Geelong’s tech community has grown enough that finding your tribe isn’t automatic anymore. Multiple groups meet regularly, covering different technologies, industries, and interests.

Here’s what’s happening and who it’s for.

Regular Meetups

Geelong Tech Club

When: Second Thursday monthly, 6pm Where: Rotating venues, usually co-working spaces in the CBD Format: Speaker presentation plus networking Attendance: 30-50 people typically

This is the general-purpose tech meetup. Topics vary from technical deep-dives to business and career discussions. Mix of developers, founders, and tech-adjacent professionals.

Good starting point if you’re new to the scene. Welcoming atmosphere, informal networking, and broad enough that something will interest most attendees.

Geelong Developers

When: First Wednesday monthly, 6:30pm Where: Deakin University Innovation Precinct Format: Technical talks and live coding Attendance: 15-30 people

More technical than the general meetup. Expect discussions of programming languages, frameworks, architectures, and development practices.

If you’re a working developer wanting to sharpen skills and discuss craft with peers, this is the group.

Geelong Digital Marketing

When: Monthly (date varies) Where: Various venues Format: Speaker plus workshop elements Attendance: 20-40 people

Focused on marketing technology, SEO, social media, analytics, and related topics. Mix of marketers and business owners trying to understand digital.

Less technical but valuable for those at the intersection of technology and marketing.

Women in Tech Geelong

When: Quarterly events plus regular casual meetups Where: Varies Format: Networking, panels, workshops Attendance: Varies by event

Focused on supporting women in technology roles. Events range from casual coffee catchups to formal panel discussions.

If you’re a woman in tech or interested in supporting diversity initiatives, this is an important group.

Industry-Specific Groups

Geelong Agtech Network

Connects those working on agricultural technology with farmers and industry. Irregular schedule but valuable events when they happen.

Health Tech Geelong

Emerging group focused on technology in healthcare, connected to the hospital and health services cluster.

Geelong Startup Grind

Affiliated with the global Startup Grind network. Events featuring founder talks and startup community building.

Finding Events

Most groups use combination of:

• Meetup.com - Search “Geelong tech” for most established groups
• LinkedIn Events - Increasingly used for professional gatherings
• Facebook Groups - “Geelong Tech Community” group posts event notices
• Word of mouth - Attend one event and you’ll hear about others

Making the Most of Meetups

Showing up is the minimum. Getting value requires more.

Talk to strangers. The point is networking, not just the presentation. Introduce yourself to people you don’t know.

Follow up. If you have a good conversation, connect on LinkedIn or email within 24 hours. Cold contacts become warm connections through follow-up.

Volunteer. Groups always need help with organisation, venues, speakers. Volunteering accelerates relationship building.

Present. Sharing your knowledge, even on narrow topics, establishes reputation. Most groups welcome new speakers.

Be consistent. Attending once teaches you little. Regular attendance builds recognition and relationships.

Virtual Options

Not everything requires physical presence.

Discord servers: Several regional tech communities maintain Discord for ongoing conversation between events.

Slack workspaces: Some professional communities (particularly developer-focused) use Slack.

Online meetups: Many groups maintain virtual components from pandemic adaptations. Useful for those unable to attend in person.

Starting Your Own

Don’t see a group for your interest? Start one.

Successful new groups typically:

• Focus on specific technology or topic (not trying to be everything)
• Maintain consistent schedule (even if initially small)
• Use free or cheap venues (co-working spaces often host for visibility)
• Start with existing network (your colleagues and contacts)

Groups built on genuine enthusiasm tend to succeed. Groups started for resume building or commercial purposes tend to fail.

The Networking Reality

I’ll be honest: tech meetups skew toward certain demographics. They can feel exclusionary if you don’t fit the typical profile.

The good groups work to address this. Women-focused groups, beginner-friendly events, and intentional inclusion efforts help.

If your first experience is off-putting, try a different group before giving up on the concept entirely.

Beyond Geelong

Some Melbourne events are accessible from Geelong—evening meetups can work with the train schedule.

Melbourne has larger, more specialised groups. For niche technologies or topics, Melbourne events might be worth the commute occasionally.

Building Your Community

The goal isn’t attending every event. It’s building genuine professional community—people you can call for advice, collaborate with on projects, and support through career changes.

That takes time and sustained presence. The people getting most from Geelong’s tech community have been showing up for years.

Start now. Attend something this month. Talk to someone new. Follow up.

The community exists. Your place in it is waiting.