G21 Region Plan - a sustainable growth strategy

Transcription

81449 Internal &
G21 Region Plan - a sustainable growth strategy
Report 2 – Understanding the Region and the Challenges for the Future
PREPARED FOR G21 GEELONG REGION ALLIANCE
September 2006
G21 – G21 REGIONAL ALLIANCE
Ground Floor, 199 Moorabool Street, GEELONG VIC 3220
Ph: 5227 4012 - Fax: 5224 2594 – www.G21.com.au
Draft Version 3 – 20.12.05
Acknowledgements
This report has been prepared by a consultancy team lead jointly by MacroPlan Australia and Hansen
Partnership. The team includes:

ARRB Group Ltd - 500 Burwood Highway, Vermont South VIC 3133 , Australia, P: +61 3 9881
1535, F: +61 3 9886 4870, , www.arrb.com.au

Hyder Consulting Pty Ltd, Level 16, 31 Queen Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000, Australia Phone +
61 3 8623 4000, Fax + 613 8623 4111

Phillips Agribusiness, 96 Yarra Street, Geelong Vic 3220, Ph: 03 5223 2198, Fax: 03 5229
7566
MacroPlanAustralia
SETTING NEW STANDARDS
MACROPLAN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ABN 38 657 106 626
Level 4, 107-109 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Vic. 3000
TEL: 03 9663 6826 FAX: 03 9663 2896
E-MAIL: [email protected]
Reference: 81449
HANSEN PARTNERSHIP
Level 8, 136 Exhibition Street, Melbourne,
Vic. 3000
TEL: 03 96548844 FAX: 03 96548088
E-MAIL: [email protected]
Reference 2005/196
G21 would also like to thank all of Councillors, Council staff, agency staff and others who have
provided information for this project, participated in meetings and attended consultation forums.
G21 Geelong Region Plan
5
5.1
5.2
Contents
Executive summary --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i
1
Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
2
Sustainability -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
3
4
Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2
What is sustainable development?------------------------------------------------- 2
Who are some of the key organisations and agencies promoting
sustainable cities? -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
What are the key principles or elements of a sustainable city?----------------- 4
Sustainability principles (applicability to G21 Region)--------------------------- 6
Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
Natural systems----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
Landscape character types ---------------------------------------------------------11
Environmental overlays and the PCRZ--------------------------------------------14
Environmental issues----------------------------------------------------------------15
7
4.1
4.2
Physiographic divisions -------------------------------------------------------------17
Rural industries ----------------------------------------------------------------------18
4.3
4.4
Conclusion ---------------------------------------------------------------------------21
Sustainability implications ----------------------------------------------------------21
5.1 Regional Population ------------------------------------------------------------------23
5.2 Intra Regional Population------------------------------------------------------------24
5.3 Population projections ---------------------------------------------------------------25
5.4 Regional Age Structure---------------------------------------------------------------26
5.5 Dwelling Tenure-----------------------------------------------------------------------27
5.6 Dwelling Types ------------------------------------------------------------------------28
5.7 Non-residential building approvals-------------------------------------------------29
5.8 Occupied Dwellings ------------------------------------------------------------------30
5.9 Land Prices ----------------------------------------------------------------------------31
5.10 Employment by Industry Sector 2001---------------------------------------------32
5.11 Occupation --------------------------------------------------------------------------33
5.12 Journey to work ---------------------------------------------------------------------34
5.13 SEIFA ranking - 2001 --------------------------------------------------------------35
5.14 SEIFA mapping ----------------------------------------------------------------------36
5.15 Internet usage -----------------------------------------------------------------------39
5.16 Education ----------------------------------------------------------------------------39
5.17 Tourism -------------------------------------------------------------------------------40
5.18 Tourism by purpose -----------------------------------------------------------------41
5.19 Migration-----------------------------------------------------------------------------42
Growing the regional economy ---------------------------------------------------49
Activity centres -----------------------------------------------------------------------51
Industrial land -----------------------------------------------------------------------53
Economic assets---------------------------------------------------------------------56
Sustainability principles-------------------------------------------------------------57
Transport ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59
7.1
7.2
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
7.7
Travel data ---------------------------------------------------------------------------59
Where do we want to be in 2050? -----------------------------------------------60
Infrastructure and services ---------------------------------------------------------61
Opportunities ------------------------------------------------------------------------62
Constraints ---------------------------------------------------------------------------63
Opportunities for the future--------------------------------------------------------63
Sustainability principles-------------------------------------------------------------64
8
Community wellbeing -------------------------------------------------------------------- 65
9
Infrastructure ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 69
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
Agricultural outlook ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 21
Understanding the Region -------------------------------------------------------------- 22
Policies -------------------------------------------------------------------------------44
Potential of presently identified residential development areas ---------------47
Economic growth and development---------------------------------------------------- 44
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
Agricultural resources -------------------------------------------------------------------- 17
4.2.2
5
6
Natural environment ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
Residential development potential------------------------------------------------------ 44
10
Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------------------69
Water ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------69
Sewerage-----------------------------------------------------------------------------73
Planning for future growth ---------------------------------------------------------76
Sustainability implications ----------------------------------------------------------76
Challenges for the Region Plan --------------------------------------------------------- 77
10.1
10.2
10.3
10.4
The benefits of a larger regional population ------------------------------------77
Accommodating the expected population growth ------------------------------78
Refocussing the economy ----------------------------------------------------------81
Managing high levels of growth---------------------------------------------------82
Appendix 1 – SEIFA indexes
Appendix 2 – Total migration by SLA
Appendix 3 – Future residential development potential
Appendix 4 – Trends in the rural parts of the region
Executive summary
Introduction
This is the second report prepared as part of the G21 Geelong Region Plan project. The purpose of
this report is to provide an understanding of the Region and to identify the challenges that will be
faced in preparing a plan for the Region.
