Local Community & Business Directory

To create a Community and Business Directory Listing, you first need to create a Colac Otway Shire website login.

Complete the simple step-by-step process to Add or Edit your directory listing. We have developed a guide for creating a listing(PDF, 842KB) that provides further guidance as to what is needed to create an effective listing.

Tips for images and logos

• Please use .jpg or .png image format for the best screen resolution
• RGB colour is preferable
• Images should be (maximum) 800px wide
• File size should be approx. 200kb

Council staff will review your submission prior to publication. If there are any problems with your listing a staff member will be in contact with you. If you have any questions please contact the Economic Development and Tourism unit by email.

About the Local Community and Business Directory

The Directory provides information about community organisations, groups, clubs, services, associations, facilities, and businesses based in the Colac Otway Shire. You can search for a specific listing or browse categories to find relevant organisations and services in your neighbourhood. Due to the dual nature of the Directory, listings can be filtered by the category (Business or Community Directory).

Who can list in the directory?

The Community Directory is for community organisations, groups, clubs, services, associations and facilities based in the Colac Otway Shire. The Community Directory does not include commercial business listings.

Similarly the Business Directory is for commercial businesses based within the Colac Otway Shire.

When registering a listing the user should consider which is the most appropriate directory to list under – Business Directory or Community Directory (not both) - after selecting which Directory the user must then select the most relevant sub categories for their listing.  View the Local Business and Community Directory disclaimer for more detail.

Currency of information

Every effort has been taken by both the Colac Otway Shire and the listing owners to ensure information contained in the Directory is accurate and up to date, however as community information changes regularly, we rely on and appreciate your advice of any changes.

If you see a listing with incorrect information, please contact the Economic Development and Tourism unit by email.

Finding information

There are a number of ways to search for a community organisation or service:

1. Type a name or keyword in the ‘what’ field and specify a location. For example: primary schools in Colac.
2. Look for anything in a specific town. For example: all services in Apollo Bay.
3. Browse the categories and search a keyword relating to a specific category. For example: category: education and keyword: primary schools.
4. Search for a service targeting a specific user group. For example: services for families.

Directory Disclaimer

Information provided in the online directories on this website is intended to provide a guide to many Council services as well as community groups, clubs and organisations in the Colac Otway Shire. The directories include local community groups, progress associations, services, organisations, sports clubs and local Colac Otway based businesses providing goods and services to the community.

However, the information contained is not exhaustive. No warranty, representation or undertaking is made about the content, accuracy and completeness of the information provided. For a more comprehensive listing of other local public or private bodies, check the local newspapers, telephone directories or other websites. 

Council accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, damage or injury that may arise from anything contained in this publication. No person is entitled to any redress against the Council on any account whatsoever and however arising in relation to any information provided.

Council Rights and Responsibilities

Council reserves the right to:

• Refuse, reject and terminate any listing or delete the website at any time for any reason and is under no obligation to provide reason.
• Remove information that is political, racist, unlawful, threatening, abusive, indecent, pornographic or defamatory.
• Modify or discontinue any service offered via www.colacotway.vic.gov.au at any time for any reason.
• Provide information contained in any directory in other formats, i.e. publications and online newsletters.
• Amend the Terms and Conditions at our discretion. We will give notice to all contributors if any changes take place but recommend you review the Terms and Conditions regularly.

The listing of any group, club, organisation or establishment is not an endorsement by Council of such group, club, organisation or establishment. Users of www.colacotway.vic.gov.au should not rely on the information provided and must make their own enquiries, inspections and assessments as to suitability and quality of services.

Registered Users

All registered users must:

• Ensure the information provided is current and accurate for their organisation’s entry.
• Be responsible for updating all information provided in their entry in any directory or website.

Registered users must not use www.colacotway.vic.gov.au to:

• Display unsolicited, fraudulent or deceptive information,
• Post information which includes but is not limited to intimidating or harassing statements or such which may lead to civil or criminal action,
• Post information or multimedia files which are deemed inappropriate which are associated with or promote (including but not limited to):

• Any illegal activity
• Tobacco
• Offensive or contain sexually explicit material
• Discriminatory on grounds of race, gender or religion
• Political parties
• Gambling

• Encourage acts which constitute a criminal offence or civil liability
• Post information or material which may contain viruses or other malicious programs and cause harm to user’s access and the general operation of www.colacotway.vic.gov.au

Email Notifications

All registered users will be notified by email of any modifications, approved or declined registrations.

