It replaced a small timber prefabricated building of 1838, which was later relocated to the Geelong Botanic Gardens.
[1] The Customs House was erected near the Geelong foreshore to serve the needs of the colonial administration during the peak of the gold rushes.
[2] The building was designed by John James Clark[3] and constructed by William Crocker Cornish in April 1855.
[5] The building is no longer used for its original purpose, but was restored in 2012, winning a National Trust Award.
[7] As of September 2024, the City of Greater Geelong announced it would refurbish the interior of the building to house a new Design and Creative Hub.