The first report presented an analysis of the ‘Regional Context’ within which the G21 Region exists. It
examined ‘inter-regional’ relationships rather than issues ‘within’ the Region.
The G21 Geelong Region Plan is a joint project between G21 Geelong Region Alliance (G21), the
Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Department of Victorian Communities (DVC)
and the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD) and the five local
government authorities of the G21 Region.
Sustainability
A key objective of the G21 Geelong Region Plan is to come up with a sustainable growth strategy for
the Region. Section 2 of the report reviews international, national and local literature regarding
sustainable urban development.
Sustainable development is defined as:
“…development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.”
Based on the key principles identified from that review Section 2 concludes that a sustainable land
use strategy for the G21 Region must include the following initiatives:
a future urban form based on the ‘Corridor City’, with growth along linear corridors from key
urban centres, with upgraded public transport along corridors and between centres;
improved housing choice, more compact housing in the form of medium to higher densities with
good linkages to public transport, jobs, services and facilities, as well as recreation and open
space;
improved public transport, and less reliance on the car;
a mix of land uses in proximity to each other;
protection of key environmental features in the region;
promotion of sustainable production practices and environmentally sound technologies, such as
renewable energy sources (e.g. wind, solar), energy efficient building construction, recycling and
reuse programs and tertiary treatment of sewage;
economic incentives for promoting and putting into practice, sustainable production practices and
technologies;
a diverse economic base;
actively engaging local communities in promoting and actioning more sustainable practices in
everyday activities.
Environment
The natural environmental features of the Region are one of its key assets. Chapter 3 describes the
natural environmental features of the Region and the key environmental issues that must be
addressed as part of a Region Plan. It describes the geology and climate of the region, its
waterways, lakes and wetlands, vegetation within the region and provides information regarding
landscape character types and National and state parks and marine reserves.
The key environmental issues are:
Protecting and enhancing the inland rivers, wetlands, streams and lakes in the region. Many of
the streams in the Region are highly degraded and the Moorabool and Barwon River systems are
in particularly poor condition.
Enhancing surface water quality, with surface water resources in the Region suffering from
elevated levels of salinity, nutrients and turbidity. High levels of toxins also exist, particularly where
related to urban development.
Managing the impact of human settlement on the natural resources of the Region, on water
quality, biodiversity and the landscape values of the area. Particularly sensitive areas are those
along the coast.
Agriculture
The natural resource base of the Geelong Region is a diverse environment through the influences of
topography, climate and soil type. A significant proportion remains unavailable for agricultural use
due to steep topography, poor soils and erosion susceptibility. These areas include swamp lands,
foreshores, coastal dunes, rugged open forest and steep dense forest.
Regional agriculture having primarily a livestock and cropping orientation. Cropping specialists have
as their main crops cereal, oilseeds and legumes. Cropping specialists tend to be located north of
the Princes Highway (west of Geelong) because of the combination of soils and climate. Commercial
farm sizes are generally greater than 400ha.
Grazing specialists include the farming systems of wool, prime lamb, beef and dairying. Wool,
prime lamb and beef tend to compete for the same land resources and are distributed broadly across
the region, from the foothills of the Otways to the region’s northern boundary.
Dairying is generally located south of the Princes Highway (west of Geelong) where the rainfall is
higher and the pasture growing season more extended which better fits the dairy herd production
cycle.
Most of the rural industries in the Geelong Region are based on comparative environmental
advantage and therefore generally capable of adjusting to the future farming environment, providing
farm size and the quality of management is adequate. However farming cannot be competitive
within the urban fringe, as rapidly rising land values stifle the adjustment process. Farmers leave,
taking their knowledge base with them, usually having reduced their property to a number of lots in
different ownerships.
public education programs; and
i
Theoretically, progressive land management on such holdings can still continue, albeit through a
greater number of land owners than originally existed. But the mechanism of achieving this is elusive
and well beyond the regulatory constructs of municipal planning schemes in their current form.
Creative land use solutions are required to avoid the continuing loss of productive rural land within
the urban fringe.
