CREATING A CLEVER & CREATIVE CITY FOR THE FUTURE OF ALL
The Geelong Youth Innovation Summit in partnership with the Victorian State Government and the City of Greater Geelong activated the Geelong region to engage, educate and empower the community to design their future city.
Please CLICK HERE to read more about the activation and partnership with the City of Greater Geelong.
In October 2017, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) designated Geelong as a City of Design.
Geelong is Australia’s first (and only) City of Design and joins an international network of 180 cities committed to the power of creativity and innovation in building sustainable cities.
Collaboration, culture, planning, people and prosperity are key - working together for a clever and creative future for all.
By 2047, Greater Geelong will be internationally recognised as a clever and creative city-region that is forward looking, enterprising and adaptive, and cares for its people and environment.
The UNESCO Creative Cities network has two key aims:
To raise awareness about the power of creativity and innovation in building sustainable cities and communities.
To promote cooperation with and among cities that identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.
Geelong has a long and proud history as a creative city and leader in design.
“Design” embodies a definition as diverse as the Geelong community. The UCCN designation recognises the design history of Greater Geelong, from the region’s Aboriginal heritage, to textiles and wool production, automotive manufacturing and surf culture, design is embedded in the community.
The city has a population of 240,000 with an expected increase of 80,000 by 2036. The gross regional product is valued at $14.3B with an annual growth rate of 4.3%.
Geelong also has a diverse and robust economy diversifying from manufacturing to new growth sectors including:
Financial and insurance services
Healthcare and social assistance
Tourism
Education and training
Creative and entrepreneurial industries
Advanced manufacturing
There has been a range of transformative projects in the city over the past 20 years. The Waterfront has undergone redevelopment to become one of the most beautiful bays in the southern hemisphere encompassing the Geelong Youth Activity Area precinct and skate parks, the iconic heritage Carousel, landscaped gardens, beach access and a backdrop of restaurants.
Major investment is underway with government agencies TAC, NDIA and WorkSafe relocating to the Geelong CBD to create a social insurance hub. The Cultural Precinct project is being realised with the award winning Library and Heritage Centre which opened in 2015 and the Geelong Performing Arts Centre undergoing massive redevelopment.
Geelong has infrastructure that is second to none. Avalon Airport is only 20 minutes from the CBD, with return flights to Sydney, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Hobart. The Airport has recently partnered with AirAsia to offer flights from Geelong all across Asia, expanding the domestic service to international.
Vline train services provide frequent daily services, connecting Geelong and Melbourne in 60 minutes.
Geelong is a lifestyle destination and is home to a range of cultural and arts projects and festivals. The region offers award winning wineries and eateries plus a diverse range of galleries, community events and entertainment. Known for its ‘turquoise lifestyle’, the Geelong region blends the magnificent bay, coastal and river precincts with wide green open spaces that inspire recreational living.