What would Geelong look like without philanthropy?
By Zoe Waters, Executive Director Barwon Health Foundation
Pause for a moment and imagine Geelong without philanthropy. What does it look like to you?
When writing this week’s column, I asked myself that very question. And I found it surprisingly difficult to answer. Not because Geelong wouldn’t exist without philanthropy but because it wouldn’t be the Geelong I know and love. A city shaped by generosity, foresight and a deep belief in community. Philanthropy, I believe, is our city’s superpower.
Not only in the sense of people donating money to make things better, but in the truest definition of philanthropy “for the love of humankind”.
The reason it’s hard to imagine a Geelong without philanthropy is because generosity is everywhere here. It’s in our sporting clubs, within the grounds of our local schools, behind the scenes of our arts and cultural life, shaping community spaces, and even in the streets we drive along each day. It’s so embedded that we often stop noticing it. But when we pause and reflect, the impact of true philanthropy becomes much, much clearer.
Take the McKellar Centre in North Geelong as one example. Built on land donated by sisters Ernestine and Catharine McKellar in the 1940s, their gift was not simply a parcel of land. It became a hub for rehabilitation, aged care and community health - touching thousands of lives every year. That kind of vision, generosity and foresight is what creates lasting impact.
Or consider the Adrian Costa Clinical Trials Centre, established by the Costa family’s leadership and generosity. Today, it is Victoria’s first regional centre for clinical trials, allowing people in Geelong, and beyond, to access cutting-edge research in cardiology, oncology, infectious diseases and more, close to home. Without this philanthropic leadership, many patients would face fewer options and far less hope.
Even beyond health, philanthropy has shaped the wider region we love. The Great Ocean Road, built as a memorial to the soldiers who served in World War I, was made possible through community fundraising alongside the determination of returned soldiers and leaders like Geelong’s Howard Hitchcock. It stands not only as a breathtaking coastal drive, but as a lasting symbol of community spirit and remembrance - connecting towns, people and generations.
Closer to home, many of our community housing providers, food relief organisations and family violence services across our region are sustained by philanthropic trusts, local donors and bequests. Conservation groups protecting the Barwon River, the Bellarine coastline and surrounding landscapes are often powered by philanthropic funding and volunteer generosity.
Without these gifts of land, resources and belief in the future, Geelong would absolutely still exist - but it would be a very different, less connected place. Fewer opportunities for care, research and innovation. Fewer reminders of what we value as a community.
Philanthropy is about looking beyond ourselves and choosing to invest in something bigger. It’s the belief that everyone deserves access to care, opportunity and dignity. And as I look around at what has been built by people who believe in our philosophy that ‘Geelong deserves the very best’, I can’t help but feel inspired by what we can continue to achieve together.
Philanthropy is our superpower.
Because of it, Geelong’s heart doesn’t just survive - it thrives. And that’s something worth celebrating every day.
