An appointment with a nail technician turned Gail Blair’s passion for beauty therapy into a career.
“She suggested that I’d make a good beauty therapist,” the Touch of Eden owner says.
“Even as a little girl I used to pamper my mum. I massaged her face and played with her hands.”
The technician’s suggestion led to Gail, then 39, enrolling at Geelong College of Beauty Therapy.
At the time it was a “pretty big thing to do”, she says.
Gail earned a diploma and her first job in the beauty industry.
“I got the job with the Victorian Paramedical Skin and Body Centre in South Yarra and worked there for just on two years.”
Then Gail’s daughter’s suggested she set up her own business.
Touch of Eden has now been operating at Newtown for 18 years.
Gail and her three staff now provide various beauty services with the latest tools of the trade.
“We have all this new equipment, including two IPL hair treatment machines to do various skn, body and face treatments,” she explains.
“Back in 2000 I was the first in Geelong to bring IPL and LED light therapy to Geelong.”
Touch of Eden services include everything from fat cavitation, tattoo removal and skin treatments through to electrolysis, needling procedures, teeth-whitening, E-candling, manicures and pedicures.
“We’re a one-stop skin and body centre for beauty aspects,” Gail says.
Touch of Eden is open at 1A Fairview Avenue, Newtown, Tuesday to Saturday and by appointment on Mondays.
More information is available by phoning 5222 8282 or visiting touchofeden.com.au

Geelong Gallery is delighted to be the exclusive Victorian venue for the 2017 Archibald Prize. High profile, eagerly anticipated and often controversial, the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ Archibald Prize is Australia’s favourite art award, and one of its most prestigious.
Awarded to the best portrait painting, it’s a who’s who of Australian culture, with subjects often including politicians, celebrities, sporting heroes, authors and artists.
Since its inception in 1921, the Archibald Prize has been engaging art enthusiasts, and challenging the way we see ourselves and our society. Over the years, the prize has been awarded to many of Australia’s most prominent artists.
Forty three portraits are exhibited in this year’s exhibition including 2017 Archibald Prize winner Mitch Cairns for his portrait of partner and artist Agatha Gothe-Snape and the Packing Room Prize winner Peter Smeeth for his portrait of Lisa Wilkinson AM.
Did you know? Christened John Feltham, JF Archibald was born in Geelong West on 14 January, 1856, and lived in the region beginning his journalism career in Warnambool when he was 15 years old. Furthermore, a number of finalists in the 2017 Archibald Prize have connections to the region. Artist Kate Beynon was the winner of the 2016 Geelong contemporary art prize, Sophia Hewson was schooled in Geelong while William H. Luke and sitter Remy van de Wiel have decades of involvement in the Geelong region spending their summers on the Surf Coast.
For more information or to book tickets to the 2017 Archibald Prize visit archibaldgeelong.com.au
Open daily 10am to 5pm and Fridays until 8pm, at 55 Little Malop Street, phone 5229 3645.

She’s a mum of two, a business owner and the longest-serving chair of Geelong’s largest and oldest lobby group – but what Kylie Warne really wants is “old-school roller skates”. ELISSA FRIDAY meets Geelong Chamber of Commerce’s charming frontwoman.

Kylie, where did you grow up?

I’m a Geelong girl, the daughter of an immigrant from Latvia and my mum was born in Geelong. I attended Bell Post Hill primary and Bell Park High, so I’m a northern suburbs girl!
I graduated from Deakin before moving to Melbourne in the early 1990s, where I worked for a series of multinationals for about a dozen years – the I met a boy, came back to Geelong and had a family.
Brett and I have two beautiful boys, Mitchell, 9, and Toby, 7. We moved to Bannockburn around three years ago – we’re on some acreage but run our business from Pakington Street.

What inspired you to join Geelong Chamber of Commerce?

In the mid 2000s I’d just started my business and it was recommended to me that I should join the chamber because running a small business can be quite lonely.
For as long as I’ve known it the chamber has always provided fantastic opportunities for networking and for personal and professional development. I’d started my business only recently prior to joining and saw that it had real potential and scope to welcome the next generations of entrepreneurs in business, so I accepted an invitation to join the board.

How did you initially get involved?

I became a director in 2008 and I’d had a small business for about two years. When I joined the chamber I was six months pregnant with my first child and felt really passionate about flying the flag on behalf of other people in small business, particularly women.