Understanding of the Region
Population
The G21 Region had an estimated resident population of 266,112 in 2004, with Greater Geelong
population of 202,616 making up over 76%, and Surf Coast and Colac having the next largest
proportions at just over 8%. The G21 Region has been growing at almost 1.5% since 2001, up from
1.1% over the period 1996-01.
2001
2002
2003
2004
Change
2001-2004
Colac Otway
21,005
21,079
21,290
21,495
490
0.77%
Golden Plains
15,101
15,312
15,747
16,319
1,218
2.62%
Greater
Geelong
194,478
197,542
199,824
202,615
8,137
1.38%
Queenscliffe (B)
3,276
3,253
3,222
3,212
-64
-0.66%
Surf Coast
20,872
21,549
22,072
22,471
1,599
2.49%
G21 Region
254,732
258,735
262,155
266,112
11,380
1.47%
LGA
Av Annual
Change
Source: ABS Catalogue 3218.0
Golden Plains is now the fastest growing local government area with average annual increase since
2001 of 2.6%, but Greater Geelong has also had an increased rate of growth with an annual
population increase of over 2,700 making up more than 70% of recent population growth. Surf
Coast Shire continues to grow at a relatively fast rate of almost 2.5% pa, down from more than 3.2%
over the period from 1996-2001.
The fastest growing townships have been Torquay, Lara, Leopold and Ocean Grove.
The State government population forecasts indicate that the future population growth over the period
to 2031will be mainly focussed in the SLAs of:
South Barwon - 29,704
Corio (northern urban Geelong including Lara) - 15,896
Geelong East, - 15,056
Bellarine Peninsula - 19,134.
Employment
In the G21 Region, major employment sectors include retail trade, manufacturing, health and
community services, property and business services and education with over 60% of the region’s
employment. Of these, property and business services has had the largest growth, growing by over
6% p.a. since 1991. Health and Community services (4.2%) has grown well above the population
growth rate, with Retail trade (2.7%) slightly faster than population growth.
The Rural areas of the region as would be expected have a high proportion of employment in the
agriculture and lower proportions in property and business services, education and retail relative to
the other regions, while the Coastal region has a higher proportion in the accommodation cafes and
restaurants, education and construction sectors reflecting the high rate of population growth and
tourism in the region.
In Geelong, the highest proportions are in retail trade, manufacturing and property and business
services, reflecting its role as the primary centre for the G21 Region.
The key growth industries throughout the G21 Region and all the sub-regions include cultural and
recreational services, health and community services, property and business services, and
accommodation cafes and restaurants.
The concentration of jobs within the region in 2001 were in the SLAs of Geelong central 23,613,
Corio 15,032, South Barwon 8,440, Geelong West 5,327, Geelong East 4,826, Bellarine Peninsula
4,665, Colac 5,219, Newtown 2,860
Disadvantage
The main areas of disadvantage identified in the region were in the SLAs of Corio, Colac, Geelong
East, Golden Plains North West, which all recorded levels of disadvantage against at least two of the
four main ABS SEIFA indicators of disadvantage – Education & Occupation, Economic Resources,
Disadvantage and Advantage/ Disadvantage.
Migration
The main sources of net in-migration to the G21region are Melbourne, Ballarat and rest of Victoria,
with Melbourne and rest of Victoria being the major sources of net in-migration. The largest numbers
of in-migration from Melbourne are heading to the Coastal region (4,768), which is getting the
largest net migration from this source. While Geelong is also getting a large number of migrants
from Melbourne (4,262), it is losing a larger number to Melbourne.
The Coastal sub-region is also experiencing net in-migration from the rest of Victoria. The majority of
this in-migration from Melbourne and rest of Victoria is concentrated toward the Surf Coast Shire and
the Bellarine Peninsula.
The Rural region is also growing from net in-migration from Melbourne and rest of Victoria. The main
destinations for this migration are Rural North Geelong and Golden Plains South East, suggesting
that these people are looking for a rural residential lifestyle in proximity to Melbourne.
Surf Coast East - 12,330
The Geelong sub-region experiences net in-migration from the Coastal sub-region (571), however
the largest net in migration to the Geelong sub-region is from rest of Victoria (1,370) and the
Western District (683).
ii
The income profile of in-migration to the region is generally higher than the resident income profile.
However, the income profile of out-migrating people is also higher than the resident population with
a higher income leaving Geelong and Rural regions than in-migrating, and a higher income profile
for in-migrants to the Coastal areas than are leaving.
In the Shire of Colac Otway, Colac is estimated to have a supply of some 249 hectares of vacant
zoned residential land. However much of that land is in fragmented ownership to the west and south
of the town, which is likely to constrain its development potential. Around 120 hectares of land is
identified to the south-west of Winchelsea for ‘possible’ future development.
The age profile of people moving into the G21 region indicates that it is predominantly people in the
15-35 age group in which most movement is occurring. Incoming population exceeded outgoing
population in all cohorts except the 15-24 age group, which indicates young people leaving the
region for tertiary education and employment.
