Future Geelong: Who are we and what sets us apart?

Key business and community leaders have come together at council’s headquarters to discuss Geelong’s defining features and how they can be leveraged for future prosperity.

WorkSafe’s executive director of external affairs Sam Jenkin at the Future Geelong event on Wednesday. Picture: Alan Barber.

Innovation, collaboration and transformation were just some of the major themes discussed by Geelong business leaders at the opening event of this year’s Future Geelong program.

Representatives from organisations that included Barwon Water, Viva Energy, Hanwha, GeelongPort and the City of Greater Geelong gathered at council’s headquarters on Wednesday to discuss the city’s defining features and how they can be leveraged for future prosperity.

Barwon Water boss Shaun Cumming with Villawood Properties’ Rory Costelloe. Picture: Alan Barber.

Led by the Geelong Advertiser, the second instalment of Future Geelong is focused on redefining who we are as a region and what sets us apart from others.

Mayor Trent Sullivan said the region was well positioned to continue its transformation from a heavy industrial hub to a smart city that offered an array of job opportunities for a growing population.

“There’s been a lot of talk today about how do we keep Geelong as the fantastic place we know to live, to work, to play at, while continuing to grow and advance what we offer as a community, as a city, as a region,” he said.

Villawood Properties’ executive director Rory Costelloe said an ever-increasing number of people want to call Geelong home and managing that growth must be a top priority for city leaders.

“The current growth corridor in Armstrong Creek will be sold out in the next 2-3 years, (so) we’ve got to be ready for that next growth corridor, I think that’s a critical situation,” he said.

“It’s just the lifestyle (drawing people to Geelong), it’s such a great place … it’s a phenomenal place to live and bring up a family.”

Committee for Geelong chief executive Michael Johnston said Future Geelong was about creating a tangible vision for the region.

“I think it’s around the vision of how we can articulate what it is that makes this city so great and that can be a really hard thing to do at times … there were some pretty good starting points here today, a lot of good topics covered off,” he said.

“Also, what do we want Geelong to be and how do we get from where we are, protect what we have, and take that forward.”

Lauren Andrews of GeelongPort and City of Greater Geelong chief executive Ali Wastie. Picture: Alan Barber.

Geelong Advertiser editor Nadja Fleet said this year’s Future Geelong theme of “Geelong redefined” represented the pivotal juncture the city finds itself at.

“It’s a celebration of our transformation from industrial roots to a vibrant growth mecca which presents an unparalleled environment to live, work and invest in,” she said.

As part of this year’s program, people are being encouraged to complete a short online survey that asks how Geelong is perceived and how it should evolve.

Future Geelong will culminate in an event at GMHBA Stadium on March 1, where demographer Bernard Salt will be keynote speaker.

Originally published as Future Geelong: Who are we and what sets us apart?