga Biglieri, Italian futurist painter * Barbara (singer) (1930–1997), French singer * Barbara Popović (born 2000), also known mononymously a ...

(2002–2004) * Ed Coppe (2004) * Shane Dowling (2004–2005) * Peter McMullin (2005–2006) *

Bruce Harwood Bruce Harwood (born April 29, 1963) is a Canadian character actor best known for his role of John Fitzgerald Byers, one of The Lone Gunmen on the television series ''The X-Files''. In addition to ''The X-Files'', Harwood portrayed Byers in th ...

(2006–2008) * John Mitchell (2008–2012) * Keith Fagg (2012–2013) *

Darryn Lyons Darryn Lyons (born 19 August 1965) is an Australian media personality, entrepreneur and politician, who rose to prominence in Australia and the United Kingdom as a paparazzo. He held the position of Mayor of Geelong from 2013 to 2016. Early li ...

(2013–2016) * Bruce Harwood (2017–2019) * Stephanie Asher (2019–2022) *

Peter Murrihy Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

(2022-present)

Former and current Deputy Mayors

* Tony Ansett (2003–2004) * John Mitchell (2007–2008) * Rod Macdonald (2008–2009) * Bruce Harwood (2009–2010) * Cameron Granger (2010–2012) * Stretch Kontelj (2012–2013) * Bruce Harwood (2013–2014) * Michelle Heagney (2014–2016) * Peter Murrihy (2017–2019) * Kylie Grzybek (2019–2020) * Trent Sullivan (2020-present)

Administration and governance

The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the

Geelong Town Hall Geelong Town Hall is a civic building located on Gheringhap Street in central Geelong, Victoria. It was originally built for the City of Geelong, which became the City of Greater Geelong in 1993. Construction The land for the Town Hall was f ...

Offices, which is also the location of the council's administrative activities. Council customer service centres are located in Belmont, Corio, Drysdale, Geelong West, Ocean Grove, Waurn Ponds and at Brougham St in Geelong.

Localities

Localities which encompass the City of Greater Geelong include: * Anakie
(shared with

Golden Plains The Golden Plains Festival is held over three days during the Victorian Labour Day long-weekend on private farmland in Victoria, Australia. The nearest rural town is Meredith, which is between the regional cities of Geelong and Ballarat. The cl ...

) * Armstrong Creek *

Avalon Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, Enys Avalow; literally meaning "the isle of fruit r appletrees"; also written ''Avallon'' or ''Avilion'' among various other spellings) is a mythical island featured in the ...

* Balliang
(shared with

Moorabool Moorabool is a bounded rural locality of the City of Greater Geelong local government area in Victoria, Australia. History Moorabool Post Office opened on 1 October 1861 and closed in 1960. In 2021, the Victorian Big Battery began operati ...

) *

* Batesford
(shared with

) *

Bell Park Bell Park is a residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is located 3 km north-west of the Geelong city centre and is bordered to the north by Cowies Creek, to the east by Thompson Road, to the south by the Midland Highway an ...

* Bell Post Hill * Bellarine * Belmont * Breakwater * Breamlea
(shared with Surf Coast) *

* Charlemont * Clifton Springs *

Connewarre Connewarre, is a locality in Victoria, Australia, is located in the City of Greater Geelong and Surf Coast Shire, and is named after Lake Connewarre which is situated immediately to its north-east. Connewarre is a version of "kunuwarra", the ...

(shared with Surf Coast) * Corio *

Curlewis Curlewis may refer to : * Curlewis, New South Wales, Australia, in the New England region * Curlewis, Victoria, Australia, a suburb of Geelong * 3898 Curlewis, a minor planet People with the surname Curlewis * Adrian Curlewis (1901–1985), Austral ...

* Drumcondra * Drysdale *

East Geelong East Geelong is a residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. At the , East Geelong had a population of 3,862. The post office opened on 6 June 1921. An earlier Post Office dating from 1871 was later renamed Moolap West. The 81-hect ...

