Editing Geelong (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Australia Victoria Greater Geelong City location map.svg|thumb|right|Map of the Geelong urban area and the City of Greater Geelong]]
Geelong is located on the shores of the western tip of Corio Bay, a southwestern [[inlet]] of [[Port Phillip Bay]].  During clear weather, the distant Melbourne skyline is visible from higher areas of Geelong when viewed across the waters of Port Phillip.  The [[Barwon River (Victoria)|Barwon River]] flows through the southern fringe of the [[Geelong city centre]] before entering [[Lake Connewarre]] and the [[estuary]] at [[Barwon Heads]] before draining into the [[Bass Strait]].<ref name="barwon">{{Cite book
  | last = Loney  | first = Jack
  | title = The Historic Barwon
  | publisher = J. Lonely  | year = 1988
  | isbn = 0-909191-37-9
  | location = Portarlington, Vic.}}</ref>  The city is situated just east of the [[gap (landform)|gap]] between the [[Otway Ranges]] and [[Brisbane Ranges]], and commands the only lowland passage between the [[Werribee Plain]] and [[Newer Volcanics Province|Western Volcanic Plains]].

Geologically, the oldest rocks in the area date back to the [[Cambrian period]] 500 million years ago, with [[volcanic activity|volcanic activities]] occurring in the [[Devonian period]] 350 million years ago.<ref name="geo">{{cite web|url=http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/soe/detail.asp?id=66 |title=Geelong State of the Environment Report - Geological conditions |work=City of Greater Geelong website |access-date=2007-12-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906064832/http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/soe/detail.asp?id=66 |archive-date=6 September 2007 }}</ref> In [[prehistoric]] times water covered much of the [[lowland]]s that are now Geelong, with the Barwon River estuary located at [[Belmont, Victoria|Belmont Common]], the course of the river being changed when [[Moriac|Mount Moriac]] erupted and [[lava]] was sent eastwards towards Geelong.<ref name="barwon" />

To the east of the city are the Bellarine Hills and the undulating plains of the [[Bellarine Peninsula]]. To the west are the sandstone-derived [[Barrabool Hills]] and basalt [[Mount Duneed]], and the volcanic plains to the north of Geelong extend to the [[Brisbane Ranges]] and the [[You Yangs]].<ref name="geo" /> Soils vary from sandy loam, basalt plains, and river loam to rich volcanic soils,<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/Visiting_Geelong/Food_and_Wine/Geelong_Wine_Fact_Sheet/ 
 |title=Geelong Wine Fact Sheet 
 |work=City of Greater Geelong website 
 |access-date=2007-12-29 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106212051/http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/Visiting_Geelong/Food_and_Wine/Geelong_Wine_Fact_Sheet/ 
 |archive-date=6 November 2007 
 |url-status=live 
 |df=dmy 
}}</ref> suitable for intensive [[Agriculture|farming]], [[grazing]], [[forestry]], and [[viticulture]].

Many materials used to construct buildings were [[quarry|quarried]] from Geelong, such as [[bluestone]] from the You Yangs and [[sandstone]] from the Brisbane Ranges.<ref name="geo" /> A small number of [[brown coal]] deposits exist in the Geelong region, most notably at [[Anglesea, Victoria|Anglesea]], where it has been mined to fuel Alcoa's [[Anglesea Power Station]] since 1969.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/info_page/victoria_tours.asp |title=Alcoa - Victorian operations |work=[[Alcoa]]|access-date=2007-12-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905033125/http://www.alcoa.com/australia/en/info_page/victoria_tours.asp |archive-date=5 September 2008 }}</ref> [[Limestone]] has also been quarried for [[cement]] production at Fyansford since 1888,<ref name="rgfyns" /> and Waurn Ponds since 1964.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://railgeelong.com/locations.php?name=Waurn%20Ponds
|title=Waurn Ponds
|work=Rail Geelong
|access-date=2007-12-29}}</ref>

