Geelong West, Victoria

Infobox Australian Place | type = suburb
name = Geelong West
city = Geelong
state = vic

---

caption = Pakington St, Geelong West in 1906.
lga = City of Greater Geelong
postcode = 3218
pop = 12,121 (2006)Census 2006 AUS | id = SSC22046 | name = Geelong West (State Suburb) | accessdate = 2007-10-01 | quick = on]
area =
propval = [http://www.domain.com.au/Public/SuburbReport.aspx?searchTerm=3218 $287,500] (2008)
stategov =
fedgov =
near-nw = Hamlyn Heights
near-n = North Geelong
near-ne = Drumcondra
near-w = Manifold Heights
near-e = Geelong
near-sw =
near-s = Newtown
near-se = South Geelong
dist1 =
location1=

Geelong West is a commercial and residential suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. When Geelong was founded, the area was known as Kildare but its name was changed to Geelong West in 1875. The main street is Pakington Street.

History

Ashby was once a suburb of Geelong located in the area of Geelong West, west of Latrobe Terrace, between Aberdeen Street and Church Street. By 1850 this area had become known as Little Scotland, and Kildare. At this point, Ashby referred to the area between Autumn Street and Waratah Street.

In 1875 the entire Ashby area was renamed West Geelong. The Ashby state school, which had only opened that same year, changed its name to Geelong West. In 1988, as part of Australia's bicentennial celebrations, the school changed its name back to Ashby. A Post Office named Geelong West opened on 1 July 1865 but was replaced and renamed Geelong North Railway Station in 1886. On 1 April 1887 the Geelong West office reopened near its present location. Citation
last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocdwrapper.p?SortBy=VIC&country= | accessdate = 2008-04-11 ]

Geelong West was served by an electric tramway service from 1912 until 1956, [cite web|url=http://www.tmsv.org.au/papers/geelong.htm|title=Geelong tramways - a short history|accessdate=2007-06-13] when the service was replaced by buses subcontracted out to Benders Buslines (currently owned by Kefford Corporation).

The M. Donaghy & Sons rope factory was once located in Pakington St, Geelong West. The site is being developed currently, with plans for a Safeway Supermarket and specialty shops. [cite web|url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2007/07/05/5181_news_pf.html|title=Geelong Advertiser - 'Government approves $12.5 million Ropeworks plan'|accessdate=2007-07-19] Construction commenced in January 2008.

J F Archibald (Archibald Prize)

Journalist and publisher J. F. Archibald was born in Geelong West in 1856. A memorial bust was erected on the corner of Weddell Rd and Shannon Ave in 1956.

Pako Festa

The Pako Festa is an annual festival held in Pakington Street, Geelong West each year around late February. In 2006 it was held on the 25th of February. The festival is held to promote cultural diversity and show appreciation for the artwork and fashion designed by citizens of the Geelong area.

Sport

The suburb has an Australian Rules football team competing in the Geelong Football League Citation | last = Full Points Footy | title = Geelong West Saint Peters | url = http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Geelong_West.htm | accessdate = 2008-07-25 ] and a team competing in the Geelong & District Football League.

ee also

*Clonard College

References

External links

* [http://www.geelong.vic.gov.au/Visiting_Geelong/Towns/Geelong_West/ Official Geelong Council website]
* [http://www.ashbyps.vic.edu.au/ Ashby Primary School]
* [http://localhero.biz/article/permatitle/history_of_geelong_west,_victoria/ Local history of Geelong West]