Call to release business case for Bellarine Link

CITY of Greater Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj is pushing for the Victorian government to release the business case for the Bellarine Link, and is again urging bipartisan funding commitments during the federal election.

The project would connect Baanip Boulevard at the Surf Coast Highway to Barwon Heads Road, creating a safer, faster, and more direct road link between Melbourne, Geelong, and the Bellarine Peninsula.

Bellarine Link is estimated to reduce travel times between Geelong Ring Road and parts of the Bellarine Peninsula by up to 15 minutes, ease congestion, and reduce truck movements in central Geelong.

The road has been identified as a key infrastructure project in Victoria’s Big Build and the Victorian government has already undertaken community consultation on the project, but construction on the road link has not started despite planning beginning in 2017.

In a statement on Thursday last week, the city says the Victorian government completed the business case in 2022 and the city has unsuccessfully requested it from the Victorian government “on a number of occasions”.

Thursday’s statement also noted Cr Kontelj had written to Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams.

“With the 2025 federal election imminent, we respectfully ask that the minister respond with urgency to our request to release the Bellarine Link business case,” Cr Kontelj said.

“A Bellarine Link is one of our local and regional priorities that require investment from the Commonwealth and Victorian governments.

“Without the business case being made public, it’s not only difficult to get a full picture of what’s possible, but it’s challenging to advocate for funding.

“With the extension identified as a key infrastructure project in the state’s Big Build, we ask that the business case is made public so we can get on with advocating for our community’s needs.”

Thursday’s statement follows Cr Kontelj’s request in February for bipartisan support towards Bellarine Link.

At the time, the request drew mixed responses from three of the Corangamite candidates – incumbent Labor MP Libby Coker, The Greens’ Mitch Pope and Voices for Corangamites’ Kate Lockhart – none of whom said they would make election funding commitments backing the project.