What’s the chamber’s main purpose?

To represent the interests of businesses in the Geelong region and to make sure business is getting a fair deal.
The chamber wants its members to be able to grow and employ and create jobs for local Geelong people, so it’s a fantastic organisation with a really great purpose.

How big is the chamber?

We have over 900 members who in turn employ a third of Geelong’s workforce, so we’re not just about small business. Ninety-seven per cent of our members are small businesses, so we call ourselves the voice of business.
But also among our membership are the region’s largest employers. We have councils that are members, not-for-profits and government agencies.

The chamber’s membership fluctuated over the years, so how did you build it?

It was bit of a surprise to be elected as chair in 2013. It was really only supposed to be for a two-year period but I’m now enjoying my fifth year as president.
The very first board meeting I chaired I spoke to our board about being a high-performance team and that everything we do at the chamber has to be about strategic intent and good, solid governance. Really, everything we’ve worked together as a team for over the last five years has been built on the first discussion held around our boardroom table.
In that time we’ve grown our membership by 30 per cent. We continue to attract and retain really loyal corporate partners – we help to promote their products and services and the help promote us back into the business community.
I’m so proud and satisfied with how the chamber is faring these days and I think we’re one of the largest representative organisations in Geelong.

What are your thoughts on women in leadership positions in Geelong?

I’ve never set out to be a leader. I’ve really just followed what I’m passionate about and I really never think of gender in my day-to-day activities.
I do think it’s really important that women send the elevator down to younger women who do aspire to be leaders and maybe managers in organisations, or in fact small business owners. If roughly 50 per cent of our population are women then it’s logical that women should have just as important influential roles to play in leadership positions as well as in business.
Hopefully, when I finish my time at the chamber I’ll have left a small legacy for people in small business, particularly for female entrepreneurs.

How do all the local women in leadership positions get on together?

We’re a very supportive bunch of girls. I feel like I can contact any of the other women and men in the space and always receive sage advice and also draw on their wisdom.
Geelong has an amazing cohort of women who head up many of the region’s peak businesses, not-for-profits, and government institutions – we’re spoilt for women in leadership positions. I think that really speaks to the calibre of people we have in the region and that so many are females.

Since you do so much public-speaking for the chamber, any tips for the rest of us?

Every month I speak to about 300 people at the chamber’s After Fives. I really enjoy that because I get to speak to, really, 300 friends who are all in business together, so I feel like we’re all cut from the same cloth.
Just recently I just spoke to another crowd of 300 in my role as chair of the Barwon Regional Partnership and that was a very different audience, a lot of community members, mums and dads and young people.
If you want to aspire to be a leader public speaking is par for the course. You need to feel comfortable putting yourself in situations under pressure and deliver a message that resonates with an audience.
I’ve developed confidence over a number of years but there are always opportunities to improve – you’re never perfect.

The After Five networking events look popular. What’s the feedback like?

Chamber members and our corporate members really enjoy an opportunity to get together once a month, have a glass of wine, a beer or lemonade, and share their stories and potentially do business with each other.
Running a business, particularly a small business, is not for the faint-hearted, so it’s really important to surround yourself with people who get it and have your back and understand it can be tough.
It’s a networking opportunity and a fantastic market-research opportunity. You get a great insight into what’s happening around the town.

Any particularly noteworthy events or achievements with the chamber?

When I became president in 2013 we had a very large board and we’ve managed to halve the number of board members. Now we can make better decisions and it’s easier for us to implement innovation, so the nett effect is better products and services for chamber members.
I’ve also had the privilege of representing the chamber at Canberra’s Parliament House and at Spring Street in Melbourne as well as at councils, so our members should feel that their best interests are being advocated for at all levels of government.
We work with both sides of politics – we’re an independent organisation.

What are the opportunities and the future for Geelong?

Recently I represented the chamber as part of a delegation to Canberra to attract the federal ComCare department to Geelong. It’s terrific to attract larger employers whether they’re from private companies or the government sector but, really, I think that Geelong’s future is about the entrepreneur.
We have a vibrant start-up community in the region. I’d like my my two little boys to one day be able to aspire to run their own businesses if they want to, or to create new things that people can purchase and engage with.
I’d like to think that Geelong becomes even more resilient and creative than it is today and that we can continue to drive forward our entrepreneurial spirit into the future.

What new things have you learnt along the way?

