Geelong Revival Centre cult linked to suicides, child abuse at government inquiry

A Geelong couple has told a parliamentary inquiry exploring the impacts of cults how vulnerable people were targeted, young children were left alone with church elders, and how parents were encouraged to physically punish their children.

Ryan Carey is speaking out after he left the controversial Geelong Revival Centre a couple of years ago. Picture: Alison Wynd

A Geelong couple has given harrowing evidence to a state government inquiry regarding a religious “cult” they were long-time members of, including that multiple people had died by suicide.

Ryan and Catherine Carey also told the inquiry that former members had died from health issues stemming from drug and alcohol abuse that was used as a coping mechanism.

“There was a few younger and few older (people),” Mr Carey said of the members who committed suicide.

The Careys are “survivors” of the Geelong Revival Centre, a Pentecostal church based in Norlane that has national and international affiliates.

Its members are told only they will survive an impending apocalypse.

On Wednesday morning, the couple were the first people to give evidence to an inquiry exploring the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups.

Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee, chaired by Lara MP Ella George, is overseeing the inquiry.

Committee chair Ella George. Picture: Alison Wynd.

Mr Carey said the GRC was an “incredibly unsafe” space for children, using the example of convicted pedophile Todd Hubers being one of the church’s Sunday school teachers “for the majority of his life”.

The GRC is currently facing Supreme Court civil action from a former member who claims he was sexually abused as a child by two of the organisation’s most senior figures in the late 1980s.

Mr Carey recalled how “child safe” authorities once raided GRC’s Norlane base because a creche was located there.

“It was quite common (that) a kid would be in a room (alone) with an elder, or any adult,” he said.

“My nephew was questioned of a sexual nature by the leader one-on-one … that was a common practice.

“Anything could happen in those environments.”

While those in a position of authority mostly had working with children checks, Mr Carey described the measure as something akin to “a bandaid on an amputee”.

He also said parents were instructed to physically punish their children.

“(Pastor) Noel (Hollins) would give talks …(where he would say) ‘spare the rod, spoil the child’,” he said.

“Until I left (the church), I only heard ‘spare the rod, spoil the child’.”

Mrs Carey compared the approach to breaking in a horse.

Geelong Revival Centre founder Noel Hollins died last year. Picture: Supplied.

Mrs Carey said the church specifically targeted vulnerable people and migrants who had no connections in the area.

“When I joined I was 19, I’d been through some very traumatic events before that and I was isolated from my friends from school,” she said.

“I was ripe to be sucked into a cult.”

Mr Carey said the GRC’s local membership had fallen from approximately 650 people at its peak to around 200 currently, something due in part to recent negative publicity.

Mrs Carey remained in the church for 18 months longer than her husband, who left in 2020.

The couple co-founded the Stop Religious Coercion group.

Journalist Richard Baker, whose Pray Harder podcast delved into the GRC, also gave evidence on Wednesday.

Geelong Revival Centre’s headquarters in Norlane.

Ms George said people had until July 31 to make a submission.

“The inquiry does not focus on a group’s beliefs or ideology,” she said.

“Instead, it examines patterns of behaviour of cults or high control groups – the emphasis is on how these groups operate, not what they believe.”

Further public hearings will be held and the committee must provide a report by September 2026.

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Originally published as Geelong Revival Centre cult linked to suicides, child abuse at government inquiry