=== City and suburbs ===

[[File:Grovedale-highton.jpg|thumb|right|Suburban expansion in [[Grovedale]]]]
Geelong has over 60 suburbs, including the following:

[[Anakie, Victoria|Anakie]], 
[[Armstrong Creek, Victoria|Armstrong Creek]], 
[[Avalon, Victoria|Avalon]], 
[[Balliang]], 
[[Barwon Heads]], 
[[Batesford]], 
[[Bell Park]], 
[[Bell Post Hill]], 
[[Bellarine]], 
[[Belmont, Victoria|Belmont]], 
[[Breakwater, Victoria|Breakwater]], 
[[Breamlea]], 
[[Ceres, Victoria|Ceres]], 
[[Charlemont, Victoria|Charlemont]], 
[[City of Greater Geelong]], 
[[Clifton Springs, Victoria|Clifton Springs]], 
[[Connewarre]], 
[[Corio, Victoria|Corio]], 
[[Curlewis, Victoria|Curlewis]], 
[[Drumcondra, Victoria|Drumcondra]], 
[[Drysdale, Victoria|Drysdale]], 
[[East Geelong]], 
[[Fyansford]], 
Geelong, 
[[Geelong West]], 
[[Grovedale]], 
[[Hamlyn Heights]], 
[[Herne Hill]], 
[[Highton]], 
[[Indented Head]], 
[[Lara, Victoria|Lara]], 
[[Leopold, Victoria|Leopold]], 
[[Little River, Victoria|Little River]], 
[[Lovely Banks]], 
[[Manifold Heights]], 
[[Mannerim]], 
[[Marcus Hill, Victoria|Marcus Hill]], 
[[Marshall, Victoria|Marshall]], 
[[Moolap]], 
[[Moorabool]], 
[[Mount Duneed]], 
[[Newcomb, Victoria|Newcomb]], 
[[Newtown, Victoria|Newtown]], 
[[Norlane]], 
[[North Geelong]], 
[[North Shore, Victoria|North Shore]], 
[[Ocean Grove, Victoria|Ocean Grove]], 
[[Point Lonsdale]], 
[[Point Wilson, Victoria|Point Wilson]], 
[[Portarlington, Victoria|Portarlington]], 
[[Queenscliff, Victoria|Queenscliff]], 
[[Rippleside]], 
[[South Geelong]], 
[[St Albans Park]], 
[[St Leonards, Victoria|St Leonards]],
[[Staughton Vale]], 
[[Swan Bay]], 
[[Thomson, Victoria|Thomson]], 
[[Wallington, Victoria|Wallington]], 
[[Wandana Heights]], 
[[Waurn Ponds]], 
and [[Whittington, Victoria|Whittington]].

Development in Geelong started on the shores of Corio Bay in what is now the inner city. Development later spread to the south towards the Barwon River, and the hill of [[Newtown, Victoria|Newtown]] and [[Geelong West]]. Major development south of the river in [[Belmont, Victoria|Belmont]] did not start until the 1920s, stimulated by the construction of a new bridge over the river in 1926, and the extension of the [[Trams in Geelong|Geelong tramway]] system in 1927.<ref name="gex150" /> Industrial areas were traditionally located on the Corio Bay for port access,<ref name="gex-plan-industry">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.psdocs.dpcd.vic.gov.au/public/Greater 
 |title=Greater Geelong Planning Scheme (Section 21.22 INDUSTRY) 
 |work=Victoria Department of Planning and Community Development website 
 |date=2006-01-19 
 |access-date=2007-12-25 
 |format=DOC 
 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20090629001439/http%3A//www%2Epsdocs%2Edpcd%2Evic%2Egov%2Eau/public/Greater%2520Geelong/21_mss22_ggee%2Edoc 
 |archive-date= 29 June 2009 
 |url-status=bot: unknown 
 |df=dmy 
}} (via )</ref> or the Barwon River for waste disposal.

