Seventy years ago, a group of visionary individuals came together with a shared dream - a dream to build a place of community, belonging, and positive change. Little did they know that their dedication and foresight would lead to the vibrant, thriving community we see today. We pay homage to those pioneers, who, through their unwavering commitment, set us on a path of excellence and purpose.

2023 the Y in Geelong celebrated seven decades and recognised all those who have contributed to impacting the lives of young people; to our past participants, volunteers, staff, board members and presidents who have steered this ship through the ever-changing seas of time.

They have been the guiding lights, the steady hands, and the driving force behind our mission. Each one has contributed to the unique tapestry of our history, leaving their indelible mark on the YMCA Geelong story.

To our past and present board members, staff and volunteers, your leadership, dedication, and passion have been the bedrock upon which we have built our foundation. Your tireless efforts have transformed countless lives, providing opportunities, support, and a sense of belonging to generations of community members.

As we look back with pride at our history, let us also cast our gaze forward to the bright future that beckons. The Y Geelong of today is a testament to our enduring commitment to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Together, we will continue to innovate and adapt to the evolving needs of our community, ensuring that our legacy remains relevant and impactful for the next 70 years and beyond.

During the 1950’s a provisional committee of Geelong community minded people was formed and would have the stewardship of the Y for the first two years of its operation.

The reaction of the Geelong people to the venture provided hope of Y activities, which included clubs and special interest groups for boys and young men.

The first of these was the Y’s Men’s Club.

Y’s Men’s Clubs were set up in the early stages of a new association and assisted in providing programs. Meeting of the club members aged 21-36 years were always held on Mondays.

The next step was the formation of a Viking Club for young boys on Saturday Mornings.

The Y Program structure had an emphasis on boys and younger men with the Saxons (16-18 year olds) and Danes (14-16 year olds).

The YMCA Basketball Club first competed in the Geelong Amateur Basketball Association competition in 1954, after being formed by the Geelong YMCA’s first executive director, the late Jack Terrill and has enjoyed an excellent reputation in terms of the quality of its players, coaches and administrators.

The Club has produced many fine players over the years including many who have represented Geelong in representative basketball in the SEABL and NBL as well as Victorian Country state teams.

Two of our players, have gone on to represent Australia at the Olympic Games:

• Russell Riches
• Trish Fallon
• Craig Herbert represented Australian at U23 Championships.

In the late 50’s the Y was on the lookout for a suitable site for youth camps, it was Jim Urquhart who noted the Queenscliff site would make a good site for a camp and this began a more than 30 year relationship for Jim and Camp Wyuna, he was the caretaker and supervisor until the end of the 1980’’s.

Y volunteers and their families spent many of their hours participating in working bees over a number of years to get the camp up and running. From sleep outs under the stars in the earliest times to helping erect the Y frame and bell tents before the bunkhouses were built.

In 1957 the Y was officially incorporated Association under the Hospital and Charities Act and by 1959 the construction of the shops on the perimeter of the Yarra Street building were constructed in Little Malop Street to provide a source of revenue to support the Association’s sustainability.

The YMCA in Geelong expanded its youth-focused programs and began to establish a reputation as a hub for recreational activities and support for young people in the region.

The formation of the Valkyries and support of the wives and mothers from the various clubs along with the formation of the Y’s Menettes in 1967 and the ladies badminton members gave a much needed balance to the Y family profile

This decade the Y focus was on participation with cricket, U15/18 football and of course basketball.

The Geelong Little League Football was renowned as an extraordinary sporting program across the region, which first played at Geelong West then expanded to the South Barwon Reserve with more than 500 juniors playing the competition weekly.

In 1962 YMCA Judo was another club established running from the Geelong Rowing Club shed along the Barwon River.

It provided people with an outlet for physical and spiritual discipline. The club needing to find new premises, moved out of the Geelong Rowing Club, and found home in Rippleside for the next three years. The Club boasted its fair share of Victorian Champions in open weight competition.

Michael Greenhalgh was the first junior player in Geelong to gained first dan at the year of 17, at the time Michael was the youngest judo black belt in Australia replacing fellow club person, 21-year-old John Hurst.

