The City of Greater Geelong was created on 18 May 1993 by the City of Greater Geelong Act 1993 amalgamating six Geelong region Councils, Bellarine Rural City, Newtown City, Corio Shire, Geelong West City, Geelong City, South Barwon City and parts of Barrabool Shire and Bannockburn Shire. Local Government Reform The City of Greater Geelong was created as part of a statewide program of local government reform enacted between 1993 and 1995. The reform process reduced the number of councils from 210 to 78.