In the interwar and post-World War II years, [[heavy industry]] continued to establish itself in the flatter northern suburbs,<ref name="gex-plan-industry" /> where today industries such as the [[Geelong Oil Refinery]] and [[Ford Australia|Ford]] engine plant reside.<ref name="rgnog" /> Residential development also spread to Corio and Norlane in the north, with new [[Housing Commission of Victoria]] estates built to cater for employees of the new industries. From the 1960s, residential growth spread to the [[Highton]] hills in the south and North Geelong following prosperous industries like the gasworks, followed by [[Grovedale]] in the 1970s. A number of [[light industrial]] areas were also established in [[Breakwater, Victoria|Breakwater]], [[Moolap]] and [[South Geelong]].<ref name="gex-plan-industry" />

Changing cargo-handling methods at the [[Port of Geelong]] left woolstores in inner Geelong unused, [[Urban Renewal|redevelopment]] beginning in the 1980s with the expansion of [[Westfield Geelong]] towards Corio Bay, and culminating in the [[Waterfront Geelong]] development.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.intown.com.au/historic/city-by-the-bay.htm | title=City by the Bay concept 1981
|work=Intown Geelong website
|access-date=2007-12-25}}</ref> [[Gentrification]] of former working-class inner suburbs such as Geelong West, North Geelong, and South Geelong has also occurred.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/library/pdf/5175/80.pdf 
 |title=GEELONG ECONOMIC INDICATORS BULLETIN - 2001/2002 
 |work=City of Greater Geelong website 
 |access-date=2007-12-25 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901213511/http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/library/pdf/5175/80.pdf 
 |archive-date=1 September 2007 
 |url-status=dead 
 |df=dmy 
}}</ref> Today, the major residential growth corridors are north towards Lara, east towards [[Leopold, Victoria|Leopold]], and south towards [[Mount Duneed]] as the [[Armstrong Creek Growth Area]].<ref name="armstongcreek">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/Media_Releases/April_2005/Strategic_plan_to_manage_urban_growth_south_of_Geelong/ 
 |title=Strategic plan to manage urban growth south of Geelong 
 |work=City of Greater Geelong website 
 |date=12 April 2005 
 |access-date=2007-12-25 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070909101112/http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/Media_Releases/April_2005/Strategic_plan_to_manage_urban_growth_south_of_Geelong/ 
 |archive-date=9 September 2007 
 |url-status=live 
 |df=dmy 
}}</ref>

===Climate===
Geelong has a [[temperate]] [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'' in the [[Köppen climate classification]]) with dominant westerly winds, variable clouds, moderate rainfall that tends to fall lightly, mild to warm summers, and cool winters.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/coranregn.nsf/pages/corangamite_climate
|title=Climate
|work=Department of Primary Industries website
|access-date=2007-12-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_averages/climate-classifications/index.jsp?maptype=tmp_zones#maps|title=Australian Climate Averages - Climate classifications|website=www.bom.gov.au}}</ref> February is the hottest month and July is the coldest.<ref name="bom-old">{{cite web
|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_087025_All.shtml
|title=Climate statistics for 'GEELONG SEC' 1870–1970
|work=[[Bureau of Meteorology]]
|access-date=2007-12-24}}</ref> The highest temperature recorded was {{convert|47.4|°C|°F|sigfig=4}} on [[Early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave|7 February 2009]] during a two-week-long heat wave, with the lowest of {{convert|-4.3|°C|°F|sigfig=3}} recorded on 24 July 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_087163_All.shtml|title=Climate Averages for Geelong Airport|work=Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=2024-09-10}}</ref> The city gets around 37.6 clear days annually.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_087117.shtml|title=Summary statistics GEELONG (NORLANE)|work=Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=2024-09-10}}</ref>

