Geelong & Region Branch

Since 1972 the Geelong and Region Branch has been the Trust’s long-standing voice in Geelong and surrounding areas.

The Branch represents National Trust members in the municipalities of the City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliffe, and the Shires of Moorabool, Golden Plains, Surf Coast and Colac Otway. New members and friends are welcome at any of the Branch’s events and meetings. Meetings are held monthly at venues across the region.

The Branch’s work includes conservation advocacy and community liaison on local heritage issues. The Branch also assists at the four National Trust owned properties in the region.

Please contact the Committee members below for enquiries about particular Branch activities.

Banner Images: Geelong Wool Stores Historic Area, B2729. Classified 1980.

Branch Committee

Graham Hobbs
President
M: 0418 437 355
E: graham.hobbs@outlook.com

Vivienne Lewis
Vice President
M: 0432 563 198
E: vm_lewis@bigpond.com

Janine Wood
Treasurer & Acting Secretary
M: 0417 342 689
E: janinemwood1@gmail.com

Jack Herd
Community Liaison
M: 0458 137 726
E: jackherdartist@gmail.com

Branch Meetings

In 2025, General Branch Meetings will be held three-monthly on the traditional last Tuesday of the month.
New members and friends are welcome at any of the Branch’s events and meetings.

Lock these dates into your calendar now.

2025 Meeting Dates

Tuesday 25 February
2:00pm-4:00pm
Barwon Grange, Newtown
Talk: Using primary historical documents to understand the life of a well-to-do colonial family.

Tuesday 27 May
2:00pm-4:00pm
“Lobster Pot”, Barwon Estuary Heritage Centre, Jetty Rd, Barwon Heads
Tour the display of marine and estuarine history and artefacts.

Thursday 26 June & Saturday 28 June
10:00am-3:30pm
Geelong Showgrounds Museum
World Refrigeration Day (26 June): For those with an interest in industrial heritage and machinery.
Download the flyer here.

Tuesday 1 July
2:00pm-4:00pm
Lt. Malop Street, Geelong
Special Event – Tour of restored Regent Theatre
Please advise Secretary of your attendance by email to: Geelong.Branch@nattrust.com.au

Tuesday 26 August
2:00pm-4:00pm
Annual General Meeting
Switch Room, 1915 Restaurant Federal Mills, 33 Mackey Street, North Geelong
Cam Hamilton, Managing Director of the Federal Mills complex, will give an introductory talk about his company’s development of the site.
Download the AGM notice here.

Tuesday 25 November – Christmas Breakup
2:00pm-4:00pm
The Heights. 140 Aphrasia St. Newtown,

All members are cordially invited to attend our last Members Meeting for 2025. Come along to hear the year’s wrap up and take a tour of the restoration taking place in the stables at The Heights.

Coffee/tea will be provided. If you are inclined to bring along some nibbles please do so but no obligation. We would love to see you there, especially if this would be your first attendance at a Branch Meeting.

Please RSVP to geelong.branch@nattrust.com.au for capacity purposes by COB Sunday 23 Nov.

Further social events between these meetings will cater for those who work and cannot come to weekday meetings. Some exciting opportunities are being negotiated and will be announced when finalised.

Check this site for further updates.

James Harrison (1816-93)

Geelong’s UNESCO Design Week, March 2021 – The Unpredictable James Harrison (1816-93)

Since the Branch’s Exhibition and Live streamed discussion about Harrison (Design Week 2021) has been shown on this web site, enquiries have lead to Branch input to the ABC Landline Program A Very Cool Idea (see below) and in March this year to the filming of another documentary segment, this time by French ARTE TV. It will be screened this year in France and Germany, and relayed by satellite to 47 other countries.

Livestreamed, 19 March 2021 - Harrison’s Geelong admirers discuss the remarkable career of this Scottish/Australian pioneer inventor of refrigeration.
Watch the video or click the button below to listen to the podcast.

Listen to podcast

See also the ABC Landline segment on Harrison, A Very Cool Idea (3.4.2022), which gave Harrison national attention, the segment was one of its series on Australian inventors

Watch 'A Very Cool Idea'

50th Anniversary

An event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Geelong Branch National Trust in April 1972, was held on Sunday 22nd May 2022 3-5pm at The Heights.

In attendance were 100 guests, National Trust members, family, friends and supporters. Special Guest Mr Andrew Logie-Smith, Chair NTAV Board of Directors, addressed the gathering, and Georgia and Hannah Phung Yr 11 Geelong College students played Pachelbel’s Canon in D on keyboard and violin. The anniversary cake was cut by longest continuous members (since 1959), Henry Creswick and Catherine Gray, and youngest Trust member present Jack Herd, and a Toast to the next 50 years was made on this auspicious occasion.

