the largest strip shopping centre in Geelong, stretching from Barwon Heads Road to Roslyn Road. The shopping strip was upgraded in 2006, with power lines being put underground and the extensive planting of street trees. Religion Some of the churches in Belmont include: St. Stephen's Anglican Church Belmont St. Bernard's Parish Grace Church God Baptist Church Belmont Uniting Church Education Belmont is served by a number of primary and secondary schools: Belmont Primary School in Mount Pleasant Road was the first primary school in the suburb, opened on 1 December 1856. St Bernard's Catholic Primary School was the school of the St Bernard's Catholic parish. Located on the corner of High and Regent Streets, the school was merged with Highton's Mercia Catholic Primary School in 1999, to form Clairvaux Catholic Primary School on Reynolds Road. Belmont High School is situated off Roslyn Road, and was the first secondary school in Belmont. It opened during the post-World War II population boom in the district. Roslyn Primary School opened at about the same time. Oberon Primary School also opened when development in Belmont accelerated post-World War II. Oberon High School opened on Kidman Avenue in the late 1960s to serve the growing population south of the Barwon River. The school also caters for students from the coastal and country areas to the south of Geelong. Oberon South Primary School is located next to Oberon High School on Tintinara Crescent. Belmont was once home of the South Barwon Technical School on Reynolds Road which opened in the late 1970s. The school was closed in the early 1990s as part of the then-State Government reforms of vocational education. The buildings are now occupied by Clairvaux Catholic Primary School. A number of kindergartens are also located in Belmont. Research laboratory The facilities of the CSIRO Division of Wool Technology, later Textile and Fibre Technology, were located at the intersection of Henry and High Streets for over 50 years, but moved to Deakin University Waurn Ponds in the early 2010s. Recreation Belmont has a large number of reserves and a number of local sporting clubs. The extensive Belmont Common area follows the Barwon River to the east of the suburb, and has a path along both sides of the river for people to utilise on foot or bicycle. The Common also houses the Barwon Valley Public Golf Course, golf driving range, a number of baseball fields,