The average annual rainfall is around {{convert|525.2|mm|in|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}, which makes Geelong one of the driest cities in Australia, owing to the pronounced [[rain shadow]] of the [[Otway Ranges]] to the south-west.<ref name="bom-old" /> Within the city, rainfall shows a strong gradient from south to north, so that the southernmost suburbs can receive around {{convert|700|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} whilst more northerly Lara receives as little as {{convert|425|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}, which is the lowest rainfall in southern Victoria.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/agmet/images/vic_aarf.gif|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722025431/http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/agmet/images/vic_aarf.gif|url-status=dead|title=vic_aarf.gif (640x600 pixels)|date=22 July 2012|archive-date=22 July 2012}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Grovedale (Geelong Airport, 1983–2011)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes 
|rain colour = green
|Jan record high C = 45.3	
|Feb record high C = 47.4	
|Mar record high C = 41.5	
|Apr record high C = 34.8
|May record high C = 27.6			
|Jun record high C = 23.4
|Jul record high C = 20.5	
|Aug record high C = 25.8
|Sep record high C = 30.9	
|Oct record high C = 37.1	
|Nov record high C = 37.3	
|Dec record high C = 43.1	
|year record high C = 47.4	
|Jan high C = 24.5	
|Feb high C = 24.7
|Mar high C = 23.0
|Apr high C = 20.2
|May high C = 17.0
|Jun high C = 14.5
|Jul high C = 13.9	
|Aug high C = 14.9
|Sep high C = 16.5
|Oct high C = 18.7	
|Nov high C = 20.7	
|Dec high C = 22.8
|year high C = 
|Jan low C = 13.0	
|Feb low C = 13.5
|Mar low C = 12.0	
|Apr low C = 9.5
|May low C = 7.8	
|Jun low C = 6.3
|Jul low C = 5.4	
|Aug low C = 5.8	
|Sep low C = 6.6	
|Oct low C = 7.6	
|Nov low C = 9.5	
|Dec low C = 10.9
|year low C = 
|Jan record low C = 4.5
|Feb record low C = 5.8	
|Mar record low C = 3.6	
|Apr record low C = 1.4
|May record low C = 0.0	
|Jun record low C = -3.1		
|Jul record low C = -4.3		
|Aug record low C = -2.1
|Sep record low C = 0.6
|Oct record low C = -1.3	
|Nov record low C = 2.6	
|Dec record low C = 3.3
|year record low C = 
|Jan rain mm = 37.3
|Feb rain mm = 31.5
|Mar rain mm = 32.0
|Apr rain mm = 45.2
|May rain mm = 46.5	
|Jun rain mm = 40.4
|Jul rain mm = 49.2
|Aug rain mm = 49.1
|Sep rain mm = 49.7
|Oct rain mm = 51.3
|Nov rain mm = 52.8
|Dec rain mm = 40.1
|year rain mm = 525.2
|Jan rain days = 7.0	
|Feb rain days = 5.8	
|Mar rain days = 8.2	
|Apr rain days = 11.9	
|May rain days = 13.0	
|Jun rain days = 15.0	
|Jul rain days = 16.8	
|Aug rain days = 16.7	
|Sep rain days = 16.0	
|Oct rain days = 13.5	
|Nov rain days = 10.3
|Dec rain days = 9.0
| year rain days = 143.2	
|unit rain days = 0.2 mm
|humidity colour = green
|Jan afthumidity = 55	
|Feb afthumidity = 55	
|Mar afthumidity = 54	
|Apr afthumidity = 57
|May afthumidity = 65
|Jun afthumidity = 70
|Jul afthumidity = 68	
|Aug afthumidity = 64
|Sep afthumidity = 63	
|Oct afthumidity = 60	
|Nov afthumidity = 59	
|Dec afthumidity = 55	
|year humidity = 60
|source =  Bureau of Meteorology; Grovedale (Geelong Airport, 1983–2011)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_087163_All.shtml
|title= Geelong Airport all years |publisher= Bureau of Meteorology |access-date=10 September 2024}}</ref>}}