Bannockburn includes substantial areas of land that is vacant zoned land (Township Zone) or as
designated for possible future residential development (475 hectares in total).
The Coastal region is experiencing a greater number of net in-migration in the older age brackets of
55-64 (1,151) and 65-74 (312) than Geelong region. In Geelong the levels of in-migration for the
55-64 and 65-74 age cohorts are 85 and 347 respectively. Net in-migration in the older age
cohorts along the Coast is heading predominantly to the Bellarine Peninsula, with 359 people aged
45-54, 701 aged 55-64, and 248 aged 65-74.
Residential development potential
This section of the report examines the potential for future residential development within the Region.
It examines existing strategy plans, policies and zonings. It estimates future potential to be in the
order of 4,300 hectares, which includes:
488 hectares of vacant residential zoned land;
1,200 hectares of land that is designated for future residential development; and
2,400 hectares of land that that has been identified for possible future urban development in the
longer term.
Only around 3,800 hectares of the 4,300 hectares referred to above exists in those parts of the
Region experiencing the main pressures for urban development (i.e. around Geelong). It is estimated
that 3,100 hectares is likely to be available once detailed structure planning has occurred of areas
presently identified for ‘possible’ future growth.
The medium growth scenario in Report 1 (a regional population of 500,000 by 2051) identified that
between 4,300 and 13,000 hectares of greenfields land may be required to accommodate urban
development by 2051.
Apollo Bay (32ha) is the only coastal towns west of Torquay/ Jan Juc that has a significant supply of
vacant residential zoned land.
Economic growth and development
The G21 Region has been experiencing relatively high rate of population growth over the period
from 1996 following a long period of slow population growth. A key issue for the future of the
region is to ensure that the economy of the region grows sufficiently to provide employment
opportunities that match the vision for the region as a desirable place to live work and invest.
In order to attract and retain knowledge and skill to supply labour markets, the Region needs to take
initiatives to grow innovation and creativity. Important to this outcome is to create a lifestyle and
community which values diversity, has a strong research and development capacity drawn from its
education institutions and an entrepreneurial culture.
The liveability of the Region is a critical factor in developing theses characteristics, through the
development of vibrant and attractive activity centres, cultural activities and facilities. The Region has
the opportunity to leverage local competitive advantage in areas such as:
tourism;
education; and
health industries.
In addition, there will be increased need to promote ‘value adding’ industry. This includes using
technology to improve service or product delivery. This could include enhancements in primary
production through improved logistics and distribution, creation of new export products / packaging
/ branding or movement into new national or international markets.
In context of future greenfields land requirements around Geelong, Armstrong Creek is identified as
the next major development node and is currently being structure planned. In a 50 year planning
horizon, two or three areas equivalent in size to Armstrong Creek may be required to accommodate
anticipated population growth, or more depending on the degree of urban consolidation that occurs
and the density at which new development occurs.
Developing an innovation culture is important and further enhancing initiatives such as the Geelong
Technology Precinct will contribute significantly to this outcome.
There is only 65 hectares of vacant residential zoned land presently available around Geelong itself.
The Bellarine Peninsula has some 48 ha and Lara 10ha. This is a gross undersupply given the rate
at which development is occurring in the Region.
encouraging multi-purpose trips and a reduction in trip numbers and length of trips for shoppers
and commuters reducing energy consumption on transport;
Torquay / Jan Juc, which is one of the fastest growing towns in the region, only has some 12
hectares of land presently zoned for future residential purposes. This is also an undersupply, however
the MSS identifies substantial land (367ha) for rezoning to a Residential 1 Zone when the need
arises.
A robust network of centres provides the structure for a sustainable pattern of urban development by
providing for the establishment of compact, self-contained and diverse communities;
facilitating the provision of an efficient and effective public transport system;
providing a focus for government investment in centres-based infrastructure and services; and
facilitating the growth of new businesses particularly small to medium sized enterprises.
An important aspect will be to ensure a role and focus for key administrative and service centres
around the Region such as Colac, Bannockburn, Torquay and Queenscliffe.
iii
An important component of future economic growth in the Region is the availability of an adequate
supply of appropriately zoned industrial land in the region. A number of stakeholders have raised
concerns about the current supply of industrial land for small to medium sized businesses.
The potential for location of industrial development on highly accessible transport routes, particularly
the proposed western by-pass has also bee raised as a key opportunity to facilitate new investment
and jobs in the region.
Transport
The private car is critical to many households within the Region for mobility. Public transport use is
low, compared to Melbourne - however, this also reflects the extent and service coverage of the
Region's public transport networks, and the dispersed nature and distances travelled for many services
and employment.
Most transport planning with the G21 Region has been based upon population and employment
forecasts at the lower end of the growth envisaged for the G21 Region. The implications are that the
transport infrastructure needs of the region will be greater than that envisaged in work to date if the
population and employment projects are realised. This is not to say that the investment will be
insufficient but instead, investment in infrastructure and services may be required much sooner than
anticipated to date.
