UDIA networks in Geelong

THE Urban Development Institute of Australia’s local members started their long weekend with a networking function in Geelong last week.

Thursday’s event, held at The Wharf Shed on the waterfront, was hosted by the UDIA Geelong region committee and drew a crowd of about 30 people.

Chair of the committee Greg Bursill particularly welcomed Cr Anthony Aitken and Tim Nelson from the City of Greater Geelong.

“We’re really engaging a lot with the council this year – there’s a lot of strategies coming out that Tim’s been very busy with,” he said.

“Obviously we’ll be looking to new leadership with the CEO Kelvin (Spiller) leaving soon (Mr Spiller’s but that’s okay; we’ll keep partnering and engaging strongly with the council, as we do.

“We’ve got a whole range of initiatives this year that we want to get into.”

The UDIA Geelong region committee aims to give an opportunity for UDIA members – including councils and referral authorities – to interact, and also provides a peak industry body for the ongoing discussion of planning and development issues in the Geelong region.

Villawood Properties sponsored the function. Executive director Rory Costelloe is also on the UDIA Geelong region committee and said he was glad to see the event happen, as the UDIA’s Geelong members had been trying for about three years to set up a local event.

Other members of the committee include Matthew Hill (Coffey), Adam Jaques (Maddocks), Shane McGlynn (SMEC), Sarah Wright (Spiire) and Matthew Fleischmann (Newland Developers).