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 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, 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.
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.
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.
History of former municipalities
1838 – Geelong (from the Indigenous Wadawurrung word "djillong", meaning "tongue of land") 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 .
Council Council composition (as of 2025) Since 2024, councillors of Greater Geelong have been elected from eleven single-member wards.
WardPartyCouncillorNotes Barrabool Hills Independent Liberal Ron Nelson 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 Deputy Mayor Kardinia Independent Liberal Stretch Kontelj Mayor Leopold Independent Liberal Trent Sullivan Murradoc Independent Liberal Rowan Story You Yangs One Nation https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/one-nation-unveils-victorian-candidates-ahead-of-state-election-20260803-p60ksw.html Chris Burson
Election results 2024
2020
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.
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 Victoria State Government 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.
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) Darryn Lyons (2013–2016) 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 (2024-2026) Eddy Kontelj (2026-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
Population Locality 2006 2011 2016 2021 ^ 676 603 690 734 # # 4,247 11,247 # 306 293 255 ^ 232 241 290 254 2,997 3,536 3,875 4,353 ^ 879 740 952 1,141 4,650 5,287 5,009 5,602 4,919 5,009 4,919 5,083 # # 169 169 13,645 13,617 14,054 15,066 1,049 1,060 1,014 1,060 ^ 242 444 162 151 # 237 254 266 # # 364 2,612 7,065 7,154 7,519 7,646 ^ 75 351 788 953 14,919 15,074 15,296 15,497 396 225 1,551 4,175 601 614 560 571 3,738 4,317 4,275 4,976 3,829 3,862 3,862 4,012 172 188 196 1,206 4,359 4,699 5,210 5,811 6,302 6,681 6,966 7,345 13,184 14,153 14,308 14,869 5,842 6,074 6,293 6,518 3,268 3,322 3,413 3,507 14,492 16,656 18,953 20,736 590 920 1,133 1,391 12,853 13,844 16,355 19,014 8,748 10,112 12,814 13,272 ^ 1,750 1,395 1,322 1,353 1,007 2,219 2,301 2,782 2,550 2,605 2,649 2,681 # 188 88 108 277 181 159 164 841 1,798 1,885 2,299 692 1,108 1,373 1,825 # 184 90 94 ^ 983 623 1,578 6,182 4,503 4,520 4,500 4,704 9,578 9,680 10,148 10,445 7,933 8,014 8,306 8,682 2,670 2,394 2,966 3,225 321 354 357 325 11,276 12,556 14,165 17,714 ^ 2,477 2,466 2,684 3,788 # # 0 0 3,020 3,581 3,619 4,436 353 439 875 994 852 906 993 1,014 4,696 4,923 4,843 4,942 1,623 2,001 2,480 3,542 # # 98 105 # # 59 103 1,610 1,533 1,607 1,606 1,351 1,294 1,364 1,515 1,831 1,958 2,037 2,195 2,328 3,993 5,046 4,956 4,053 4,157 3,879 3,990 ^ - Territory divided with another LGA # - Not noted in Census
Sister cities Geelong has sister city relations with the following cities: Izumiōtsu, Japan (established 1992) Lianyungang, China (established 1994)
See also List of mayors of Geelong List of Geelong suburbs List of localities in Victoria
References
External links
Greater Geelong City Council official website Geelong Region Alliance Website Metlink local public transport map Link to Land Victoria interactive maps