Consultation identified that the housing, employment and transportation needs may change
dramatically. There may be smaller houses and households, e-commerce may reduce private travel,
and there is a desire for walkable neighbourhoods. However, the converse need is that there may be
more light commercial vehicles delivering to households. Industry may locate around bypass
interchanges to take advantage of proximity to the freeway, airport and Port. It was also suggested
that future public transport services may be a combination of scheduled route services and flexible
"door-to-door" bus services.
There was a strong desire to locate future urban growth along existing transportation corridors, and
to limit growth within coastal communities. Improving access between where people live and their
employment opportunities - by co-location, public transport and private vehicle - was suggested.
Analysis for the Geelong Bypass has suggested a decrease in vehicle traffic volumes on arterial roads
through Geelong. This may provide an opportunity for the reallocation of road space is key corridors
and places; for example, creating bus lanes and bicycle lanes, and widening footpaths in places such
as activity centres.
Opportunities for new urban growth are suggested along existing transportation corridors - primarily
south and east of Geelong, and in communities further along those corridors - as well as internal
consolidation. Longer term opportunities may be to the north-west of Geelong. Development should
be based upon transit and walkable community design principles, whether in Geelong or other
communities. Having walkable and bikeable communities is particularly important for rural and
coastal communities that may struggle to obtain funding for regular public transport services.
Wellbeing
A key objective of this project is to enhance the social and economic wellbeing of the regional
community. The sustainable growth strategy that is derived from this project will need to include
principles and directions that will result in an improvement to community wellbeing.
iv
The existing Region Plan sets out outcomes, challenges and strategies for consideration in relation to
key themes or pillars that underlie the plan. Those that are particularly relevant to this project include
health and wellbeing, lifelong learning, sport and recreation, arts culture and heritage and the
economy. This presents a framework in which to consider the wellbeing of the community. Other
key issues identified in this report that will need to be considered in the preparation of the plan
include:
accommodating the needs of an ageing population, which is likely to be one of the more
significant issues the Region will confront over coming decades;
the importance of establish strong and robust communities in both newly developing and existing
residential areas, and the importance of neighbourhood planning principles in achieving this;
the need for positive action directed towards addressing some of the areas of significant
disadvantage that exist through out the Region;
issues related to small coastal towns and some rural communities regarding insufficient permanent
residents to form a functioning community and the delivery of services and facilities to small
communities;
the importance of housing affordability and choice to the wellbeing of the community, in terms of
both purchase and rental accommodation, and private and public housing options; and
the important role of the Region Plan in providing a common understanding of how the Region is
likely to change in the future, and where and when population is likely to settle in different parts of
the Region, to assist them in planning and to accommodate community needs in a timely and
efficient manner.
Infrastructure
Water
In its White Paper – Securing Our Water Future Together – the Victorian Government has challenged
water authorities and the broader community to protect the environment while meeting population
growth with limited water resources.
The Barwon and Moorabool rivers, which supply most of Geelong’s water, are both significantly
stressed, with little or no capacity to supply future growth in the region, particularly in relation to the
Moorabool River. During droughts the Barwon system is supplemented by groundwater from the
Barwon Downs area. The Gellibrand River provides the water supply for the Colac region. Along the
Otway coast, Apollo Bay / Skenes Creek, Lorne and Aireys Inlet/Fairhaven are supplied from smaller
coastal streams.
The Victorian Government has established an Environmental Water Reserve (EWR) that will guarantee
water for environmental purposes. The Barwon and Moorabool catchments are fully allocated. The
government has capped consumption of water in both catchments and no new diversions will be
permitted until the EWR is determined. The Otway Coast streams, including the Gellibrand River,
have been capped at current entitlements, although there is generally water available for new
allocations. The EWR will be set when sustainable diversion limits have been determined.
The CSIRO predicts that Victoria will get hotter and drier with less rainfall in winter and spring, and
more evaporation. Water resources will be reduced. The Victorian Government has indicated in its
White Paper that it will vary water entitlements and the EWR if future long-term reductions in water
availability occur.
A number of opportunities to reduce water consumption, and defer the need for finding new water
sources, have been identified by Barwon Water in its Water Resources Development Plan. These
include water conservation, recycled water, rainwater tanks and stormwater recycling and by
improving the existing water supply system providing more efficient operation and minimising losses.
Sewerage
Sewage from the Geelong urban area, Lara, Leopold, Drysdale/Clifton Springs, Torquay, Barwon
Heads, Ocean Grove and Queenscliff / Point Lonsdale is transferred to the Black Rock Water
Reclamation Plant, near Breamlea. Smaller reclamation plants operate in Portarlington, Apollo Bay,
Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Anglesea, Winchelsea and Bannockburn. Treated water is recycled where
possible or discharged to the ocean. The Colac Water Reclamation Plant, which has recently been
upgraded, discharges treated water into Lake Colac.