Basketball was a young sport in the 60’s and the YMCA took the initiative in setting up coaching programs for players and parents. The junior basketballers of the 1950’s like Ron Dawson were drawn into the coaching roles. Y Basketball was established at the South Barwon Centre.

The Y’s philosophy of basketball participation saw all players receiving equal court time with a clear focus on participation; this focus still lives through the leadership of Y Basketball Club under Craig Herbert and the committee.

Until 1964 basketball in country Victoria was played on an adhoc basis in various parts if the state, in some cases all year round but mainly in the summer months.

It was not until 1966 that it was decided to establish a genuine country basketball governing body and YMCA Geelong CEO Jack Terrill was the founding President from 1967 to 1973, then Y Basketball legend Ron Dawson led the organisation from 1973 to 1978.

In the early days of Camp Wyuna, tent accommodation was the main stay for the seaside experience, which primarily consisted of tents erected in the sand hills as the bunk houses were still on the drawing boards.

In the non-football season many of the young men from the Y Youth Clubs where involved in youth camping programs held regularly at Camp Wyuna organised for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. For many children this unique holiday experience was their first time away from home.

The Y was known for its many and varied youth groups that had developed across the Geelong communities of Norlane and Hamlyn Banks.

The organisation continued to grow and adapt to the changing needs of the community, offering a wider range of sports and fitness programs.

1973 saw the passing of the Y’s founding General Secretary Jack Terrill and the arrival of the Terry Cliff as the Executive Director. Terry had a strong background in sport and recreation and children’s services, which shaped the direction for the next three decades.

The Y expanded to establish South Barwon YMCA and Corio Shire Y.

Y programs scattered across the communities of:

• Deakin University
• Belmont
• Grovedale
• West Tech (now Western Height’s College)
• Newcomb High School
• Norlane High School
• Outreach programing was a viable offering to the community without having a place to call home.

The Judo Club had strengthened with the progression of juniors and the adult program was maturing after several years of training.

The gymnastic program was initially conducted as outreach program in various school gymnasiums and then in the last 70’s the Y secured the old RSL woollen mill in Pakington Street.

Terry had expertise and an interest in gymnastics having coached NSW state womens’ team for eight years and thus, Y Geelong Gymnastics club began. 

A Little League Soccer program was played outdoors at West Tech and Belmont high.

The Y oversaw the management of the Monahan Centre at Queenscliff reserve with Phil Bainbridge from 1979.

This was a small centre catering for pre-school programs to adult squash, basketball and volleyball.

During this decade, the Y became increasingly involved in community development initiatives and began to offer childcare services to meet the needs of working parents.

Programming for young people was an important part of the work of the Y in the 80’s.

A Pioneer Course program for young people between 16-18 years of age was developed.

This was a 7-day physical and mental challenge with activities including;

• Mountain Climbing
• Snorkelling
• Bush Walking
• Orienteering
• Water Skiing
• Daily Fitness Testing
• Yachting

Throughout this time, the gymnastics program continued to grow from strength to strength and in 1988 rural gymnastics squads where training every Sunday morning – that year saw the development of a 7 step coaching program that streamlined training and development pathways in the sport.

It was the first year YMCA gymnast entered in the individual and teams championships at the Victorian Gymnastics Championships at Bulleen.

Coming home with both individual and team championship honours…. No mean feat considering that they had never trained in a fully established gym!

The Judo Club was fortunate to appoint Eddie Leoni in 1980’s as the Junior Coach and Peter Farrow was overseeing the senior program. During 1983, Eddie and Peter completed the first Level 2 National Coaching Accreditation Course.

The organisation continued to evolve, emphasising its commitment to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

After years of looking for the right premises, it was in 1995, that the YMCA stadium location was discovered.

So the wheels where in motion with considerable financial, physical and organisation to bring to life in 1996 the purchase and redevelopment of a Campbell’s Cash and Carry Warehouse in Riversdale Road, Newtown to the gymnastics hall and two basketball courts.

The establishment of Newtown stadium showed the depth and commitment of the YMCA family with teams of volunteers transforming an empty building to a then modern facility for all.

