View source for Geelong city centre

{{about|the locality within the postcode 3220 in [[Victoria, Australia]]|the surrounding metropolitan area|Geelong|the [[local government area]]|City of Greater Geelong|the location's former local government area with the name|City of Geelong}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| name     = Geelong
| image    = Market_Square_Shopping_Centre_Geelong.jpg
| caption  = Corner of Moorabool and Malop Streets, Geelong
| state    = vic
| type     = suburb
|use_lga_map = yes
| coordinates = {{coord|38|09|35|S|144|21|52|E|display=inline,title}}
| local_map = yes
| zoom     = 12
| lga      = City of Greater Geelong
| city     = Geelong
| est      =
| postcode = 3220
| pop      = 5,210
| pop_year = {{CensusAU|2016}}
| pop_footnotes = <ref name="abs">{{Census 2016 AUS | id = SSC20966 | name = Geelong (State Suburb) |quick = on}}</ref>
| fedgov   = [[Division of Corio|Corio]]
| stategov = [[Electoral district of Geelong|Geelong]]
| near-nw  = [[North Geelong, Victoria|North Geelong]]
| near-n   = [[Drumcondra, Victoria|Drumcondra]]
| near-ne  = ''[[Corio Bay]]''
| near-w   = [[Geelong West, Victoria|Geelong West]]
| near-e   = [[East Geelong, Victoria|East Geelong]]
| near-sw  = [[Newtown, Victoria|Newtown]]
| near-s   = [[South Geelong, Victoria|South Geelong]]
| near-se  = [[East Geelong, Victoria|East Geelong]]
}}
The '''Geelong city centre''' is the [[city centre|urban centre]] and [[central business district|main commercial]] [[suburbs and localities (Australia)|locality]] of the [[Geelong]] [[metropolitan area]], also referred to as the '''Geelong CBD''', '''Central Geelong''',<ref>[http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/revitalisation/default.aspx City of Greater Geelong: Central Geelong revitalisation]</ref> the '''Central Activities Area''',<ref>[http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/revitalisation/article/item/8cf0bbb658c332e.aspx City of Greater Geelong: Central Geelong Activities Area]</ref> or informally simply as "'''Town'''" by locals. The name of the area is officially [[gazetted]] as '''Geelong'''.<ref>{{cite web|title=City of Greater Geelong Suburb and Rural District Names and Boundaries|url=http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/218207/Geelong_V48_Enlargement.pdf|website=Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure|publisher=State Government of Victoria|access-date=16 May 2015|date=May 2013}}</ref>
The Geelong city centre is the oldest part of Geelong and includes many of the city's historic landmarks such as the [[Geelong Town Hall|Geelong City Hall]], [[St. Mary of the Angels Basilica, Geelong|St. Mary of the Angels Basilica]], the [[T & G Building, Geelong|T & G Building]], [[Johnstone Park, Geelong|Johnstone Park]], [[Geelong railway station]], and the old [[Geelong Post Office]].  It is also a cultural area for the region, housing the [[Geelong Art Gallery]] and the [[Geelong Arts Centre]], as well as the [[Deakin University]] waterfront campus. Tourist attractions include the [[Waterfront Geelong]], [[Eastern Beach, Victoria|Eastern Beach]], and the [[National Wool Museum (Geelong)|National Wool Museum]].
The city centre is one of Geelong's major [[shopping center|shopping district]]s. Two large [[shopping centre]]s, [[Westfield Geelong]] and [[Market Square Shopping Centre (Geelong)|Market Square Shopping Centre]], have been opened in the last three decades, which has led to a decline in street shopping on the city's two main thoroughfares, Moorabool Street and Ryrie Street, resulting in a declining number of customers and some empty shops.<ref>{{cite news |author=Sophie Smith |title=While Moorabool St remains cold and empty |work=Geelong News |page=3 |date=2 July 2008}}</ref>
The Geelong city centre has seen some significant redevelopment since 2016. In 2018, the [[WorkSafe Victoria|WorkSafe]] office building was opened, followed by the [[National Disability Insurance Scheme|National Disability Insurance Agency]] (NDIA) national headquarters in 2019,<ref>{{cite web |title=Doors open to new National Disability Insurance Agency national office in Geelong |url=https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/1821-doors-open-new-ndia-national-office-geelong |publisher=National Disability Insurance Agency |access-date=2020-09-15}}</ref> significantly altering the skyline. New multi-storey [[apartment building]]s, such as The Mercer and The Miramar, have also been built recently.
The Geelong city centre is served by a local [[Low-power broadcasting|low-power]] transmission of [[Narrowcasting|narrowcast]] radio station 3GL 1341AM, broadcasting on 87.6 FM to the city. Also available in the city is low-power narrowcaster Faith FM on 88.0 FM. Both are [[Broadcast relay station|translators]], 3GL is broadcasting from the [[Grant Broadcasters|Geelong Broadcasters]] building, while Faith FM is retransmitting its signal for full coverage in the city. Parts of surrounding suburb [[Belmont, Victoria|Belmont]] can also receive the transmissions, although both contain interference from other transmitters and the signals there are low.
==Population==
In the 2016 Census, there were 5,210 people living in the Geelong city centre. 69.5% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England 3.1%, India 2.7%, Italy 2.0% and China 1.9%. 75.5% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken included Italian 2.8% and Mandarin Chinese 2.4%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 33.1% and Catholic 26.0%.<ref name="abs"/>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/revitalisation/ Central Geelong revitalisation - City of Greater Geelong]
*[http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/revitalisation/article/item/8cf0bbb658c332e.aspx Central Activities Area - City of Greater Geelong]
*[http://www.visitgreatoceanroad.org.au Official Website of the Geelong Otway Tourism Region of the Great Ocean Road]
{{Geelong suburbs}}
[[Category:Suburbs of Geelong]]