Asbestos in Post-War Geelong Homes: The Corio & Norlane Fibro Story

If you own an older home in Corio, Norlane, Whittington or Bell Park, there is a good chance asbestos is part of its fabric — and that is not bad luck, it is history. Geelong's northern suburbs carry one of the region's densest concentrations of post-war fibro housing, and understanding why makes the whole subject far less alarming.

The post-war building boom

After the Second World War, Geelong's north grew rapidly around industry — Ford, Shell and the jobs that came with them. Housing had to go up quickly and affordably, and the material that made that possible was asbestos-cement sheet, universally known as 'fibro'. It was cheap, light, fire-resistant, easy to cut and quick to build with. It went into eaves, external cladding, bathroom and laundry linings, fences and roofing across whole streets.

The result is that in suburbs like Corio and Norlane, asbestos-cement is not an occasional find — it is the default building material of the era. If your home dates from the 1950s, 60s or 70s, you should assume asbestos is present somewhere until it is checked.

Where it hides

On a typical northern-suburbs fibro home, the usual locations are:

- **Eaves and soffit linings** — very common - **External wall cladding** — the fibro sheet itself - **Bathroom and laundry sheeting** — walls and ceilings - **Vinyl and lino flooring backing** - **Boundary fences** — grey asbestos-cement sheet - **Roofing** — corrugated asbestos-cement or 'super-six' - **Sheds and garages** — often the worst offenders

Why this matters now

These homes are now 50 to 70 years old, and they are being renovated, extended, re-roofed and knocked down at pace — and every one of those activities disturbs asbestos. Pre-sale building inspections across the northern suburbs routinely flag it, turning it into a negotiation point at sale. The material was fine sitting still for decades; the risk arrives with the renovation.

Handling it properly

The reassuring part is that managed removal is routine. Most of this fibro is **bonded** (non-friable) asbestos — stable while intact, and Class B removal work. In Victoria, more than 10 m² of it must be removed by a licensed removalist. Weathered or damaged sheeting, and old crumbling sheds, can trend toward friable at the edges, which is higher-risk Class A work with air monitoring and an independent clearance — another reason to get material assessed rather than assumed.

The sequence is always the same: identify (and test if unsure), remove under proper controls, dispose at an EPA-licensed landfill with documentation, and clearance where required.

A settled question is worth money

For a Corio or Norlane owner, dealing with asbestos properly and keeping the disposal and clearance paperwork turns a lingering 'there's probably asbestos' into a documented, settled fact — which is worth real money at sale and real peace of mind before it. Always confirm current requirements with WorkSafe Victoria, EPA Victoria and the City of Greater Geelong.