Market Square Geelong

The construction of Geelong's Market Square Shopping centre in 1984 - 1985

[@macgregordawson3164]

In retrospect, filling in Jacobs St and McCann St was a mistake. It created a giant monolithic block in the middle of a small CBD, which increased the distance to get anywhere. And it's a big part of why Little Malop St has so many problems today.

[@brucewilliams8714]

I agree entirely. Those two small streets had interest and charm as well as practicality.

[@JimsContent]

nah little malops entertaining as

[@user-lw7ps9xt6h]

Hi Ian, so good you documented the city before Market Square. Thank you! It was interesting to see His Majesty's Theatre operating as a carpark.

[@kmjeffels]

Those are beautiful buildings at the beginning of the video! I really miss Australia!

[@davidgreen5934]

Brash Suttons was the place to hang out on a Friday night then onto space oddesy underneath Coles. Went into Corio cinema when it had closed as a temporary shop opened there selling sheep skin clothing. Thanks for the memories

[@RGC198]

Interesting video. Thanks for sharing. My first trip to Geelong was during the 1980's after moving here to Melbourne in 1981.

[@nikjanevmusic]

Great Stuff Ian... It really took me back. Great post.

[@maclisse1242]

Hello Ian, Great video! Sad to see the mismanagement and destruction of infrastructure in Geelong. This highlights well the sacrifices made for this centre. Just wondering if you have a contact email or social media account in which I could ask you more questions about this footage? Thanks! 🙂

[@brucewilliams8714]

Geelong now offers a contrast between "develop and spoil" and "leave alone and nurture". Moorabool St and Market Square are sad examples of the first way; Pako in West and Newtown are creative examples of the second way. Little Malop, west of Moorabool, seems to be joining the second.

[@felicitydeikos5250]

I remember the good old Venture shop.

[@lynadams7474]

Very proud of my father Cr. and Past Mayor Bruce Adams for the role he played in this achievement. I remember touring Boston's Faneuil Hall in November of 1980 with my father to gain some insight.

[@clintanthony1779]

They ruined the town centre, created an enclave for undesirables and it was the beginning of the end for surrounding businesses. No one goes there today. It's a ghost town.

[@lamusique3]

Good job Ian!

[@Renny1953]

Sad to see McCann St gone. It was a hot spot when I was a kid - if not only for the bodgies and widgies doing 'blockies'. Who remembers the 'Kit Kat' cafe?

[@daveroutley5574]

Me and my family used to Go to the Kit- Kat for a meal b4 we wento the Corio Theeta and do you remember the Sponge Bar in Little Maloo St they had beautiful cakes . YUMMY

[@weldmachine]

@@daveroutley5574 The so called improvements looked worse than the original buildings. Make way for the future ???? I guess it needed a bit of a clean up of the area. But they could have done a better job. Shocking paint scheme.

[@brucewilliams8714]

And the Nevada coffee lounge further down.

[@Renny1953]

@@daveroutley5574 -not to mention the Bon Accord cafe- they did cakes too!

[@daveroutley5574]

I did a project from August 1984 until it finished in December 1985. Different News paper cut outs, different photos when the portables were in Little Malop st and different postcards of the market square.. Does anyone remember the name of the cafe that was upstairs in Moorabool st were you needed escalate to get upstairs and my great uncle help design the First Fountain which had beautiful different lights go on off before people used to put washing detergent in bubble it up..My dad got his first ever BBQ from ( where going to win ya at Waltons) Waltons. My grandparents used to live in Bellerine St and we used to Go to SSW in Yarra St to do shopping and just it shut just after 1200pm go and get a quick 🍰 cake at the SPONGE BAR and after 12 Geelong would DEAD.No cars just a handful. The Kit- Kat or the crest were very nice restaurants also b4 going to the CORIO Theeta.

[@ianc2903]

Wonderful Memories Dave Routley. My haunt was the Nevada Cafe in McCann St.

[@nifty1940]

@@ianc2903 Mine too. Such a pity, unlike Bendigo and Ballarat, Geelong went pear-shape, because those with metropolitan stars in their eyes, forgot who and what Geelong stood for. The old world charm, heart and soul of a pearl of a bay, died with their fantasies.

[@nifty1940]

Are you referring to the upstairs cafe in the old Solomon's building?

