Transport, community, tourist and cultural infrastructure important for livable city

EARLIER this year, Council released its Priority Projects document.

In it was a list of essential transport, community, tourist and cultural infrastructure projects that have been identified as necessary to ensure we can continue to protect our highly valued liveability and manage population growth.

While we have already committed significant resources to these projects, they require further government partnership and investment, now and in the future.

Geelong is Victoria’s second city and we are experiencing significant economic and population growth.

That will only intensify as the region’s vibrant community and coastal setting attracts new residents and investment in the future.

Greater Geelong’s population is now more than 271,000 and we will have approximately 400,000 residents in just over a decade.

It is therefore critical that we address such issues as the quality and frequency of existing public transport services, and importantly the lack of transport links from Central Geelong and the rail network to major new population growth corridors in the north, west and south.

The Northern and Western Geelong Growth Areas Framework Plan is the largest greenfield planning project in regional Victoria, with the capacity to accommodate 110,000 new Geelong residents.

This future growth area will reflect Geelong’s transformation as a clever and creative city by building diverse, localised and sustainable neighbourhoods that prioritise self-sufficiency while maximising connections to the Geelong community.

Within this area is one of our region’s major transport assets, Avalon Airport, and within the Council’s Priority Projects list is an integrated transport network that includes delivery of the Western Rail Plan.

This encompasses a dedicated railway station at Avalon on the Geelong to Melbourne line, linking to Avalon Airport and rail connections between Geelong and Werribee.

As the second largest city in the state it is so important that we do not get left behind when it comes to infrastructure such as this, and the reasons for developing a station at Avalon are clear.

A train station would not only make Avalon Airport more accessible for passengers in regional Victoria, but would significantly enhance access for the broader 5.5 million people in Melbourne.

This simple, but relatively low-cost development will lead to greater demand for airline services which will drive local employment, tourism and economic benefits for our City and region.

And, separate to the growth we are experiencing, in four years’ time we will play a major role in hosting the Commonwealth Games, and ensuring athletes, coaches, officials and visitors can access our city via an integrated transport network is essential.

This makes the investment decisions time-critical – we need commitments now to be ready for 2026. Council is not only supportive of this getting off the ground, it is advocating strongly to government to fund this project.

I believe the best outcomes for the community are generally realised when all three levels of government work together to achieve what is needed, and now really does seem like an ideal time to advocate for the whole region’s needs.

Strong partnerships across state, local and federal governments, and the private sector, will be crucial to delivering the immediate and long-term needs for our fast-growing region, and as Victoria’s largest regional city, we need infrastructure funded and delivered in a timely manner.

This is especially true with regard to transport.

We know that the Geelong region’s infrastructure is utilised not only by our own community members, but by residents from surrounding municipalities and visitors from Victoria, across Australia and the world.

This will only increase in the aftermath of COVID and lockdowns when people begin travelling again.

Council has invested hundreds of millions of dollars into pivotal projects and infrastructure in our region, but we rely on partnerships with other levels of government to help get some of these the ground.

So I look forward to seeing more targeted funding for our region in the coming years that is aimed at preserving Geelong’s economic, social and environmental sustainability, including for a much-needed train station at Avalon Airport

Cr Kylie Grzybek

Windermere Ward, City of Greater Geelong