* Fyansford * Geelong *

Grovedale Grovedale is a southern suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. At the , Grovedale had a population of 14,869. History Toponymy The locality was originally named ''Germantown'' because several families of German Lutheran origin had settled th ...

* Hamlyn Heights *

Herne Hill Herne Hill is a district in South London, approximately four miles from Charing Cross and bordered by Brixton, Camberwell, Dulwich, and Tulse Hill. It sits to the north and east of Brockwell Park and straddles the boundary between the borou ...

Highton Highton is a residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. With views across Geelong, Corio Bay and the surrounding region, Highton is located along the banks of the Barwon River (Victoria), Barwon River and across t ...

Indented Head Indented Head is a small coastal township located on the Bellarine Peninsula, east of Geelong, in the Australian state of Victoria. The town lies on the coast of the Port Phillip bay between the towns of Portarlington and St Leonards. Indent ...

Leopold Leopold may refer to: People * Leopold (given name) * Leopold (surname) Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Leopold (''The Simpsons''), Superintendent Chalmers' assistant on ''The Simpsons'' * Leopold Bloom, the protagonist o ...

Little River Little River may refer to several places: Australia Streams New South Wales *Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River * Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...

(shared with Wyndham) *

Lovely Banks Lovely Banks is a northern suburb of Geelong, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. Once an agricultural and rural area, the suburb is quickly developing into a residential area adjoining the Geelong suburbs of Bell Park, Victoria, Bell Par ...

* Manifold Heights * Mannerim * Marcus Hill *

Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...

* Moolap *

* Mount Duneed
(shared with Surf Coast) * Newcomb * Newtown *

Norlane Norlane is a northern suburb of Geelong, in Victoria, Australia. Norlane is bordered in the south by Cowies Creek, in the north by Cox Road, in the west by Thompson Road and in the east by Station Street. It is about 7 km from the Geelong ...

North Geelong North Geelong is a suburb of Geelong in the Australian state of Victoria. The suburb was bypassed by traffic from Melbourne coming from the Princes Freeway by the creation of the Geelong Ring Road, which was complete in 2009. At the , North Geelo ...

* North Shore * Ocean Grove *

Point Lonsdale Point Lonsdale is a coastal township on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia. The town is divided between the Borough of Queenscliffe and the City of Greater Geelong. Point Lonsdale is also one of the headlands which, ...

(shared with Queenscliffe) *

Point Wilson Point Wilson is at the end of the Quimper Peninsula, a northeast extension of the Olympic Peninsula and the northeasternmost point of Jefferson County, Washington, United States, approximately two miles north of the Port Townsend business distri ...

* Portarlington *

Rippleside Rippleside is a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The suburb overlooks Corio Bay. At the , Rippleside had a population of 875. Rippleside adjoins Drumcondra, north of Geelong City on Corio Bay. The locality covers the suburban area bo ...

* South Geelong * St Albans Park *

* Staughton Vale *

Swan Bay Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometim ...

Thomson Thomson may refer to: Names * Thomson (surname), a list of people with this name and a description of its origin * Thomson baronets, four baronetcies created for persons with the surname Thomson Businesses and organizations * SGS-Thomson Mic ...

* Wallington * Wandana Heights *

Waurn Ponds Waurn Ponds is a mainly residential southern suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The suburb is bounded by Rossack Drive, Princes Highway, the Geelong to Warrnambool railway, Reservoir Road, Draytons Road, Pigdons Road, Deakin University and ...

Whittington Whittington may refer to: Places * Whittington, Victoria, Australia * Whittington, Illinois, United States England * Old Whittington, Derbyshire * New Whittington, Derbyshire * Whittington Moor, Derbyshire * Whittington, Gloucestershire * Whit ...

Sister cities

Geelong has

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

relations with the following cities: * Viqueque,

East Timor East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-west ...

Lianyungang Lianyungang () is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north. Its name derives f ...

, China * Izumiotsu, Japan

References

External links

Greater Geelong City Council official websiteGeelong Region Alliance WebsiteMetlink local public transport mapLink to Land Victoria interactive maps
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greater Geelong, City of Local government areas of Victoria (Australia) Barwon South West