[@alwyn626]

Its strange not to see much traffic around. Yes .. they destroyed Mc cann St. Used to hang out in Antoine's cafe. A friend of mine showed me he had the street signs of Mc cann St. Wished I got them off him. I miss my young adult life in Geelong in the 70s. Old now .. so moved to Brisbane for the warmer climate. Jackos is no longer. Just about every one worked there. Fords gone... Alcoa... all of the industry that people worked at. Great going politicians.

[@1506phamer]

I had a lot of fun in McCann St. If you didn’t get punched you might get lucky with the girls that paraded! I fondly remember the KitKat cafe from 1967 through to 1969. Also the Eureka Hotel just up toward the old Gordon IT.

[@emmareadagoodbook9643]

That was my husband's Nana's cafe. Best food I've ever eaten.

[@hardtobeat84]

Prefer the old version

[@ianc2903]

hardtobeat84 Me too!

[@davidgreen5934]

As someone who hasn't lived in Geelong for over 30 years noticed its lost its charm with two big shopping centres

[@saltifish]

The building of malls in many cities saw the end of small independent, locally owned businesses and the growth of the multi national franchises that have monopolised a lot of the goods and service industries. It was the beginning of the end for Australian business.

[@christinekotwic5308]

What was the name of the dentist upstairs near BRASHS?

[@markblahwoof789]

was it graeme blood? not joking, i went to him as a kid so not sure where it was. upstairs somewhere

[@matthewpollock4816]

Good memories

[@barbaraallen79]

My Husband Did a Lot of BOB CAT work there in Market Square.

[@markblahwoof789]

most striking thing i took from this, how ridiculous do men in suits look?

[@tessabiggs2917]

I remember the hamburger van under next to the kit Kat cafe.

[@nifty1940]

You mean Ray's or Kev's hamburger van which was in Jacobs street, not McCann.

[@tessabiggs2917]

@@nifty1940 kevs. In 1976

[@nifty1940]

@@tessabiggs2917 That comatose comma. pesky little thing, it's annoying isn't it :-) Thank you Brenda, I stand corrected :-)

[@tessabiggs2917]

And Walton’s was there as well

[@daveroutley5574]

And do U remember the Sponge Bar in Little Malop st and Corio Theeta. My last movie me and my family saw was "" The Empire Strikes Back'' and I loved there Blue chairs.

[@brucewilliams8714]

When we were teenagers the place where Waltons was was still an open area remaining from the original 19th century market square. This was where the chair-o-plane ride was on Gala Day.

[@tessabiggs2917]

@@brucewilliams8714 I remember gala day and the rides.

[@brucewilliams8714]

@@tessabiggs2917 Brenda, I haven't seen a Gala Day in decades. Malop St, between Moorabool and Yarra Streets, was completely taken over by attractions. Is that still the case?

[@ericmesser1]

Sad to see …..Geelong is now dead……..Moorabool St deserted by businesses……..

[@geoffhumble3084]

I watched for a while, then realised I was watching the destruction of my childhood, my adolescent year, and my early adulthood. I do not need to see this. Others may see it as progress, but I see it as a death wish for the CBD

[@ianc2903]

I agree Geoff. I made this video not to say "well done COGG" but to record the destruction of the CBD and at the same time, to provide a video of "what was" so it could be viewed and remembered for years to come.

[@ChezzaAU]

I totally agree Ian and Geoff! Watching the first part of the vid brought back so many wonderful memories - and look at the wide streets!! Many iconic buildings were sacrificed to make way for Market Square & later Westfield. Sad to say, I hate how Geelong looks today. As someone else commented, it has lost its charm.

[@shannongibbons6013]

And now we have ice addicts

[@felicitydeikos5250]

Don't forget the mall rats, too.

[@MarketSquareGeelong]

Hello! We are celebrating our 30th Birthday this year (and 188 years of history). We'd love to use some of this footage with your permission? Can you please contact Sarla on 5221 2411.

[@xffalcon4752]

where are the mall rats

[@mrs.columbo1803]

Now it’s a ghost town . Empty and run down ... full of sad drug addicts and just a mess .

[@I.Live4oldcars.prospecting]

I miss the old Geelong. Now it's cold ugly buildings. Junkies everywhere. Geelong lost its sole back when ugly Market square was built.

[@ackack2560]

Geelong really lost its character..