Community Wellbeing Reports contain a select number of community wellbeing indicators which are used to highlight important trends and issues in the community. These reports provide a snapshot of the wellbeing of individual municipalities with comparisons to regional and statewide results.

The City of Greater Geelong is Victoria’s second largest city, 75km south west of Melbourne. The City contains a mix of coastal, country and suburban communities. Its coastline includes Corio Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula. Country areas of the city have a diverse range of primary producers and several significant national and state parks. Notable features include the waterfront precinct, Deakin University, the National Wool Museum and the Maritime Museum. Geelong City has a strong manufacturing base, specialising in motor vehicles and associated components, petroleum products, textiles, floor coverings and aluminium. The city is also a major commercial and residential centre. The main industries include motor vehicle and part manufacturing, petroleum refining, basic non-ferrous metal manufacturing.

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

This descriptive information about the Municipality has been selected from the Local Government Victoria website. You can also find key Census data relating to this LGA at the Australian Bureau of Statistics - 2006 Census Data by Location website.

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Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Personal Health and Wellbeing

Self-Reported Health was measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked to rate their health as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor.

59.8% of persons living within Greater Geelong reported that their health was either excellent or very good as compared to 58.3% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 54.3%.

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59.8 58.3 54.3
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Personal Health and Wellbeing

Subjective Wellbeing was measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey using the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index (AUWBI). Respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction with their lives on a number of domains resulting in an aggregated Personal Wellbeing Index ranging between 0-100.

Normative data from the AUWBI indicates that the average Personal Wellbeing Index for Australians is approximately 75. In comparison, the average Personal Wellbeing Index for persons living in Greater Geelong was 77.1 in 2007, while the Barwon South West Region average was 78.2 and the Victorian State average was 76.4.

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77.1 78.2 76.4
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Community Connectedness

Community Connection was measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction with feeling part of their community and answers are presented according to a 0-100 range.

Normative data from the AUWBI indicates that the average Community Connection score for Australians is approximately 70. In comparison, the average Community Connection score for persons living in Greater Geelong was 72.9 in 2007, while the Barwon South West Region average was 75.0 and the Victorian State average was 70.7.

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72.9 75.0 70.7
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Community Connectedness

Social Support was measured in the Department of Planning and Community Development Community Strength Survey in 2006. Respondents were asked if they could get help from friends, family or neighbours when they needed it, either definitely, sometimes or not at all.

93.3% of persons living within Greater Geelong reported that they could definitely get help from friends, family or neighbours when they needed it, as compared to 94.6% in the Barwon South West Region.

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93.3 94.6 n
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Community Connectedness

Volunteering was measured in the Department of Planning and Community Development Community Strength Survey in 2006. Respondents were asked whether or not they helped out as a volunteer.

50.5% of persons living within Greater Geelong reported that they helped out as a volunteer, as compared to 54.1% in the Barwon South West Region.

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50.5 54.1 n
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Early Childhood

Child Health Assessments are routinely undertaken by the Maternal and Child Health Service in Victoria to monitor child health and development. Ten visits are anticipated according to key ages and stages until a child reaches 3.5 years of age. Data relating to the activities of the Maternal and Child Health Service are collated on a financial year basis by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

The rate of participation for children eligible for an assessment at 3.5 years was 47.4% in Greater Geelong in 2006-07, compared to 56.6% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 57.8%.

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47.4 56.6 57.8
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Personal and Community Safety

Perceptions of Safety were measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked to rate how safe they felt when walking alone in their local area during the day and at night.

When walking alone in their local area during the day 97.5% of persons in Greater Geelong felt safe or very safe, compared to 97.9% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 96.0%.

When walking alone at night 65.7% of persons in Greater Geelong felt safe or very safe, compared to 71.7% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 66.5%.

Respondents who stated that they were never alone in the particular situation were not asked to give their perception of how safe they might feel in the situation, and are excluded from the calculation of the proportions.

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97.5 97.9 96.0
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Day
65.7 71.7 66.5
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Night
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Personal and Community Safety

Crime statistics are produced annually by Victoria Police. Summaries of offences are reported per 100,000 population to enable comparisons across different areas.

In Greater Geelong, there were 641 recorded crimes against the person per 100,000 population in 2006-07 compared to 703 in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 822.

In Greater Geelong, there were 4739 recorded crimes against property per 100,000 population in 2006-07, compared to 4333 in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 5482.

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641 703 822
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Person
4739 4333 5482
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Property
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Lifelong Learning

Home Internet Access was measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked to indicate if the Internet could be accessed from their dwelling, and if so, whether access was via a dial up or broadband connection.

In Greater Geelong, 78.0% of persons lived in households that had Internet access of any form at their dwelling, compared to 75.4% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 78.9%.

Of the total population of Greater Geelong, 57.7% lived in households that had home Internet access via a broadband connection, compared to 53.6% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 61.1%.

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78.0 75.4 78.9
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Internet
57.7 53.6 61.1
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Broadband
Healthy Safe and Inclusive Communities - Lifelong Learning

The activities of young people who have left school have been sourced from customised 2006 Census tables obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These data describe the level of engagement in work and study activities of 15-19 year-olds who are not attending school. This population can be categorised into three major groups: fully engaged school leavers are defined as those who are involved in work and/or non-school study (including university, TAFE and vocational training) on a full-time basis; disengaged school leavers are defined as those who are not involved in any work or study activities at all; and the remaining school leavers are defined as partly engaged. The percentage of fully engaged and disengaged school leavers are presented below.

