Free parking push aims to breathe life back into Geelong CBD

THE City of Greater Geelong is hoping a free two-hour parking proposal put forward in its 2025-26 draft budget will help draw people back to Geelong’s CBD.

The initiative will apply to all two-hour parking bays across the city, with each road user eligible for a single two-hour allotment of free parking per day.

This, the city says, will be monitored by technology already available to the city.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s council meeting, Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj said the initiative was one the city could introduce immediately to support the CBD’s struggling retailers, while the organisation continues to advocate for the revitalisation of the precinct.

“The CBD, as we know, is not in the shape that we want it to be.

“We want to stimulate people coming back into the CBD and parking is seen as a real barrier, particularly when you compare it to Pakington Street, High Street [in] Belmont [and] Highton Village, where parking is free.”

The proposal comes as the city celebrates a breakthrough in talks with Davinski Nominees, the Singapore-based owners of Market Square, with a mixed-use concept that includes commercial opportunities and high-rise residential spaces to be maintained for the precinct.

“They’ve gone away back to Singapore to think about that and to work up some concepts,” Cr Kontelj said.

“The next action would be that we have another follow up meeting and just see what they’re thinking.”

He said the involvement of Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in the meeting with the site’s owners earlier this month, and the MP’s own “personal, keen interest” in the project, was sure to prove influential.

“I’m feeling encouraged that we’ll see something very good happen there.

“Certainly, just refurbishing what’s there and putting tenants in there won’t do at all.”

He hinted the introduction of a market, similar in nature to Tasmania’s Salamanca Market, could also be on the horizon for Little Malop Street between Yarra Street and Moorabool Street.

“That would help, again, attract people and give a sense that things are on the move in the CBD,” Cr Kontelj said.