Popular winery plans for fresh look

A BELLARINE vineyard is planning to revamp its outdoor dining area and showcase a new gin venture that it hopes will attract more visitors and tourism dollars to the region.

Bellarine Estate has lodged a planning application with the City of Greater Geelong to renovate the outdoor space at its Thirty Acres Distillery, which operates out of the winery building on Portarlington Road.

Construction would involve rendered landscape walls to provide privacy and sound barriers to outside, a covered outdoor eating area, beer garden, extended bar to serve outside plus new entrances and landscaping

Proponents say the $50,000 project would be a “modest” addition to the existing business.

The application proposes no changes patron limits, but would be for “general improvement to the existing outdoor dining area”.

Planning documents argues the plan would contribute to economic and tourism development on the Bellarine Peninsula, in line with council planning for the area.

“The proposal would only have a positive contribution to the quality of the built environment and presentation of the existing restaurant from the public realm.

“The proposal is consistent with the strategic vision for the Peninsula and the economic function of facilities such as the Bellarine Estate.”

The City of Greater Geelong is advertising plans until July 25.