More Information

50th anniversary of the Geelong Branch National Trust Gallery

An event celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the formation of the Geelong Branch National Trust in April 1972, was held on Sunday 22^nd May 2022 3-5pm at The Heights.

In attendance 100 guests, National Trust members, family, friends and supporters.

Toast to the next 50 years (Image Credit: Gail Thomas)

Longest continuous membership (since 1959), Henry Creswick and Catherine Gray, and youngest Trust member present Jack Herd (Image Credit: Gail Thomas)

Event Planning Group students played Pachelbel’s Canon in D on keyboard and violin (Image Credit: Gail Thomas)

Hayden Spurling, Byron Collins, Jennifer Bantow, Geoff Mann – between them a combined NT Branch Presidency and Committee experience of more than 50 yrs (Image Credit: Gail Thomas)

50th anniversary of the Geelong Branch National Trust Billiard Room Display

50^th anniversary Geelong Branch Sunday 22 May 2022

3pm – 5pm at The Heights

Display in the Billiard Room – chronological story of Branch highlights

Catalogue

List of Branch Executive for the last 50 years

Geelong Branch President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer 1972 – 2022

extracted from the National Trust Newsletter, which was sent to members each month, and from Trust Talk the Geelong Branch Newsletter.

‘Barwon Grange’ Geelong Trust Newsletter June 1971 Special Issue
Geelong Branch to be Formed Trust Newsletter November 1971
Launching of Geelong Branch Trust Newsletter April 1972
New Trust Branch at Geelong Trust Newsletter October 1972
Geelong Branch Committee Trust Newsletter October 1972
The Geelong Junior Group Trust Newsletter August 1972
Geelong Branch Women’s Group Inaugural Meeting Trust Newsletter Sept 1972
News from Geelong Trust Newsletter November 1972
How much more devastation can Victoria take? Trust Newsletter March 1973

Tragic losses in Geelong

Portarlington Mill taking shape Trust Newsletter June 1973
Notable Geelong House Classified Trust Newsletter April 1973

Grave Danger at ‘Barwon Bank’ Geelong Trust Newsletter October 1978
Acquisition of ‘Barwon Bank’ Trust Newsletter October 1979

City of Newtown – ‘Armytage House’ Trust Newsletter October 1975
Geelong Branch – membership 855 Trust Newsletter October 1975
Acquisition of The Heights Trust Newsletter October 1976
Disaster at The Heights Trust Newsletter October 1978

Other displays:

National Trust Annual Heritage Festival

Discovering our Heritage education program

Branch proposals for classification of three landscapes

Mr Randall Bell

Captain Chris Gordon and Mrs Kelsey Gordon

Mr Doug Mann

Watch List / Demolition by Neglect

In 2013 the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) commissioned a report to explore the issue of Demolition by Neglect and policy on places in the heritage overlay. The report aimed to produce a model methodology and policies for local governments to deal with locally significant properties threatened by neglect.

Brian Boru Hotel

208A & B Moorabool Street Geelong, built in 1850, heritage overlay HO1637 and HO1062

Built in 1850 by Daniel Hurley who came from Killaloe in Ireland, where Brian Boru, high king of Ireland from 1002 to 1014, was born. The fame of Brian Boru was so great that princes descended from him, and O’Briens were subsequently ranked as one of the chief dynastic families of Ireland.

This important early pre-gold rush building was a well maintained shop with residence on the first floor in 2015. Since it was sold in April that year, the current owner has not kept the building secure. Windows have been removed and doors left open, encouraging vandalism.

Former Brian Boru Hotel 2015

Former Brian Boru Hotel 2020

Former Brian Boru Hotel rear 2020

Victorian Railways Institute

Cnr Latrobe Terrace & Gordon Ave, Geelong

Former Union Bank

76 Yarra St Geelong, built in 1848, heritage overlay HO286

The former Union Bank on the corner of Yarra Street and Little Malop Streets was erected of Barrabool Sandstone in 1848 to Colonial Georgian style designs by architect, Charles Laing. This once impressive two storey structure with distinctive portico, restrained parapet entablature and supporting Colonial Georgian details, has been substantially impaired by construction of a recent shopping arcade around the perimeter walls. Many elements of this early Geelong bank survive intact and the fabric warrants restoration, being a fine example of pre-goldrush architecture in Victoria.