Processes are implemented to ensure all registered users are aware of the terms and conditions and their obligations for using www.colacotway.vic.gov.au    

By registering your group/club/organisation in this Community Directory, you will also receive communication on occasion about Council services, programs, funding opportunities, newsletters and projects. You are able to opt out from receiving communications about Council services, programs, funding opportunities, newsletters and projects.

By registering your business in this Business Directory, you will also from time to time receive communication from Council including business e-newsletter, invitations to business events, funding opportunities and other business-related information that may benefit your business. You're able to opt out from receiving communications including business e-newsletter, invitations to business events, funding opportunities and other business-related information that may benefit your business.

For more information contact the Economic Development and Tourism unit on 03 5232 9400 or  email.

Local Directory Terms and Conditions

• Our online local community and business directory contains contact information for community and business organisations and services in the Colac Otway Shire.
• Council reserves the right to reject, edit or remove any listing from this directory at its discretion. It may take up to 7 days for Council to review and approve your request to be listed in our directory.
• You must have a valid email address so that you can create a secure user account on our website to create and maintain your listing.
• You may only submit one entry for your organisation.
• Your organisation description must be no more than 500 characters.
• To be included in the “Community” category of this directory, your group must be a community-based group or not-for-profit organisation based in the Colac Otway Shire, or a service provider that residents would reasonably expect to find in this type of directory. Council will make this assessment based on its knowledge of residents and their needs. We will assess each service provider and any commercial/private listing requests in the context of their broader community benefit.
• By registering your group/organisation in this directory, you will also receive communication on occasion about Council services, programs, funding opportunities, newsletters and projects.
• To be included in the “Business” category of this directory, your organisation must be located in the Colac Otway Shire. The street address you provide must be a valid address.
• By registering your business in this directory, you will also receive occasional communication from Council including the business e-newsletter, invitations to business events, funding opportunities and other business-related information that may benefit your business. For more information contact the Economic Development and Tourism unit on 03 5232 9400 or  inq@colacotway.vic.gov.au.
• By registering your group/organisation in this directory, the information provided will be publicly available for anyone to access, copy and download from Council’s website.
• It is your responsibility to maintain your community or business directory listing to ensure your details remain up-to-date. Council accepts no responsibility or liability for any errors and requires that community and business organisations regularly check their listing for errors.
• It is unlawful to include discrimination on the basis of sex, pregnancy, age, race, political or religious beliefs unless covered by an exemption under relevant legislation. Colac Otway Shire Council will not accept community or business listings that appear to be contrary to law.
• The registered user indemnifies Colac Otway Shire Council against all claims, actions, suits, liabilities, costs and expenses incurred as a result of their listing on this site or any related site.
• Council is not liable for any loss or damage incurred by business or community groups as a result of any failure or delay in listing your organisation in our directory.

Privacy Statement

You can view Council’s Privacy Statement here.

Data Collection Notice – Business and Community Directory

By registering your Community Group/Organisation or Business in this directory, the information you provide will be publicly available for anyone to access, copy and download from Council’s website.

The Colac Otway Shire Council will use the Community Directory listing to communicate with you occasionally about Council services, programs, funding opportunities, newsletters and projects.

The Colac Otway Shire Council will use the Business Directory listing to communicate with you occasionally about the business e-newsletter, invitations to business events or workshops, funding opportunities and other business-related information that may benefit your business. 

The information collected on this form will be used by Colac Otway Shire Council for these primary purposes or directly related purposes. Participation in the Directory is voluntary. Council will take every reasonable step to ensure your privacy is protected in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. All Directory data will be stored in Council's Electronic Document Record Management System (EDRMS).  You may contact Council to request access to personal information we hold about you, or for other concerns regarding privacy of your information, by phoning 03 5232 9400 or by emailing inq@colacotway.vic.gov.au