G21 launches Region Plan 2050

G21 GEELONG Region Alliance have launched a new strategic framework to guide planning and investment for communities in Geelong and surrounds over the next 30 years.

The G21 Region Plan 2050 has been developed over the past 12 months, and is based on research led by local leaders and subject matter experts from 57 organisations.

It also incorporates feedback from more than 1,000 community members from the City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire, Colac Otway Shire, Golden Plains Shire and Borough of Queenscliffe.

“Collaboration is the superpower of our region and it’s a remarkable community asset,” G21 chair Melissa Stephens said.

“It began with the first region plan in 2006 and has been powerfully on display in the development of this new plan, which brings together six primary aspirations for good growth and seven programs of work to achieve these goals over the next 27 years.”

The population of the five municipalities in the Geelong region have grown by more than 101,000 between 2006 and 2022 to a total of about 365,000 as of last year, according to the plan, with the population estimated to hit 500,000 by 2050.

G21 chief executive officer Guilia Baggio said the babies born today would be 27 years old in 2050.

“We have a responsibility to manage growth intelligently to ensure they can make their home in a region that provides the highest quality education, a wider range of skills and jobs in future-facing industries and the best possible preservation of our First Nations culture and the unique natural beauty that defines our region.”

The plan for 2050 – officially launched by Victorian Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney yesterday (Thursday, November 23) – refreshes the original 2006 plan and aims to answer the question “What is good growth and how can we achieve this together?”

It includes six “aspirations” towards the type of region Geelong wants to see in 2050:

• Place to call home
• Everyone able to thrive
• Creative sustainable economy
• First Nations voice
• Healthy Country, and
• Easy, connected transport.

Surf Coast Shire mayor and G21 deputy chair Liz Pattison welcomed the release of the G21 Plan 2050.

“The scale and depth of the work that has gone into this plan provides a robust, community backed roadmap to 2050,” she said.

“It will give confidence to investors and planners and, above all, our three levels of government who will play a central role in helping our communities shape Australia’s most liveable and loveable region.”

For more information about G21 and its projects, head to g21.com.au