Find the best schools in Geelong, including government selective entry, Catholic education, and independent schools for families across the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula.
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Geelong has an excellent and compact school system for a regional city. Its proximity to Melbourne means some families access Melbourne private schools, but Geelong has strong options of its own, including one of Victoria's most celebrated independent schools. The region serves families in Geelong city, the Surf Coast (Torquay, Anglesea), the Bellarine Peninsula (Ocean Grove, Queenscliff), and surrounding areas.
Government Schools
Victorian government selective school entry begins at Year 9 (Year 7 entry has been introduced at some Melbourne schools). The main government high schools in Geelong include Geelong High School (East Geelong), Matthew Flinders Girls' Secondary College (Geelong), and Hamlyn Views Campus. Several government primary schools in Newtown, East Geelong, and Highton are consistently well-regarded. Armstrong Creek's new schools are growing to serve the expanding southern Geelong corridor.
Catholic Schools
Catholic Education Diocese of Ballarat operates in the Geelong region. Schools include St Joseph's College (Geelong, Josephite, boys and girls), Iona College (Geelong, co-ed), Sacred Heart College (Newtown, co-ed), and a network of primary schools. Many Catholic schools in Geelong draw from across the region.
Independent Schools
The Geelong College (Newtown, co-ed K-12, Presbyterian) and Geelong Grammar School (Corio, co-ed, one of Australia's most famous schools with the Timbertop Year 9 bush program) dominate Geelong's independent sector. Both are well-funded, co-educational, and academically strong. Fees at both are significant ($25,000-$40,000+).
Finding and Enrolling
Victorian government school enrolments are at education.vic.gov.au. Contact Catholic Diocese of Ballarat and Geelong Grammar/College directly, waiting lists at the top independent schools are long.
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Covering lifestyle in Geelong. This article was generated by AI from the linked sources, under human oversight and our editorial standards. Sensitive material is held for human review before publication. See our editorial standards.
