Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and event centre.

Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre is one of regional Victoria’s most significant civic developments. Located on Wadawurrung Country along the Geelong waterfront, the precinct brings together a purpose-built convention and exhibition centre, a 1,000-seat venue, two large exhibition spaces, flexible event areas, meeting rooms and views across Corio Bay.

The name Nyaal Banyul was gifted by the Wadawurrung People and means “open your eyes to the hills”, a reference to the You Yangs and other significant landscapes visible from the waterfront. The precinct has been shaped in collaboration with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, ensuring the building reflects local identity, cultural heritage and connection to Country.

A surface that belongs to place

Designed by Woods Bagot, Nyaal Banyul responds to the atmosphere of Geelong’s Western Beach. Its façade incorporates custom-glazed ceramic tiles and extensive glazing, creating a sculptural surface inspired by the cliffs, coastline and shifting light of Corio Bay.

KEIM mineral finishes were used across key elements of the project, including external GRC, murals and internal columns, with KEIM Soldalit and KEIM Lasur supporting the building’s architectural expression.

For a public project of this scale, surfaces need to do more than look good on opening day. They need to perform. They need to breathe, protect, retain colour and support the long-term integrity of the architecture. That’s where KEIM belongs.

Our mineral silicate systems are made for buildings that are expected to last. They chemically bind with mineral substrates, offering exceptional durability, colour stability and weather resistance without forming a film that can trap moisture or peel over time.

Mineral paint for public architecture

Nyaal Banyul is a civic building with high visibility and high responsibility. It will host conferences, cultural events, business gatherings and community experiences. It also carries the story of place through material, surface and public art.

KEIM Soldalit and KEIM Lasur were selected for areas where performance, mineral character and visual depth matter.

KEIM Soldalit offers a durable mineral finish for exterior and interior mineral substrates, supporting long-term performance in exposed architectural environments.

KEIM Lasur allows for translucent mineral colour effects, giving surfaces depth and variation while retaining the natural character of the substrate.

Together, these systems support the project’s balance of durability and design sensitivity. The result is a finish that feels integrated, not applied. A surface that works with the building, the light and the surrounding environment.

Built with sustainability in mind

The project has been supported by Green Loan financing under a Sustainable Finance Framework aligned with green loan principles. Plenary Conventions has also committed to a 5-Star Green Star rating for the centre, with a pathway to achieve a 6-Star rating.

This aligns closely with KEIM’s own commitment to embedded sustainability. Our mineral paints are designed with no biocides, no solvents, no plasticisers and zero VOCs, supporting healthier environments for applicators, occupants and the planet.

For architects, designers and builders, the benefit is simple: a finish that supports performance, sustainability and long-term value without compromising the design intent.

A project with local impact

Beyond the building itself, Nyaal Banyul has created significant local benefits. Around 1,500 jobs were supported during construction, with local subcontractors, suppliers and apprentices engaged through the Nyaal Banyul Early Engagement Social Procurement program. The project also includes public art by Geelong-born artist Rone, whose mural stretches 88 metres across the exterior of the development and celebrates local faces and stories. This is architecture with a broader role. It supports tourism, employment, training, cultural recognition and public life.

Made to endure

From external GRC to murals and internal columns, the KEIM systems used at Nyaal Banyul support a finish that is mineral, breathable, durable and colour-fast.

Because on a building like this, the surface matters.

It carries the first impression

It protects the architecture

It helps tell the story of place.

Nyaal Banyul is a new landmark for Geelong. KEIM is proud to contribute mineral finishes designed to last, naturally.