Looking at Geelong, I’m always so impressed with how many people are civic-minded and caring. Geelong has one of the highest levels of philanthropy in Australia, so we’re a community that has been through many hard knocks over the last decade but we continue to get ourselves up off the ground, dust ourselves off and keep going.
Geelong just keeps going from strength to strength and that’s a real testament to all of our community members, particularly the people who put themselves forward every day to really put back into the community and to help it go forward in a sustainable manner.

What about your own business, Brand Bureau?

I started it on the kitchen bench back in 2006. Like many small businesses I didn’t have any money really to invest in it, so it was just me and my laptop.
Today we employ four people and provide strategic marketing, graphic design and public relations services. We have clients across Australia, from governments to not-for-profits and the private sector.
Last year we won a Victorian public sector marketing award, so that was really exciting for all of the team.
I want to keep the business small – I’m so busy with everything else I have in my life. I couldn’t be active in my other roles if it weren’t for the fantastic support that I have from the team, not to mention my husband and broader family and friendship circles.

What about your down-time?

You’d find me immersed in water. I love swimming, always have.
I train twice a week with a coach to get my technique a little better. I try to swim in a few open-water races over summer, pier-to-pub sort of races.
Being a woman in her forties, I try to keep fit and healthy. Also because I have two small boys, I think it’s important that their mother is a good role model by keeping fit and in shape.
I also love drawing but unfortunately don’t have a lot of time to explore my creative pursuits. I love cartooning and one day I’d love to do a course in painting and sketching.
And I also love old-school roller skating – I hope Santa brings me a pair for Christmas.

In the late ’70s the current owner of Australian Window Fashions secured a job with a local firm that manufactured and installed all types of furnishings for windows.
“The first thing the boss taught me was how to use a metric tape measure,” Carl Paolini says.
“At school I was tutored in the imperial system, so it took a bit to get used to 2130mm instead of 85 and 1/4 inches but after 40 years of measuring windows in metric I think I’m getting used to it.”
Carl started his own business in 1984.
“Having spent so many years in the industry I’ve witnessed the cycles. In the ’70s it was drapes and Terylene, in the ’80s it was vertical blinds, in the ’90s it was slim-line and timber venetians, and in the early 2000s Roman blinds took over.”
Then roller blinds began taking over on the back of the introduction of sunscreen fabric.
Today the upcoming product seems to be plantation shutters, Carl says.
“Some people would not agree with me but that’s how I see it.
“Mind you, all the products I’ve mentioned are still used today. They all have their own particular advantages and disadvantages but there’s always one product that customers are keener on than others.”
Technology has also made an impact with motorisation available for just about anything,” Carl says.
Anyone looking to buy window coverings should decide what they need before looking, he advises.
“Privacy, light, heat and glare from the sun, internal heat retention and decoration are the things to think about.
“If your window faces south you don’t need to worry about the sun streaming in. If no-one can look in through your windows you don’t have privacy issues.
“Once you know what you need you can choose a product that will make you happy.”
Carl refuses to think of himself as a salesperson.
“I hate selling stuff,” he declares.
“I like to help my customers choose what they need. My office produces a written quotation within 24 hours and then it’s up to the customer to buy if they wish to purchase.
“That’s how I prefer to do business.”

“We train for the sport of life,” says Geelong Boxing and Obstacle Training’s Jase Lydom.
Now operating out of South Geelong’s The Funhouse, owner and head coach Jase established the business nine years ago but has been operating at its current venue for 12 months.
Jase has set up an obstacle training venue like no other in Victoria. Ten of the season one Australian Ninja Warrior competitors trained at The Funhouse in the lead up to filming.
Jase has competed in over 60 obstacle-course races in Australia, the US and the UK over the past five years. He enjoys endurance events such as the 24-hour World’s Toughest Mudder, in which he has competed four times.
He recently placed second in a 200km obstacle race in Brisbane and also participanted in season one of Australian Ninja Warrior.
He believes in setting a good example for his clients.
Jase says obstacle training provides a great full-body workout.
“The specific obstacle skills really take you back to our primal movements of climbing, crawling, carrying, pushing and pulling.”
Jase has clients from “all walks of life” at Geelong Boxing and Obstacle, including children, university students, tradies, professionals, parents and members in their sixties.
“We train clients for specific events like Tough Mudder, Spartan Race amd Miss Muddy and we’re excited about our Mini Ninja classes starting in term four.
“We cater for all fitness levels and our timetable offers a fantastic variety for everyone.”
Jase and the team at GBOT, focus on the fundamentals, with clients.
“Being aware of what your body can do, load management and sticking to a healthy, balanced lifestyle are important,” he advises.
Among the instructors at The Funhouse, are an exercise physiologist, an Australian Spartan Team representative, an exercise and sports science student and a dedicated yoga instructor.
Offering weekly membership with unlimited access to all classes, Geelong Boxing and Obstacle Training is at 32-34 Raptor Place, South Geelong. Phone 0432 296 926, check them out on social media or visit their website geelongboxing.com.au