The Government strongly supports the use of recycled water and requires urban water authorities to
include a program for water recycling. Under its Water Recycling Policy, Barwon Water aims to
establish the use of recycled water as a key element in the sustainable management of water as a
limited resource, and encourage its commercial use while ensuring the highest environmental
standards in land-use and recycled water management.
Barwon Water has prepared the Geelong Sewerage Strategy that aims for sustainable management
of sewage and trade waste and to meet expected population and industrial growth over the next 40
years. A number of options have been considered including a new water reclamation plant in the
northern suburbs and connection to Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant.
Sustainability implications
The White Paper has set a clear sustainability agenda for the water industry. The implications of
meeting sustainability objectives are considerable. The Barwon / Moorabool system is effectively over
allocated and some water will probably be returned to the environment as entitlements are reviewed
over time. Otway Coast systems are still within sustainable limits but they are generally in sensitive
environmental areas, so any additional supplies will need to be “negotiated” with the environment.
The Gellibrand River represents the most likely source of new water for the Geelong region but any
additional allocation will be subject to close scrutiny, especially with the hotter and drier conditions
expected over coming years.
At the other end of the spectrum, recycled water will need to play a more significant role in meeting
sustainability objectives. The community will need to recognise its responsibilities as a polluter and
embrace recycled water as an alternative water source. Water authorities will need to set reasonable
prices for recycled water to encourage its use.
This section of the report identifies some of the key challenges that will be faced by the G21 Region
in preparing a regional plan with a 50 year time frame.
The purpose of the next stage of the study will involve preparing the plan for the region. Part of that
process will involve considering various options and alternatives for the region. The challenges
identified in this section begin the process of considering some of the key matters that will need to be
addressed and resolved in the next stage of the project.
The benefits of a larger regional population
Geelong is a second tier city in the Australian context. In the hierarchy of Australian cities, in terms of
population size, it sits way below the major State capitals, whilst being larger than the smaller capitals
of Darwin and Hobart. It is also considerably smaller than its NSW city / regional counterparts of
Newcastle / Hunter (590,000) and Wollongong / Illawarra (400,000).
The entire G21 Region (255,000) and the city of Geelong itself (160,000), are considerably smaller
than most of the key outer suburban regions within the State capitals of Melbourne and Sydney.
The challenge facing Geelong is to evolve as a self-sustainable Region in which its population growth
is matched by growth in regional employment, rather than it becoming more of a dormitory suburb of
Melbourne with residents increasingly commuting to Melbourne for work.
A larger more diversified economy can provide the critical mass to increase national and
international exposure and enable Geelong to emerge from the shadow of Melbourne as a distinct
economy.
The consultants believe that a population in the order of 700,000 to 800,000 people or more can
enable a region to be economically self-sustainable, to pave its own way nationally and
internationally, to have a strong and diverse economic base linked to future growth sectors of the
economy, and to provide a cosmopolitan life style with a wide range of higher order services
expected in a major city.
Growth scenarios contained in Report 1 identified regional populations of 400,000, 500,000 to
600,000 by 2051. All are considerably less than the 700,000 to 800,000 referred to above. This
suggests that the Region will need to actively encourage high levels of sustainable growth over a
prolonged period to evolve into a more economically sustainable region. The Region will need to
position itself as a major growth node in a State as well as a national context. It will need to position
itself to be recognised by both State and Federal governments as a growth node of equal magnitude
to those located in capital cities. This will enable the G21 Region to attract the political support and
level of infrastructure funding that will be necessary to accommodate the population increases that
are expected to occur in a sustainable way.
Finally, the value of water must be recognised and priced to the community to reflect its true value.
This will encourage water conservation, recycling, and use of alternative water sources that are more
sustainable but currently too expensive, such as desalination.
Challenges for the Region Plan
The final chapter of the report identifies the key challenges that the Region will need to
accommodate.
v
Consolidation of existing urban areas should focus on activity centres and public transport routes, in
addition to consolidation throughout the balance of urban areas within the capacity of the character
of those neighbourhoods to absorb incremental change. Specific opportunities for substantial infill
development within the existing urban area need to be identified and pursued as individual project
initiatives, such as the Geelong Western Wedge.
Population of Major Australian Cities and Metropolitan Regions
City / Region
Population 2001 (ERP)
Sydney
4,128,272
Melbourne
3,471,625
Brisbane
1,650,422
Perth
1,393,002
Adelaide
1,107,986
Newcastle (Hunter)
588,981
Baulkham Hills / Hornsby (Central North Sydney)
406,900
Wollongong (Illawarra)
399,987
Fairfield – Liverpool (Sydney)
348,080
Canberra
318,939
Parramatta (Central Western Sydney)
295,796
Blacktown (Sydney)
264,799
G21 Region
254,732
Ringwood Croydon Knox (Outer Eastern Melbourne)
247,712
South Eastern Melbourne Outer
228,572
Hobart
197,282
Geelong (urban area)
159,503
Yarra Ranges (Melbourne)
141,971
Greater Dandenong City
128,516
Frankston City
114,008
Darwin
106,842
Accommodating Geelong’s growth in transit orientated nodes on the edge of
Geelong
700,000 to 800,000 threshold
Accommodating expected population growth
Major urban expansion of Geelong should be planned to take the form of compact nodal transit
oriented development along key corridors radiating out from Geelong. This will require the
designation of future development nodes on the fringe of Geelong, of sufficient area to be structure
planned in a way that will result in an effective transit oriented form.
