Life in Geelong
Life in Geelong
Welcome to Geelong. We know you are going to love living in Geelong and have a great time if you are passing through.

Life in Geelong
Is Geelong a good place to live?
Yes, Geelong is a great place to live or visit. Below our guide to Geelong will give you all the information you need to make moving here easier or make your trip a more informed and enjoyable one.
Visas required to live in Geelong
If you happen to be a citizen from a country other than Australia and are looking to move to Geelong, you are going to need a visa to do so. Australia has many visas on offer that could allow you to live and work in Geelong. Due to there being many different visas, each with it’s own rights and obligations, it is best to take our Free Visa Assessment so we can provide accurate advice on the visa options available to you in your specific circumstances.
If you are moving to Geelong and want to find a job in Geelong we have a guide specifically on how to find and apply for jobs in Geelong for new arrivals. Always make sure you have secured a visa that allows you to work before starting your new job.
Map of Geelong
Weather in Geelong
Geelong
Geelong () (Wathawurrung: Djilang/Djalang) is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, about 65 km (40 mi) southwest of Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria.
Geelong is the second largest Victorian city (behind Melbourne) with an estimated urban population of 268,277 as of June 2018, and is also Australia’s second fastest-growing city. Geelong is also known as the “Gateway City” due to its critical location to surrounding western Victorian regional centres like Ballarat in the northwest, Torquay, Great Ocean Road and Warrnambool in the southwest, Hamilton, Colac and Winchelsea to the west, providing a transport corridor past the Central Highlands for these regions to the state capital Melbourne in its northeast.
Geelong is the administrative centre for the City of Greater Geelong municipality, which is Port Phillip’s only regional metropolitan area, and covers all the urban, rural and coastal reserves around the city including the entire Bellarine Peninsula and running from the plains of Lara in the north to the rolling hills of Waurn Ponds to the south, with Corio Bay to the east and the Barrabool Hills to the west.
The traditional owners of the land on which Geelong sits are the Wadawurrung (also known as Wathaurong) Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation. The modern name of Geelong, estalished in 1827, was derived from the local Wathaurong name for the region, Djillong, thought to mean “land”, “cliffs” or “tongue of land or peninsula”. The area was first surveyed by the European settlers in 1838, three weeks after Melbourne. A town post office was opened by June 1840, the second to open in the Port Phillip District.
The first woolstore was erected in this period and it became the port for the wool industry of the Western District.
During the Victorian gold rush, Geelong experienced a brief boom as the main port to the rich goldfields of the Ballarat district. The town then diversified into manufacturing, and during the 1860s became one of the largest manufacturing centres in Australia with its wool mills, ropeworks, and paper mills. It was proclaimed a city in 1910, with industrial growth from this time until the 1960s establishing the city as a manufacturing centre for the state, and the population grew to over 100,000 by the mid-1960s. During the city’s early years, an inhabitant of Geelong was often known as a Geelongite or a “Pivotonian”, derived from the city’s nickname of “The Pivot”, referencing the city’s role as a shipping and rail hub for the area. Population increases over the last decade were due to growth in service industries, as the manufacturing sector has declined. Redevelopment of the inner city has occurred since the 1990s, as well as gentrification of inner suburbs, and currently has a population growth rate higher than the national average.
Today, Geelong stands as an emerging healthcare, education and advanced manufacturing center. The city’s economy is shifting quickly and despite experiencing the drawbacks of losing much of its heavy manufacturing, it is seeing much growth in other tertiary sectors, positioning itself as one of the leading non-capital Australian cities. It is home to the Geelong Football Club, the second oldest club in the Australian Football League.
Hotels and Accommodation in Geelong
There are all types of accommodation available in Geelong. The best place to find Hotels, serviced apartments or holiday lets is via Book Direct and Save Bookdirectandsave.com
This website lists the exact same properties as Airbnb and booking.com but does not charge the high commissions so their nightly accommodation rates are cheaper.
Or contact any of these great local hotels, apartments or holiday accommodation businesses.
Geelong is full of great businesses and helpful services. Below are a selection of our best.
Accountants in Geelong
Banks in Geelong
Cafes in Geelong
Carpet Cleaners in Geelong
Dentists in Geelong
Doctors and Medical clinics in Geelong
You can make an appointment at any of these local doctors or clinics.
Contact one of the Geelong Electricians below
Hospitals in Geelong
Mechanics in Geelong
Newspapers in Geelong
Pest Control in Geelong
Plumbers in Geelong
Real Estate Agents in Geelong
Restaurants in Geelong
Schools in Geelong
Solicitors in Geelong
Supermarkets in Geelong
Vets in Geelong
For all information on living in towns and cities across Australia visit our Living in Australia index page where you will find 160 guides on areas right across the country.
To live and work in Australia you might be eligible for an Australian Work Visa or a Permanent Residency visa as a skilled worker. Find out more and move to Australia to live and work and start you new life.