You reach your hand into the shower cubicle and go to turn on the tap but first you notice for the umpteenth time that gorgeous custom-made splashback staring back.
The artwork is exquisite. The attention to detail is obvious.
And you never tire of gazing into the unique craftsmanship in your own bathroom.
The splashback is, of course, from Wathaurong Glass and Arts. The team is proudly Geelong and proudly Indigenous.
The North Geelong-based business was formed in 1998 to help express Aboriginal art through glass-making. It’s a not-for-profit business and all employees are Indigenous.
Indeed, you don’t have to take a shower to enjoy the artwork of Wathaurong’s custom-made splashbacks. The team can design your own kitchen splashback as well.
These stunning artistic masterpieces add value to your home and will have your guests talking.
Based at North Geelong, Wathaurong Glass and Arts has developed a reputation for products that add a special element to private and commercial premises.
The staff use techniques including kiln-forming, sandblasting and other processes as deemed necessary to produce high-quality glass products reflecting local Indigenous culture.
Formed in 1998, the business takes great pride in producing unique Aboriginal artwork with a functional edge.
Wathaurong also specialises in doors and window glass, glass art panels, glass plaques, glass signage, mirrors and furnishing.
They even make the annual ‘Dreamtime at the G’ medal for the best player in the Richmond versus Essendon AFL match.
The name ‘Wathaurong’ (wathawurrung or wadda wurrung) is a recognised tribe, that consisted of 25 groups (clans). The boundaries of Wathaurong are from Geelong, north to the Werribee River, north-west to Bacchus Marsh, south-west to Cressy, south-east to Colac, east to Lorne and north back to Geelong encompassing the Bellarine Peninsula.
Buying from Wathaurong Glass is putting your money back into the community.
Visit the website wathaurongglass.com.au, or visit Wathaurong Glass at 16 Rodney Road, North Geelong.

A relative’s overseas travel led to a career change with a difference for Tim Carr.
After 26 years teaching at Matthew Flinders Girls’ Secondary College in Geelong, he now has a thriving business running Segway tours at Leura Park Estate and along Geelong’s waterfront.
Customers have been flocking to Segway Geelong since 2015 for the novelty of riding one of the world’s most-innovative vehicles.
“I love it,” Tim says.
“My brother-in-law came across Segway tours in New Zealand and saw this as a really fun activity which was not being widely offered in Australia.
“I meet a lot of people from all over Australia and overseas. It’s like teaching, in that you get satisfaction in seeing someone learning a new skill relatively quickly.
“By the time people have finished their tour they’re very confident and experts at riding them.”
Tim conducts Segway tours daily.
“I train everybody on location and they all get the hang of it about five minutes.”
Tim’s Leura Park tour takes 90 minutes, while the waterfront ride lasts an hour.
The tours of the Geelong waterfront cost $50.
At Leura Park Estate, customers can choose a Segway and Dine experience combining the tour and lunch fromThursdays to Sunday for $128. A Segway tour alone costs $80.
Tim’s electric, all-terrain Segways reach a maximum speed of 20km/h.
“I’m the only one I’m aware of offering Segway tours in public places in Victoria, so Geelong’s in the forefront on that one,” he declares.
Popular for kids’ birthday games, birthday activities, Christmas break-ups and adult birthdays, Segway Geelong is also available for corporate team-building activities.
“Riding a Segway gives adults license to be playful as well as to learn a new skill.
“Vouchers are a really popular, too, and a great idea for Christmas,” Tim advises.

