Made in Geelong: A new exhibition honours 160 years of textile innovation
Published
At the National Wool Museum, a new exhibition traces the evolution of Godfrey Hirst and its long-standing role in shaping Geelong’s industrial and design identity.
A new exhibition at the National Wool Museum turns the spotlight on one of Geelong’s most enduring manufacturers. MADE IN GEELONG: Godfrey Hirst assembles more than 160 years of objects, documents and artefacts to chart the company’s growth alongside the city’s own transformation.
Rather than presenting a linear timeline, the exhibition gathers moments that defined both the mill and the region — from the foundation of the Victorian Woollen and Cloth Manufacturing Company in 1865 to the technological shifts that shaped modern Australian carpet production. At its centre is the story of Godfrey Hirst, a young Yorkshire weaver who arrived in 1883 and rose from craftsman to mill owner, leaving a legacy that continues to influence the company’s design and manufacturing ethos today.
Geelong’s status as a UNESCO City of Design provides a fitting backdrop. Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM highlights the city’s textile heritage as integral to its identity, while National Wool Museum Director Padraic Fisher notes the exhibition’s focus on the people behind the industry — the generations of makers, engineers and designers whose collective skill underpins the region’s creative economy.
A companion installation, Printed/Woven/Tufted, offers a hands-on counterpoint to the archival displays. Visitors can experiment with pattern and colour, gaining insight into the processes that continue to define Godfrey Hirst’s production.
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For the company, the exhibition is as much about the present as the past. As Tania Pauling, President of Mohawk Flooring Oceania, reflects, “The skill and pride of our people are what carry the story forward.”
MADE IN GEELONG: Godfrey Hirst is open daily at the National Wool Museum, Geelong, until the 1st of February 2026.
Godfrey Hirst
godfreyhirst.com
Photography
National Wool Museum / Supplied
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