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Located on Corio Bay and Barwon River, Geelong is a port city in the state of Victoria. It sits 75 kilometres southwest of Melbourne and is the administrative centre of the City of Greater Geelong municipality. Geelong is the second largest Victorian city with a total land area of 1,329 km2 and is Australia's second-fastest-growing city as it is home to 268,277 residents (2018 estimated urban population).
Facilities Around Geelong Geelong is also known as "Gateway City" in the middle of Victorian regional centres, such as Ballarat, Great Ocean Road, Hamilton and Melbourne.
There are various shopping districts across the Geelong CBD, where the two major shopping centres are the Westfield Geelong and Market Square. There are also several food establishments in Geelong that provide the best dining experiences. Some of the restaurants and wineries around the city are IGNI, Jack Rabbit Restaurant, Oakdene Vineyards Restaurant and the Shed Restaurants.
The historic industrial spaces are now used as hip cafes, bars, art galleries, some even transformed into apartment buildings. Geelong also offers a lot of activities and amenities for families. There are tons of things to do for people of all ages at the Geelong Waterfront. Children would have a magical time riding the beautifully restored carousel right at the waterfront. The Adventure Park Geelong is also a favourite of families as this waterpark features fun and thrilling waterslides.
Many of the schools that opened in Geelong for educational facilities since its establishment are open until today and are joined by several new schools. Some of the city's schools are the Geelong Grammar School, Catholic Regional College, Western Heights Secondary College, Gordon Institute of Technology and Deakin University.
Getting around Geelong is easy for commuters as there is an extensive transport network with buses and trains servicing the city.
Famous Destinations Around Geelong
Geelong Waterfront Considered one of the country's most beautiful waterfronts, the Geelong Waterfront houses several restaurants and cafes, landscaped gardens with a fantastic view of Corio Bay.
Eastern Beach Reserve Located at the waterfront, this outdoor attraction has various facilities such as playgrounds, a boardwalk, a shark-proof sea bath and areas for picnics.
Moorabool Valley Wine Just northwest of Geelong, visitors could enjoy the cool climate at Moorabool Valley while getting a taste of the best wines produced mainly by family-run wineries.
History of Geelong The area was officially named Geelong in 1827, derived from the Wathaurong Aboriginal name for the region, "Djillong", which means "lands" or "cliffs."
The land was first surveyed in 1838, and two years later, a post office was opened in the area in June 1840. In the same period, a wool store was also opened in Geelong, and the area became a port for the Western District's wool industry. The city became a major port city during the Victorian gold rush and was also one of the largest manufacturing centres in the country, with wool mills, ropeworks and paper mills operating in the area.
With its industrial growth, Geelong was proclaimed a city in 1910, where it remained as Victoria's manufacturing centre up to the mid-1960s. Redevelopment and gentrification of Geelong began in the 1990s, and today; the city is an emerging education, health and manufacturing hub with other industries also seeing growth.