After nearly a decade as a personal trainer, Goodlife Health Clubs’ Jason Vernon has heard all the usual questions from all sorts of clients about achieving fitness goals.
“They range from the simple to not so simple but there’s a common thread: how do I lose weight,” Jason says.
“My answer is always the same: consistency.
“Consistency is the key ingredient that 95 per cent of people seem to neglect on their health and fitness journeys.”
Keeping nutrition in check while also maintaining a consistent weight-training regime is sometimes overlooked, Jason says.
He recommends resistance training as the most-effective way of using stored energy.
“By using resistance to challenge the body it’s forced to respond by becoming stronger and more resilient to the stress of resistance training,” Jason explains.
“Putting ourselves under this kind of stress helps our muscles to efficiently utilise glycogen, or stored energy, leaving us with a much steadier blood sugar level throughout the day. Keeping on top of this helps tremendously with people suffering from diabetes, including onset diabetes, which is an ever-growing health issue in our society.”
Jason also recommends resistance training as “fantastic” for bone density, tendon strength and muscle elasticity, crucial for ageing people.
Many studies show the positive long-term effects of safe and guided resistance training with people over the age of 40.
“Whether it’s free-weighted movements or machines, having a resistance training program in your weekly routine will bring you tremendous benefits in both the short and long term,” Jason advises.
“Using the aid of experienced personal trainers to correctly guide you through the safest and most effective movements for you is highly recommended.
“I’ve been utilising resistance training with my clients at Goodlife Health Clubs of all ages and fitness levels for almost 10 years with great success. A good personal trainer will guide and support you to help ensure you reach your health and fitness goals.”

“It’s more than accommodation,” says Heather Kolb of her stunning Qii House.
“It’s the transformative travel component that adds to the Qii House experience; the therapeutic aspects that may benefit health and well-being.”
Heather’s “spiritual spa destination” Qii House is situated on two hectares at Lorne,
She purchased the property back in 2007 for its “calm and inspired energy”, transforming the house and grounds over the next 10 years.
Among the recent improvements is an outdoor Japanese-inspired bath house for “forestry therapy”, Heather explains.
“I always thought I’d like to have an outdoor bath because I ripped the bath out of the house and put a shower there instead to make more space.
“I’ve read about them in Japan and the Netherlands and the therapy surrounding an outdoor bath and engaging in nature, so I designed my own version of what I thought would be authentic.”
Big enough for two, the bespoke bath is encased in bamboo and with its lid embellished by a medallion depicting mermaids and fish, hand-made by artisans in Haiti from recycled oil drums. Oil-rubbed bronze Mooni waterfall taps add a further dash of style.
Partly covered, the bath house includes two day beds and is arranged around a giant tree fern.
“It’s actually coming through the floor,” Heather says.
She considers the bath house an “enhancer” to the existing experience at Qii House.
“In the hot tub you could meditate, use eucalyptus oil, even have a glass of champagne, lay back and inhale the aromas of the forest and just be in the moment – whatever floats your boat,” she laughs.
“It’s a perfect way to engage all your senses.”
Heather describes Qii House as an “innate, lived experience”, inspired by the “good energy” of its Otways environment.
The facility has been nominated for RACV’s Business Excellence Awards for Tourism, with Heather planning to submit an entry in the Unique/Eco Tourism category.

INGREDIENTS
6 green prawns, tails intact.
1 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves, plus 1/4 cup extra.
1 tsp lime juice.
1/2 tsp garlic, crushed.
1/2 tsp sweet paprika to dust prawns.
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil.
1 sweet corn cobbette, cooked, kernels removed.
4 grape tomatoes, halved.
1 tbs cooked black beans, rinsed, drained.
1 tbs spring onions, thinly sliced.
10g butter, chopped.
1/4 fresh jalapeno chilli, finely chopped.
1 tsp lime juice.
1 tsp honey.
Mixed lettuce leaves.
Lime cheeks, to serve.

METHOD
1. Preheat oil and garlic in pan. Season prawns with paprika mix. Cook, turning, for half a minute or until nicely coloured. Transfer to a plate.
2. Combine the corn, tomato, black beans, extra chopped coriander, mixed lettuce, spring onions and oil in a large bowl.
3. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium high heat. Simmer for a minute or until foaming. Stir in chilli for a minute or until butter is light golden. Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice and honey.
4. Divide corn salad mixture among serving plates. Top with prawns. Drizzle with butter sauce. Serve with lime cheeks.

