Geelong

Geelong is Victoria's second-largest city, and is surrounded by some of the state's most beautiful natural landscapes. It also boasts great shopping, mouth-watering regional food and wine, and all the facilities you would expect from a 21st century city.

Geelong is in the Greater Geelong City Council area.

Location information

Climate

In summer (January), Geelong's average minimum temperature is 13.5 degrees, and the average maximum is 24.9. In winter (July) average temperatures range from a minimum of 5.4 to a maximum of 13.9. The town's average annual rainfall is 532.5mm.

Population

137,220 (Source: ABS Census 2006).

Cultural diversity

Around 22 percent of people living in Geelong were born outside Australia.

Migrants have settled in Geelong from:

  • England (3.4%)
  • Netherlands (0.9%)
  • Italy (1.2%)
  • Germany (0.8%)
  • Croatia (1.1%)

Around15 percent of people living in Geelong speak a language other than English at home.

Languages spoken in Geelong include:

  • Italian (1.7%)
  • Serbian (0.6%)
  • Croatian (1.6%)
  • German (0.5%)
  • Macedonian (0.8%)

Finding a job

Key industries and employers

The top five industries by employment in Geelong are:

Industry School education Hospitals Cafes, restaurants & takeaway food stores Motor vehicle & motor vehicle part manufacturing Supermarkets & grocery stores
% 5.3 4.7 4.3 3.1 3.0

Local skill shortages

Skill shortages in the Geelong area are in the following occupations:

  • Bakers
  • Bricklayers
  • Cabinetmakers
  • General electricians
  • Metal fitters
  • Metal machinists
  • Pastry cooks
  • Real estate professionals
  • Registered nurses
  • Roof slaters and tilers
  • Welfare workers

Job search links

To see jobs currently available in Geelong, visit:

Lifestyle information

Housing and accommodation

In the year to April 2008, the median price of houses sold in central Geelong was $365,250.

In December 2007, the median rent for a two-bedroom flat in Geelong was $190 per week, and the median rent for a three-bedroom house was $240 per week.

For information about local hotels, motels and caravan parks, visit the Great Ocean Road accommodation directory.

To find a local real estate agent, visit the REIV agent directory, type ‘Geelong’ into the search box, select 'suburb' and then press 'search'.

Healthcare

Barwon Health and St John of God Hospital are the main health services located in Geelong. Barwon Health operates the Geelong Private Hospital. Other hospitals include the Specialist Surgicentre Geelong, the Monash IVF Clinic, and the Geelong Clinic.

For information about healthcare providers in the Geelong area, please visit the Victorian Better Health Channel's health services directory.

More information on Victoria's healthcare system can be found in the Health & Medical section.

Schools

For information on schools in Geelong, visit the Schools Online website and search for ‘Geelong’. More information on Victoria's education system can be found in the Education & Childcare section.

Travel

Distance and travel time

Geelong is 72km south west of Melbourne. You can travel from Geelong to Melbourne by:

  • car (1 hour)
  • coach (1 hour)
  • train (1 hour)

Nearby towns are:

Public transport

Buses operate around Geelong, and between the town and surrounding areas. For specific routes and timetables, please visit the regional bus information on VicLink and select from the drop down list.

Places of worship

For information about where you can practice your faith, please visit your religion's Australian website. To find it, visit Google, type in the name of your religion, and select 'pages from Australia'.

Sport and recreation

For more information about sport and recreation in Geelong, please visit the Greater Geelong City Council website.

Geelong attractions

  • See Geelong's famous bollard characters along the waterfront
  • Visit the remarkable 21st century Geelong Botanic Gardens
  • Delve into the history of wool at the National Wool Museum
  • Catch a game of Australian Rules Football at Skilled Stadium
  • Avalon Air Show (March)
  • Pako Festa (March)
  • Geelong Cup Carnival (October)

Also See

Last updated: 22 January 2009

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State Government of Victoria