Judo in the 90’s was difficult with a number of senior athletes retiring and others moving to Melbourne for university and the club went into a brief recess in 1993.

Amateur wrestler, Greg Bensted decided to try judo, became a regular tournament winner, and gained his first dan. Greg started to assist Eddie with the junior program.

During this decade, the Y expanded its reach and services, focusing on promoting health and wellness in the community. It renovated and upgraded its facilities to provide state-of-the-art fitness and recreational options.

At the 50th anniversary in 2003, the Y had more than 3,000 people using the facilities weekly across Yarra Street, Newtown, Camp Wyuna and Belmont Recreation Reserve,

Two services Clubs with the Y Service Club of Geelong (otherwise known as the Y’s Men’s Club) and Y’ Menettes Club of Geelong and Gymnastics, Judo and Basketball all having their own community support committees.

Camp Wyuna had bunkhut accommodation for 60 people along with powered caravan sites and other amenities such as kitchen, dining and recreation rooms, which had been developed and built in the 70’s and 80’s by the team of volunteers and represented by many of the families in the rooms tonight.

Belmont Recreation Reserve, South Barwon was the home of the YMCA Little League Football with more than three divisions from 9-12 year olds and administered by volunteers lead by Murray Box.

The Judo Club celebrated its 40-year landmark in 2002 with Michael Greenhalgh and Peter Farrow remaining with the club through its entire history. The junior program has been the cornerstone of the club and produced many champions.

The emerging presence of Jake Bensted in the International Judo Competitions in 2008 provided the club with excitement about the pathways it could create for aspiring athletes. At this, stage 35 staff resourced the Association with 6 permanent and 29 part time employees

In order to develop a footprint in Camping and Outdoor Education area the Yarra St Site with sold and significant investment commenced with the redevelopment of Camp Wyuna which was completed and open for business in 2008.

The huts were removed, making way for four lodges that could accommodate 105 visitors per night.

Children’s Service’s such as School Holiday Programs and Before and After School Care programs gained importance as the society started to see a shift in families returning to work after children commenced school.

While the initial programs at Hamlyn Banks Primary School and the Central Y-Yarra Street program was migrated to Newtown School Holiday Program in mid-2007, the school holiday program was now licensed to program for youth and children with the Department of Education.

Gymnastics was growing in appeal for young people across the region and this demand meant that no longer was it viable to rely on volunteers to provide coaching in the specialist field, it now recognised as a profession and the Y employed teams of coaches to deliver the program for recreation and competitive pathways.

The Y in Geelong embraced technology and social media to engage with the community and promote its programs and services.

It also became more environmentally conscious, adopting sustainable practices in its operations.

Gymnastics and Basketball both increased in appeal to the young people of Geelong and district under the guidance of Brad McDowell and Jared Arklay.

The Y Basketball Club under the leadership of President Craig Herbert, along with an invested committee saw growth in participation across all aged groups for male and female participants in the local domestic competitions.

The expansion of the camping program saw the Y sign a lease for the lodge in Queenscliff to accommodate the over flow of visitors from 2010-2013.

In 2011, the Newtown Stadium mezzanine floor was built accommodating the Judo Club; Y Services Board Room and administration offices.

The Judo Club strengthened in the community due its focus on junior participation and credited to the passion of Paul and Greg Bensted, Michael Greenhalgh and Peter Farrow.

Jake Bensted, now frequently representing Australia on the international stage at the International Championships, Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014- where he brought home a Bronze Medal and Rio Olympics in 2016.

The Y secured the management rights to the Golden Plains Shire’s Bannockburn Recreation Centre in 2011 and delivered a range of sporting programs from;

• Basketball
• Netball
• Soft Tennis
• Karate
• Aussie Slammers
• Steady Feet
• And fitness programs to the Bannockburn community.

In 2014, YMCA Geelong secured the lease of the Arena and the Geelong Gymnastics Club program when the club was unable to operate a sustainable model. While the initial merger was difficult, it provided an opportunity to streamline the gymnastic experience across the two locations.

In the 2015, after a pilot program, Y Geelong Gymnastics embarked on the development of an international pathway for athletes.