The Armstrong Creek growth area provides the opportunity to achieve a nodal transit form of
development to the south of Geelong to accommodate the Region’s next major phase of urban
development. However additional nodal development areas equivalent to the size of Armstrong’s
Creek will need to be identified around Geelong to accommodate development over a 50 year
timeframe.
Potential areas for further investigation include areas to the north-west of Geelong (Geelong Ballan
Road), to the west of Geelong (west of Fyansford). In the very long term consideration could be
given to investigating areas to the south-west of Geelong, in the Freshwater Creek locality or beyond
the Barrabool Hills towards Moriac.
Planning urban hinterland growth nodes as sustainable towns
Possibly the most significant challenge that will confront the Region over the next 50 years will be
accommodating the high levels of population growth, and hence urban development envisaged, in a
sustainable way.
The final section of this report identifies a number of challenges regarding for future urban
development that have emerged from the work undertaken to date. They are presented to stimulate
thought and discussion in moving from the research phase of the study to the plan preparation
phase. They are not as yet fully investigated or researched options.
Consolidating and containing existing urban areas
The importance of urban consolidation in reducing the amount of greenfields land required to
accommodate future population growth is critical for a sustainable growth strategy.
Consolidation is necessary to contain one of a key relative advantages of the G21 Region, which is
the compactness of its urban areas and the high levels of accessibility this provides, and the low
levels of traffic congestion that exist.
vi
Regardless of the degree to which the G21 Region is able to consolidate and contain future
development within existing urban areas, there will be a continued and ongoing need for greenfields
development on the urban fringe.
Considerable growth pressure is occurring and will continue to occur in Torquay / Jan Juc, in towns
on the Bellarine Peninsula and in Golden Plains, particularly in Bannockburn. Strategic planning to
date has concentrated on accommodating future short to medium term development trends having
regard to environmental considerations and community attitudes.
As part of a sustainable urban development strategy the need exists to consider the long term
development potential of these areas with a focus sustainability, balancing environment
considerations with social and economic concerns. In the strategic planning of these areas
consideration should be given to the ultimate population size of towns (or clusters of towns) and the
opportunity to realise rail or alternative high volume public transport connections in the longer term.
Can Torquay Jan / Juc grow to the 20,000 to 30,000 threshold considered as a benchmark to
support a rail extension or alternative high volume public transport link? Does the opportunity
exist for another nodal transit oriented ‘suburb’ to be established between Armstrong Creek and
Torquay in the very long term, to provide further population along a potential rail corridor, whilst
retaining separation between nodes to retain the individual identify of the settlements?
Can the population of the numerous individual towns on the Bellarine Peninsula grow to a levels
protects the environment values of the Peninsula, but when combined provides a population size
sufficient to support rail or an equivalent alternative form high volume public transport from a
central nodal point somewhere on the Peninsula?
Bannockburn – Does Bannockburn have the potential to evolve into a major growth settlement to
the west of Geelong, with a population sufficient to support high volume public transport? How
might Bannockburn’s future relate to the potential that may exist for a new nodal form of urban
development, or possibly for a major concentration of industrial development, to the west of
Fyansford?
Torquay / Jan Juc and towns on the Bellarine Peninsula abut environmentally sensitive and highly
valued coastlines and are surrounded by attractive rural landscapes. Investigations of opportunities
for a more sustainable urban form should not undermine the protection of those features.
Recognising the limits to development in coastal towns, within a sustainability
framework
The Great Ocean Road Regional Strategy provides direction regarding the future development of
towns along the Great Ocean Road. The coastal towns of Anglesea, Aireys Inlet / Fairhaven and
Lorne have limited development potential. Their planning should occur independent of the need to
accommodate regional population growth pressures. However consideration needs to be given to
the long term sustainability of these small settlements within the above policy framework.
Otway towns / coastal hinterland tourist towns and service centres
Increasingly rural towns west of Geelong, to the south of the Princess Highway corridor and to the
north of the Otway Ranges, have the potential to provides alternatives to the coastal towns along the
Great Ocean Road, both for employees working in coastal, and as holiday and tourist destinations.
lifestyle alternatives away from Geelong and the coastal settlements.
These towns should be planned to continue to perform this role.
Colac is a key rural administrative centre and is the focus of the Colac Otway Shire.
Managing high levels of growth
The expected continued rapid population growth brings with it the need to establish an organisational
arrangement to co-ordinate the activities of the range of key players in determining the future
development, infrastructure and services to the region. This will need to address the following issues:
The need for a common data base for the Region to understand the level and rate of growth of
the region, current infrastructure and service needs and the forecast demand for infrastructure and
services.
