A decades-long wait for flood protection in Lara continues, despite Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj describing the Kyema Drive drainage upgrade as a “top priority” less than 12 months ago.<\/p>\n
As the City of Greater Geelong opens early consultation for its 2026-27 budget, residents in the flood-prone Kyema Drive and the nearby Lipson Drive are again watching closely.<\/p>\n
The project, which was excluded from last year’s budget, has been automatically rolled into the City’s new budget process and will be considered by a community panel later this month.<\/p>\n
But there is still no guarantee of funding.<\/p>\n
The City’s executive director of city infrastructure, Amanda Locke, said the original $1.3 million allocation for the project was no longer enough to deliver a long-term solution.<\/p>\n
She said the project would instead need to be delivered in two stages, with $3.15 million in funding needed for Lipson Drive and a further $3.5 million required for Kyema Drive.<\/p>\n
“Our analysis suggests that $1.3 million is insufficient to achieve the best outcome for our community,” Locke said. “If we’re going to invest, it needs to follow best practices and create long-lasting solutions rather than Band-Aid fixes.”<\/p>\n
She said the $6.65 million price tag for the full upgrade was a substantial cost for the council to absorb within its current budget constraints.<\/p>\n
“While this project is important, we must recognise that the City has finite funds to allocate towards drainage infrastructure, and the budget is prioritised year on year according to projects that will deliver the greatest community benefit for the investment made,” Locke said.<\/p>\n
Tens of millions of dollars in known drainage upgrades are competing for limited funding, she said.<\/p>\n
“The Kyema and Lipson Drive project is just one of many,” Locke said.<\/p>\n
The project was added to the City’s state election wish list last month, alongside more than 30 other “community level” projects. While its inclusion means the council will lobby candidates for the funding in the lead-up to November’s election, it is one of dozens of projects seeking support.<\/p>\n
Anthony Hill is one of several Kyema Drive residents who have experienced repeated flooding events since he moved to the street in 1982. He and his neighbours have been pleading for a solution for almost 45 years.<\/p>\n
During the City’s last budget process, he described the stress of heavy rain events to this masthead.<\/p>\n
“We’re all waiting for the big [flood] to come through,” he said. “It’s a lot to live with. Listening to the rain, that’s one of the strangest things. You sit here listening and you think ‘Stop. Please stop’.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A decades-long wait for flood protection in Lara continues, despite Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj describing the Kyema Drive drainage upgrade as a “top priority” less than 12 months ago. As the City of Greater Geelong opens early consultation for its 2026-27 budget, residents in the flood-prone Kyema Drive and the nearby Lipson Drive are again […]<\/p>\n