Engaged or Disengaged: In Greater Geelong, 66.1% of 15-19 year-old school leavers were fully engaged in work or non-school study, compared to 65.8% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 71.9%. Furthermore, 18.1% were disengaged, compared to 18.4% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 15.4%.

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66.1 65.8 71.9
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Engaged
18.1 18.4 15.4
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Disengaged
Dynamic Resilient Local Economies - Economic Activity

A skilled workforce in a community is an essential component of a strong local economy. For this indicator, highly skilled has been defined as ossupations with ANZSCO Skill Levels 1-3. The data have been collated from customised Census tables obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

52.7% of employed persons working in Greater Geelong worked in highly skilled occupations compared to 54.3% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 56.3%.

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52.7 54.3 56.3
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Dynamic Resilient Local Economies - Employment

The employment rate has been calculated from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census. This employment to population ratio describes the percentage of persons aged 15 years or older who are employed.

Of those aged 15 years or older and living in Greater Geelong, 56.9% were employed, compared to 58.8% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 60.9%.

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56.9 58.8 60.9
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Dynamic Resilient Local Economies - Income and Wealth

Median Equivalised Household Income has been calculated from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census. Equivalising income adjusts the total income of the household according to the number of persons and household type.

Median Equivalised Gross Weekly Household Income for Greater Geelong was $542, compared to $537 in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of $600.

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542 537 600
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Dynamic Resilient Local Economies - Income and Wealth

Food Security was measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked if there had been any times in the previous 12 months when they had run out of food and could not afford to buy more.

2.5% of persons living in Greater Geelong had experienced food insecurity, compared to 3.8% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 6.0%.

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2.5 3.8 6.0
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Dynamic Resilient Local Economies - Skills

Educational qualifications are an important resource enabling individuals and their communities an opportunity to engage in the knowledge economy. The percentage of people living in Greater Geelong who had Tertiary or TAFE qualifications has been calculated from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census.

Of those living in Greater Geelong, 47.8% of persons aged 25 years and over had tertiary or TAFE qualifications, compared to 46.5% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 50.7%.

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47.8 46.5 50.7
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Dynamic Resilient Local Economies - Work-Life Balance

Work-Life Balance was measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Employed respondents were asked whether they agreed that "their work and family life often interfere with each other".

49.8% of employed persons living in Greater Geelong disagreed or strongly disagreed that their work and family life often interfere with each other, and felt that they had a good balance of work and family. This is compared to 49.4% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 53.0%.

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49.8 49.4 53.0
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Sustainable Built and Natural Environments - Housing

One measure of Housing Affordability has been calculated through customised 2006 Census tables obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data show the percentage of households spending 30% or more of their gross household income on rent or mortgage payments.

16.3% of households in Greater Geelong were spending 30% or more of gross household income on rent or mortgage payments, compared to 14.9% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 17.7%.

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16.3 14.9 17.7
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Sustainable Built and Natural Environments - Transport Accessibility

Transport Limitations were measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked if their day-to-day travel had been limited or restricted in the previous 12 months.

15.7% of persons living in Greater Geelong had experienced transport limitations in the previous year, compared to 16.4% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 20.3%.

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15.7 16.4 20.3
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Sustainable Built and Natural Environments - Water

Household Water Conservation was measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked if their household had engaged in a list of water conservation methods, including the collection of waste water from washing machines, showers or sinks.

91.6% of persons living in Greater Geelong were in households that collect waste water, compared to 78.2% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 74.8%.

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91.6 78.2 74.8
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Sustainable Built and Natural Environments - Waste Management

Data on Household Waste Recycling are obtained from an annual survey conducted by Sustainability Victoria which collects information on the kerbside service activities provided by local government. An average of 490kg of garbage was collected per household from kerbside collections in Victoria in 2005-06.

57% of household waste collected in kerbside collections in Greater Geelong was recycled in 2005-06, compared to the Victorian State average kerbside recycling rate of 40%.

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57 n 40
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Culturally Rich and Vibrant Communities - Arts and Cultural Activities

Participation in Arts and Culture was measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked if they had participated in a range of activities in the previous month, including painting, drawing, art and craft, playing musical instruments, singing, writing and performing.

50.1% of persons in Greater Geelong had participated in at least one of the selected artistic and cultural activities in the previous month, compared to 49.6% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 46.6%.

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50.1 49.6 46.6
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Culturally Rich and Vibrant Communities - Cultural Diversity

Victorians' opinions on Cultural Diversity were measured in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked if they agreed that "it is a good thing for a society to be made up of people from different cultures".

91.9% of persons in Greater Geelong agreed or strongly agreed that cultural diversity is a good thing for a society, compared to 89.5% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 89.4%.

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91.9 89.5 89.4
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
Democratic and Engaged Communities - Citizen Engagement

Data on the participation of Victorians in selected forms of Citizen Engagement were collected in the 2007 Community Indicators Victoria Survey. Respondents were asked if they had attended a town meeting or public hearing, met, called or written to a local politician, joined a protest or signed a petition in the previous 12 months.

67.3% of persons in Greater Geelong had engaged in at least one of the selected activities in the previous year, compared to 68.1% in the Barwon South West Region and the Victorian State average of 53.8%.

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67.3 68.1 53.8
Greater Geelong Barwon South West Victoria
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2008
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