It had come at a time when talented club athletes were pursuing high performance programs and our club had neither the resources nor the structures. But we were committed to trying to enable the athletes to stay training within our club, while living with their families and attending local schools, for as long as possible.

In 2016, the high-performance program had outgrown our capacity and several athletes began training at the National Centre for Excellence in Melbourne, and our coaches had transitioned to NCE.

• Elly Bayes
• Mila Blythe
• Rose Blackhall
• Mirana Perkins
• Lhogan Foxman

All represented the Club at a National level.

This gave rise to the Club to recognise the opportunity before us to learn from the previous program and develop a model that focused on the coach development and athlete pathways that could be delivered regionally.

At this time, the State Centres for excellence structures had collapsed.

Athletes perform and train best in their local environment surrounded by family, friends and communities that support them.

This presented an opportunity for the Club to develop coaches’ capacity and capabilities and with the support of an active and engaged parent’s community. 

The International Development Stream currently exists to provide a pathway for our future international athletes.

We currently have 33 athletes in this program who are recognised as one of the leaders in the sport.

In 2016, the Y entered a partnership with two other Y Associations to form an entity that oversaw the delivery of the 13 new school building projects across Geelong, Bannockburn, Surf Coast, Whittlesea and Melbourne.

The 13 schools were built over three years with all schools community facilities, before and after school care programs, early learning centres one pool operational.

This shared vision will continue to provide additional funds to the Association for 26 years of the lease agreement.

An agreement was signed with Y Victoria on 2016 for the Geelong Lawn Tennis Club operation however, this ceased operations in 2019.

So this brings us to the most recent decade….and wow what a start we had!

The Y navigated the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, adapting its operations to ensure the safety of staff and members while continuing to provide essential community services.

We also continued to innovate and expand our offerings to the evolving community needs.

The essence of the Y during this time was to support the 150+ staff and volunteers as we remained closed from 20th March 2020 to 15 November 2021. Throughout this time, our operations opened and closed nine times for days or weeks at a time. Camp Wyuna remained closed for the two years.

In 2021, we formed a partnership with St Mary Mackillop Bannockburn to establish a Before and After School Care program servicing 146 children who attend weekly.

The YMCA Basketball Club is booming as we enter a summer season with more than 500 players across U8’s to Senior divisions

The Judo Club is experiencing a changing of the guard as siblings, Jake and Ashlee Bensted lead the club’s future direction.

More than 300 families utilise our children’s services programs and we are rebuilding our camping program to pre-covid visitors of more than 9,000 guests per year.

In 2022, we commenced the Master Planning process for Camp Wyuna and Newtown Stadium, with a focus on the facilities to meet the future needs of the community.

Led by the Board and Management, the Y has never been in a better position to continue its focus on inspiring young people in our communities.

We are embarking on a number of key projects that are focused on four key pillars which are highlighted in our recently launched Strategic Plan-Vision 2030 and this Community Impact Report;

• Community Wellbeing
• Meaningful Work
• Sustainable Planet and Y
• Just World

The Y is delivering evidence-based programs that reflect the growing need of young people who seek social connection to tackle the youth mental health crisis.

We have a new home for YMCA Geelong Gymnastics Club. One that is accessible and inclusive with programs that will provide the region with a pathway from Recreational Gymnastics to, maybe one day, representing your country, all from a regional hub in Waurn Ponds.

We are leaders in developing pathways for young people to obtain skills and experiences in workplaces. Pathways that will enable them to transition from education and training into workplaces of the future, having gained real life work experiences with an employer that seeks to develop, engage and hear the voices of young people.

The Y Geelong has expanded the Camping and Outdoor Recreation programs to reach more young people and provides a place that ensures that the benefits of nature and outdoors, support the wellbeing of our young people.

We are bold and courageous in our decisions to expand our offerings across the region and expand our Before and After School Care programs.

With purpose and intent, we engage young people in the decision-making of the Association and to help us guide the Y to be a youth movement that values the voices of young people in the governance of our Y.

And finally, to provide young people alternative ways for them to engage and connect with education, outside the mainstream school system; imagine a Y School in our community, supporting young people being the best that can be.

You can see, that without the hard work and commitment from those before us, we would not have the future we have in front of us.