In the 1970s, an oil crisis and rising wave of globalization led national government to drop tariff barriers to stimulate growth. For Greater Geelong, the shock was tremendous. Its manufacturing sector collapsed, beginning an economic decline that went on for decades. But by 2023, the city’s gross regional product (GRP), at A$19.6 billion, was the third fastest growing among large regional areas, with employment expanding at double the rate of population growth.

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Learn from Greater Geelong and 9 other communities in Developing a Stronger Community, a discount bundle of courses in the Community Accelerator online training program. Greater Geelong is profiled in the course on Engaging the Community in Positive Change. Produced in partnership with Economic Development Australia and the Economic Developers Association of Canada.

How did Greater Geelong do it? ICF tells the story in an online profile - one of hundreds on our site that takes you inside technology-centric development of communities that builds inclusive prosperity, strengthens societies and enriches local culture.

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Economic and community development think tank the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) has named Geelong one of its Top7 Intelligent Communities for the region’s Smart Cities efforts.

The announcement was made this week at the conclusion of the global network’s hybrid live-online conference based in Durham Region, Ontario, Canada.

Communities from Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and Vietnam become finalists for Intelligent Community of the Year to be named at the ICF Summit in October

(New York, NY, USA & Durham Region, ON, Canada – June 20, 2023) – In an announcement today at the conclusion of a two-day hybrid live and online conference, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) named the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2023. The 21st annual Top7 list includes cities and counties from Australia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and Vietnam. One of these seven finalists in the think tank’s annual awards program will be named the Intelligent Community of the Year at the ICF Summit in October. (www.icfsummit.com)

In alphabetical order, the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2023 are:

• Binh Duong Smart City, Vietnam
• Coral Gables, Florida, USA
• Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
• Durham Region, Ontario, Canada
• Greater Geelong, Victoria, Australia
• Hilliard, Ohio, USA
• Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia