Our Community

The Geelong suburbs of Corio and Norlane have many advantages. Situated within easy reach of the central business district, Corio Bay, Geelong Port and other industry, Avalon Airport and the Werribee to Avalon employment corridor, the northern suburbs have accessible and affordable housing with good road and rail linkages to Melbourne.

The northern suburbs of Geelong was built on strong ‘industry’ however since the early 1980’s we have seen the decline of the manufacturing sector; International Harvester in 1982, the Federal Woollen Mills in 2001 and Ford Motor Company in 2010. This has resulted in more than 5,500 jobs being lost creating generational disadvantage in the northern suburbs of Norlane and Corio.

Many in our community now face critical social and economic challenges including high unemployment, poor education outcomes, low household incomes and an increased likelihood of living in public and rental housing.