Fashion and fine art feature in a new exhibition at Geelong’s National Wool Museum until 19 November.
The Art of Wool matches award-winning garments by International Woolmark Prize designers with inspirational paintings and artworks from leading Australian artists.
The exhibition shows the significance of wool in the artistic and design imagination of Australia from the 19th century through to today.
The exhibition features paintings drawn from the exquisite collections of the New England Regional Art Museum, including the work of Sydney Long, Thomas Cooper, Blamire Young and Emily Kame Kngwarreye. Their artworks are paired with the avant-garde fashion designs from the International Woolmark Prize archive at The Woolmark Company, including the work of Alistair Trung, Christopher Esber, Dion Lee and Strateus Carlucci.
The visually stunning blending of art and innovative fashion design is aimed at showcasing the quality of Australian wool.
Presented by The Woolmark Company and the New England Regional Art Museum, The Art of Wool has assistance from the Federal Government’s Ministry of Arts Visions of Australia program.

Osborne House has fascinated Cheryl Scott ever since she first met with like-minded residents in property’s stable in 1995 to protect its history.
With the mansion in indefinite lockdown 22 years later, due to mould, and its future in doubt, Cheryl dives into the past of her favourite Geelong icon.

Few properties in Australia have a history that compares to Osborne House.
This iconic, heritage-listed property on the cliffs above Corio Bay has a past which Geelong can be justifiably proud of.
Pastoralist Robert Muirhead commissioned the house in 1858, naming it for the summer residence of Queen Victoria, according to family folklore.
But after only four years, Robert fell from his horse and died. His wife Mary died a year later after reportedly ingesting poison.
Exhumation and a Coroner’s inquest later confirmed the original death certificate of “congestion of the brain”.
They are buried together at Eastern Cemetery.
Several wealthy pastoralists bought or leased the property over the next four decades.
John Lang Currie, who later became a State MP, resided there between1865-73 and eminent merino sheep breeder and arts patron Philip Russell lived there from 1888 to 1900.
Phillip added a large bluestone extension, bred polo ponies and established the Non-Descripts cricket club.
In 1900 the State Government purchased Osborne House for use as Governor Sir Reginald Talbot’s summer residence but he declined to visit and it remained empty.
When the Geelong Harbour Trust formed in 1905, they purchased Osborne House from the State intending to lease it to raise money.
May Parrington of South Yarra agreed to a four-year lease providing the trust added a ballroom or dining room and seven bedrooms so she could operate a “high class” guest house.
They did, at a cost of 2912 pounds but she left after one year, owing 250 pounds.
Meanwhile, the Australian Government sought to establish a naval training college on Federal territory but its Jervis Bay location would not be ready for several years.
Osborne House became the first Royal Australian Naval College (1913-1915) with the first two intakes of cadet midshipmen from across the country undertaking officer training.
Several, including John Collins and Harold Farncomb, went on to forge distinguished naval careers.
In 1916, following the cadets’ departure to NSW, the Defence Department converted Osborne House to a convalescent hospital for servicemen returning from WWI.
By year’s end, the men were redeployed, discharged or relocated to McLeod.
Adie-Grace Collins, whose husband owned a large mansion named Moorak in Newtown, was heavily involved in the war effort.
She used her social influence to successfully lobby the then Defence Minister for Osborne House to become a Red Cross Rest Home for war worn nurses.
In August 1917 Osborne House opened as Victoria’s first nurses’ convalescent home and where Grace worked tirelessly with Amy Blakiston of the Red Cross Home Hospitals Committee.
In 1920 the Defence Department again required the property and the nurses were relocated to “Wyuna” on Western Beach.
When Britain gifted Australia six J Class submarines Osborne House became Australia’s first submarine base for two years until 1929.
Again Osborne House sat vacant until the Shire of Corio (previously located in Lara) purchased it in 1937 for their municipal offices.
Apart from five years during WWII, when the shire relocated to Geelong to allow the army to base their transport training facility there, it was the shire’s headquarters for 52 years.
Successive Geelong councils have failed to determine a future for Osborne House following the amalgamation of the city’s municipalities in 1993.
Until April the stables hosted Geelong Maritime Museum and community groups leased the ground floor areas and promoted its history with exhibitions.
But the City locked down the grand old building due to costly maintenance issues, making it unavailable to the public for the foreseeable future.
Osborne House is a magnificent community asset with a grand history and tourism potential but it will require vision, determination and money to bring at back to life.
But look what the residents of Ballarat did with a mining slag heap – it’s now Sovereign Hill.