The lucky country

PEOPLE say we live in the lucky country here in Australia, and locally, I consider myself extremely lucky to live along the Bellarine.

We have much to be proud of down this way and the fact we have so many people visiting us each and every weekend is testament to our welcoming nature and hospitable attitude.

But one of the things I am particularly proud about as a councillor for the City of Greater Geelong is that we are always looking to see where we can make things better.

How we can improve a service, upgrade a facility, or transform a part of the municipality into something even greater than it may already be.

It is why I am so excited about the development of the Portarlington Recreation Reserve Master Plan.

There is so much going for Portarlington, including the beaches, the wineries, the restaurants, and of course its festivals.

It is also home to the Portarlington Football and Netball Club and the Portarlington Cricket Club, which both call the Portarlington Recreation Reserve home.

The on-field success of the Demons might not be as grand as some other clubs, but the passion for representing the town is as strong as ever.

There is also a very active community of residents who are not necessarily engaged in competitive sport but who simply enjoy getting out and enjoying nature.

So it is wonderful to be able to talk about some of the details of the master plan and how it will benefit the entire community.

This master plan will not only guide funding for the Portarlington Recreation Reserve over the next decade, it will ensure it becomes a more enjoyable place to visit for a variety of purposes.

Refurbishing the main football and cricket pavilion, extending the tennis and netball pavilions, and improving passive recreation spaces are some of the features of the adopted master plan.

Among other developments within the master plan, the cricket nets would be modernised, the tennis and netball courts renovated, and multi-use sporting facilities added, providing greater variety of options for children and other users.

The entrances to the Portarlington Recreation Reserve would also be upgraded and the car parks would be improved under the master plan, while the development of accessible pathways and connections, along with way-finding signage, will further enhance its inclusive feel.

Community engagement on the draft master plan – which received $50,000 funding from the Victorian government – resulted in 289 contributions and included a face-to-face drop-in session, with the feedback informing the final copy.

The council has allocated $1,157,000 within the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Budgets for the Portarlington Recreation Reserve Pavilion Upgrade project, which will commence soon.

More broadly, the implementation of the master plan in its entirety will require funding across the next 10 years of $16,305,000.

That is a significant investment but it is something I hope the community embraces because it is a necessary project and one that is, pleasingly, environmentally friendly.

Elsewhere in the ward the recent City of Greater Geelong 2022-23 Proposed Budget had many highlights for the region.

I was pleased to see the St Leonards Cricket Club allocated $350,000 to go towards upgrades and improvements of the nets, pavilion and ground at Lake Reserve.

There was also money for lighting at the venue and further funding for an automated irrigation system.

Nearby, there was $460,000 allocated to the redevelopment of the St Leonards Skate Park.

On top of this there was $550,000 in the Proposed Budget for two separate projects that have the potential to transform the entire Collendina Recreation Reserve precinct.

That money would go towards installing a covered spectator viewing area and a major upgrade to the existing facilities, including to the pavilion, that would entail the construction of gender neutral change rooms.

All of these investments show that the council is determined to be providing the best recreational facilities possible to the residents of the Bellarine.

We may live in the lucky country, but I really mean it when I say we are lucky to call this pocket of the world home.

Cr Jim Mason
Bellarine Ward, City of Greater Geelong