City of Greater Geelong
Local government area in Victoria, Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The City of Greater Geelong is a local government area in the Barwon South West region of Victoria, Australia, located in the western part of the state. It covers an area of 1,248 square kilometres (482 mi2) and, had a population of 271,057 as of the 2021 Australian census.[3] 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, Batesford, Ceres, Clifton Springs, Drysdale, Lara, Ocean Grove, Portarlington and St Leonards. It was formed in 1993 from the amalgamation of the Rural City of Bellarine, Shire of Corio, City of Geelong, City of Geelong West, City of Newtown, City of South Barwon, and parts of Shire of Barrabool and Shire of Bannockburn.[2]
City of Greater Geelong | |||||||||||||
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Geelong Town Hall, 2007 | |||||||||||||
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| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | Victoria | ||||||||||||
| Region | Barwon South West | ||||||||||||
| Established | 1993 | ||||||||||||
| Council seat | Geelong city centre | ||||||||||||
| Government | |||||||||||||
| • Mayor | Stretch Kontelj | ||||||||||||
| • State electorates | |||||||||||||
| • Federal divisions | |||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
• Total | 1,248 km2 (482 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 271,057 (2021) (12th) | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 217.19/km2 (562.53/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Gazetted | 18 May 1993[2] | ||||||||||||
| Website | City of Greater Geelong | ||||||||||||
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The city is governed and administered by the Greater Geelong City Council; its seat of local government 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. It is headed by the mayor of Greater 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.[4]
In 2019, City of Greater Geelong announced a new headquarters across the road from WorkSafe Victoria. This project, known as the Wurriki Nyal Civic Precinct, was completed in 2022.[5]
History of former municipalities
- 1838 – Geelong (from the Indigenous Wadawurrung word "djillong", meaning "tongue of land")[6] 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 proclaimed
- 1860 – Portarlington Road District renamed as Indented Head Road District
- 1861 – Corio Road District proclaimed
- 1862 – Bannockburn 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 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 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 Rural City
- 1993 (18 May) – The City of Greater Geelong was formed by amalgamating part of Bannockburn Shire, part of Barrabool Shire, Bellarine Rural City, Corio Shire, Geelong City, Newtown City and South Barwon City. The City's original boundaries included Torquay and Jan Juc.
- 1994 (March) – The Torquay district was transferred to Surf Coast Shire upon its creation.
Sourced from Appendix V, A Journey to Destiny 1890–1990 – 100 Years of Cement Manufacturing at Fyansford by Australian Cement Limited .[7]
Council
Council composition (as of 2025)
Since 2024, councillors of Greater Geelong have been elected from eleven single-member wards.[8]
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrabool Hills | Independent | Ron Nelson | Deputy Mayor | |
| Charlemont | Independent | Emma Sinclair | ||
| Cheetham | Independent Labor | Melissa Cadwell | ||
| Connewarre | Independent | Elise Wilkinson | ||
| Corio | Independent | Anthony Aitken | ||
| Deakin | Independent Liberal | Andrew Katos | ||
| Hamlyn Heights | Independent | Eddy Kontelj | ||
| Kardinia | Independent Liberal | Stretch Kontelj | Mayor | |
| Leopold | Independent Liberal | Trent Sullivan | ||
| Murradoc | Independent Liberal | Rowan Story | ||
| You Yangs | Independent | Chris Burson | ||
Election results
2024
| Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independents | 76,564 | 46.17 | +10.65 | 6 |  2 | ||
| Independent Liberal | 49,653 | 29.94 | +3.48 | 4 |  | ||
| Independent Labor | 19,238 | 11.60 | −3.97 | 1 | | ||
| Greens | 13,890 | 8.38 | −1.99 | 0 |  1 | ||
| Socialist Alliance | 6,500 | 3.92 | +1.31 | 0 | | ||
| Formal votes | 165,845 | 96.92 | +1.26 | ||||
| Informal votes | 5,276 | 3.08 | −1.26 | ||||
| Total | 171,121 | 100.00 | 11 | | |||
| Registered voters / turnout | 205,894 | 83.11 | −1.26 | ||||
2020
| Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | 58,513 | 35.52 | 4 | ||||
| Independent Liberal | 43,263 | 26.46 | 4 | ||||
| Independent Labor | 25,648 | 15.57 | 1 | ||||
| Greens | 17,081 | 10.37 | 1 | ||||
| Put Climate First | 12,518 | 7.60 | +7.60 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Socialist Alliance | 4,292 | 2.61 | 0 | | |||
| Animal Justice | 3,408 | 2.07 | 0 | | |||
| Formal votes | 164,723 | ||||||
| Informal votes | 7,474 | ||||||
| Total | 172,197 | 100.00 | 11 | ||||
| Registered voters / turnout | 204,092 | 84.37 | |||||
Administrators
In December 2015, the Minister for Local Government Natalie Hutchins appointed a Commission of Inquiry into the Greater Geelong City Council in response to concerns about the workplace culture and adequacy of governance structures.[11]
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.[12]
On the recommendation of the commission, the Victoria State Government dismissed the entire Greater Geelong City Council on 16 April 2016[13] and appointed Yehudi Blacher as interim administrator.[14] On 25 May 2016, Dr Kathy Alexander (chairperson), Peter Dorling and Laurinda Gardner were sworn in as administrators, replacing Yehudi Blacher.[15]
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.[16]
The council was run by administrators until fresh council elections were held on 27 October 2017.[17]
Former and current Mayors
- Gerry Smith (1995–1998)
- Ken Jarvis (1998–2000)
- Michael Crutchfield (2000–2001)
- Stretch Kontelj (2001–2002)
- Barbara Abley (2002–2004)
- Ed Coppe (2004)
- Shane Dowling (2004–2005)
- Peter McMullin (2005–2006)
- Bruce Harwood (2006–2008)
- John Mitchell (2008–2012)
- Keith Fagg (2012–2013)[18]
- Darryn Lyons (2013–2016)[19]
- Bruce Harwood (2017–2019)
- Stephanie Asher (2019–2022)
- Peter Murrihy (2022–2022)
- Trent Sullivan (2022–2024)
- Stretch Kontelj (2024-incumbent)
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 (2020–2022)
- Anthony Aitken (2022–2024)
- Ron Nelson (2024-incumbent)
Administration and governance
The council meets in the council chambers at the council headquarters in the Geelong City Hall 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.
Townships and localities
The 2021 census, the city had a population of 271,057 up from 233,429 in the 2016 census[20]
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Anakie^ | 690 | 734 |
| Armstrong Creek | 4,247 | 11,247 |
| Avalon | 293 | 255 |
| Balliang^ | 290 | 254 |
| Barwon Heads | 3,875 | 4,353 |
| Batesford^ | 952 | 1,141 |
| Bell Park | 5,009 | 5,602 |
| Bell Post Hill | 4,919 | 5,083 |
| Bellarine | 169 | 169 |
| Belmont | 14,054 | 15,066 |
| Breakwater | 1,014 | 1,060 |
| Breamlea^ | 162 | 151 |
| Ceres | 254 | 266 |
| Charlemont | 364 | 2,612 |
| Clifton Springs | 7,519 | 7,646 |
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Connewarre^ | 788 | 953 |
| Corio | 15,296 | 15,497 |
| Curlewis | 1,551 | 4,175 |
| Drumcondra | 560 | 571 |
| Drysdale | 4,275 | 4,976 |
| East Geelong | 3,862 | 4,012 |
| Fyansford | 196 | 1,206 |
| Geelong | 5,210 | 5,811 |
| Geelong West | 6,966 | 7,345 |
| Grovedale | 14,308 | 14,869 |
| Hamlyn Heights | 6,293 | 6,518 |
| Herne Hill | 3,413 | 3,507 |
| Highton | 18,953 | 20,736 |
| Indented Head | 1,133 | 1,391 |
| Lara | 16,355 | 19,014 |
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Leopold | 12,814 | 13,272 |
| Little River^ | 1,322 | 1,353 |
| Lovely Banks | 2,301 | 2,782 |
| Manifold Heights | 2,649 | 2,681 |
| Mannerim | 88 | 108 |
| Marcus Hill | 159 | 164 |
| Marshall | 1,885 | 2,299 |
| Moolap | 1,373 | 1,825 |
| Moorabool | 90 | 94 |
| Mount Duneed^ | 1,578 | 6,182 |
| Newcomb | 4,500 | 4,704 |
| Newtown | 122 | 189 |
| Norlane | 8,306 | 8,682 |
| North Geelong | 2,966 | 3,225 |
| North Shore | 357 | 325 |
| Population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Locality | 2016 | 2021 |
| Ocean Grove | 14,165 | 17,714 |
| Point Lonsdale^ | 2,684 | 3,788 |
| Point Wilson | 0 | 0 |
| Portarlington | 3,619 | 4,436 |
| Rippleside | 875 | 994 |
| South Geelong | 993 | 1,014 |
| St Albans Park | 4,843 | 4,942 |
| St Leonards | 2,480 | 3,542 |
| Staughton Vale | 98 | 105 |
| Swan Bay | 59 | 103 |
| Thomson | 0 | 0 |
| Wallington | 1,364 | 1,515 |
| Wandana Heights | 2,037 | 2,195 |
| Waurn Ponds | 5,046 | 4,956 |
| Whittington | 3,879 | 3,990 |
^ – Territory divided with another LGA
Sister cities
Geelong has sister city relations with the following cities:[21]
Izumiōtsu, Japan (established 1992)
Lianyungang, China (established 1994)
