NORLANE’S former Ford factory could become home to a “big ute” tourism drawcard and motoring museum under a City of Greater Geelong proposal.<\/p>\n
COGG has completed a feasibility study into a new Geelong Museum of Motoring and Industry and a Big Ford Ute project, which councillors first floated in November 2021.<\/p>\n
Councillors said the plan aimed to acknowledge the importance of motoring to Geelong and especially its northern suburbs, provide a permanent home for the presently nomadic museum collection and provide much-needed short-term visitor opportunities for the region.<\/p>\n
The proposal would build a big ute in the mould of iconic Australian tourism attractions like the Big Pineapple, Big Banana and Big Koala, alongside an exhibition of motoring artefacts in a nod to the city’s proud manufacturing history.<\/p>\n
Cr Anthony Aitken endorsed the idea at this week’s council meeting.<\/p>\n
“The big thing was came from an idea that we should be celebrating our engineering history.<\/p>\n
“The common ute that we now see that is around the world in so many different forms actually came from a Geelong-based engineer at the Ford Australia site.<\/p>\n
“The big thing was an opportunity to celebrate that unique history as a city of makers and it’s pleasing to see that this some feasibility report endorses that there is an opportunity for us.”<\/p>\n
Fellow Windermere Ward councillor Sarah Hathway said the project would help “acknowledge the importance of the motor industry and car manufacturing to the northern suburbs and Geelong more broadly.<\/p>\n
“It certainly seems like every other person I speak to in the Windermere Ward had a family member or two who worked at Ford at one point or another.<\/p>\n
“I believe it’s important to preserve this history rather than lose it.”<\/p>\n
Cr Aitken also called on the factory’s current owners Pelligra to be “a good corporate citizen” and negotiate in good faith with the city.<\/p>\n
The Ford site is the city’s preferred location, subject to a commercial agreement with the site’s developer landowner.<\/p>\n
The nearby Seagull Paddock is also on the city’s radar.<\/p>\n
But the project’s cost remains unclear; a city report tabled at this week’s council meeting indicated the GMOM&I could cost between $8 million and $15 million, while the big thing was priced at $3 million.<\/p>\n
The city will advocate for external funding to bring the idea to life and investigate governance models such as community advisory panels to manage the facility.<\/p>\n
The combined proposal would also bring economic benefits to the city and address a need for single-day tourism opportunities in the city, which is of increasing need with the recent influx of Spirit of Tasmania travellers.<\/p>\n
A permanent home for the motoring museum is also a priority, after the facility has been ousted from multiple homes in recent years and amid fears the collection could be lost without a long-term tenure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
NORLANE’S former Ford factory could become home to a “big ute” tourism drawcard and motoring museum under a City of Greater Geelong proposal. COGG has completed a feasibility study into a new Geelong Museum of Motoring and Industry and a Big Ford Ute project, which councillors first floated in November 2021. Councillors said the plan […]<\/p>\n