Premier announces ambulance and Bellarine Railway boost

A NEW ambulance station at Swan Bay and the heritage-listed Queenscliff Station building was on Premier Daniel Andrews’ agenda during his second recent visit to the Bellarine.

Mr Andrews and Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville met with hard-working local paramedics on Thursday to reveal that land had been acquired for the new station, which is expected to open in 2019.

The $2.7 million facility will be built on land located between Queenscliff and St Leonards, meaning paramedics can respond to emergencies faster at either location – and everywhere in between, providing the highest quality of treatment and care for locals, and the steady stream of visitors to the Bellarine.

The new purpose-built station will feature a drive in-and-out garage bay for vehicles, rest and recline areas, training rooms, bedrooms, modern amenities and fully-fitted out kitchen.

MEANWHILE, works are underway to renew the Queenscliff Station building, preserving its future and providing a boost for the Bellarine Railway.

Mr Andrews and Ms Neville joined heritage railway volunteers and other community members to mark the start of works on the project.

Constructed in 1881, the station is architecturally significant as it is the earliest built tourist-oriented type of railway station – a purpose it still performs to this day as part of the heritage Bellarine Railway.

Featuring a large waiting area, the station was designed to cater for large numbers of tourists at peak holiday times.

Works to be undertaken at the station include restumping, re-roofing, replacing and repairing timber, painting, and fitting a new kitchen and toilet.

Tourist heritage group the Bellarine Railway, which operates the heritage line, has used the Queenscliff Station building for around 40 years.

These works will be carried out by regionally based contractors BDH Constructions, working closely with heritage architects Quadratum Architecture, with the project expected to be completed by the end of November