Waurn Ponds projects revel in RJIP funding

PROJECTS at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus will collectively be the largest beneficiary of Geelong’s Regional Jobs and Investment Package (RJIP).

Announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during a visit to Carbon Nexus (also located at the campus) last week, the $20 million RJIP will be shared among 21 recipients across the Geelong region.

More than $6 million of this will go to projects based at the advanced manufacturing precinct at Waurn Ponds.

LeMond Composites has the single largest grant: a $5 million contribution towards design and construction of Australia’s first carbon fibre manufacturing facility using new reactor technology developed by researchers at Carbon Nexus.

Conflux Technology will use $1,029,464 to build an Additive Manufacturing and Engineering Centre (AMEC) at the Geelong Innovation Precinct to ensure a supply of highly skilled professionals specialising in the additive manufacturing, while 36T will get $309,442 to establish an advanced manufacturing facility for the production and export of carbon composite bicycle wheels.

Deakin acting vice-chancellor Professor Gary Smith said he was particularly pleased to see funding for the three projects, which would support the creation of more high-value manufacturing jobs for the region.

“The Federal Government’s support for LeMond Composites also demonstrates Geelong’s growing reputation as a world leader in carbon fibre research and manufacturing.

“Deakin is proud to have supported the development of this high-value, job-creating industry for the region through our globally-unique, award-winning Carbon Nexus centre, which was established at Waurn Ponds in 2014.”

LeMond Composites founder and chief executive officer Greg LeMond said he was grateful for the support from the federal government and Deakin as his company continued its mission to bring advanced low cost carbon fibre to market.

Other notable projects to get major RJIP grants are $3.2 million towards creating an ecotourism destination and retail precinct at Lake Modewarre as part of the Cape Otway Road Australia (CORA) development, $2 million to the Conservation Ecology Centre’s Wildlife Wonders tourism experience at Apollo Bay, and $2 million to the Royal Geelong Yacht Club’s Safe Harbour Precinct, including building a new public pier, clubhouse, public facilities and event spaces.