The associated opportunity to adequately program budgets and infrastructure and service delivery
to provide the appropriate level of services and infrastructure to meet the needs of the growing
community. This needs to recognise the extent of any current under provision of infrastructure or
services, or the inappropriate location or delivery of services/ infrastructure.
The alignment of statutory processes for changing zoning of land to permit development and the
identification and programming of infrastructure funding and delivery of services to accord with
statutory processes.
Increasingly these towns will accommodate spill over pressures from the coastal towns, and
development a strong tourist and lifestyle role given their location in the beautiful Otway region.
A regional coordination structure could be established with the role of the primary advisory and
coordination body overseeing the implementation of regional planning in the G21 Region. This role
could include the following activities:
Incremental growth of rural towns
collating and disseminating data and information of regional planning significance from and for
relevant agencies, interested parties and the public;
Other rural towns throughout the Region vary in size, role and function. Generally they are not
subject to the significant development pressures experienced by towns along the coast, or closer to
Geelong. To varying degrees these towns provide:
coordinating and integrating other regional sectoral strategies e.g. health, water, sport and
recreation and other regional growth management activities;
services and facilities for surrounding rural populations; and
ensuring that the strategic priorities of Governments are consistent;
vii
providing advice on significant regional infrastructure needs and priorities;
assisting agencies and Governments to plan for and resource regional planning activities, by
developing a 12 month forward program of its priorities;
advising the Local, State and Commonwealth Governments on issues of regional significance;
providing a forum to foster discussion and resolution of conflicts on regional issues affecting the
G21 region;
coordinating the implementation, monitoring, review and ongoing development of the Regional
Plan; and
coordinating the implementation and monitoring of regional sectoral strategies e.g. health, water,
sport and recreation
There are currently in operation two key co-ordination groups undertaking some of these roles –
these groups are:
The G21 Geelong Region Alliance.
The State Government’s South West Regional Managers Forum.
In the short term, these two groups could develop an arrangement for the distribution of
responsibilities fro these roles.
viii
The purpose of the Plan is to:
1
Introduction
This is the second report prepared as part of the G21 Geelong Region Plan project. The purpose of
this report is to provide an understanding the Region and to identify the challenges that will be faced
in preparing a plan for the Region.
The first report presented an analysis of the ‘Regional Context’ within which the G21 Region exists. It
examined ‘inter-regional’ relationships rather than issues ‘within’ the Region. It provided key
information in a summary form that aims to provide:
an overview of the Region;
past and present indicators and information that is relevant to the preparation of a land use
strategy and sustainable growth strategy; and
an outlook in relation to key trends that are relevant to the preparation of a land use strategy and
sustainable growth strategy.
The key outputs of the first stage of the project related to:
Provide a long term land use strategy for sustainable development in the Region to 2051;
Identify regional infrastructure requirements;
Provide a framework for the management of population growth and related economic, social and
environmental change; and
Develop implementation strategies and monitoring programs.
Importantly the Plan is to be a long term plan. It is aiming to look 30 to 50 years into the future. At
this time, the Victorian Government has not undertaken any long term population forecasting beyond
2031 and the Australian Bureau of Statistics has only prepared population forecasts at National and
State level based on a range of assumptions about migration levels, life expectancy and birth rates
over the period to 2100.
For the purposes of this study, a range of population growth scenarios have been developed based
on current and projected growth rates for the Region and a benchmark region. This has been
undertaken to assist in forming a view about the ability of the Region to accommodate that level of
change in a sustainable way, and to identify policies and strategies that need to be considered now
that can positively influence the direction of change.
the vision for the Region;
Whilst a key output will be a land use strategy plan, emphasis is also to be placed on:
community views on the direction of change;
sustainability;
current economic, social and demographic trends benchmarked against other Australian coastal
regions;
economic wellbeing;
existing State and regional strategies and policies;
environmental values; and
competitive strengths and regional drivers and constraints; and
implementation, management and ongoing review
population growth scenarios for the G21 Region.
The first report examined how the G21 Region interacted with surrounding regions and how it
compared to interstate regions with similar characteristics. This report looks ‘within’ the Region. It
examines the Region itself and how it functions. It also provide preliminary issues and directions for
further consideration in the preparation of the region plan, which will be prepared as part of the final
stage of this project.
The G21 Geelong Region Plan is a joint project between G21 Geelong Region Alliance (G21), the
Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Department of Victorian Communities (DVC)
and the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD) and the five local
government authorities of the G21 Region.
The G21 Geelong Region Alliance comprises the five municipalities of Greater Geelong,
Queenscliffe, Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Colac-Otway, and a range of organisations and
agencies that have recognised the benefits of coordinated planning and development activities
throughout the Region.
social wellbeing;
The stages involved in developing the Plan will include:
Stage 1 – Regional Context;
Stage 2 – Understanding the Region and Challenges for the Future; and
Stage 3 – Formulation of the Plan.
This second report addresses issues ‘within’ the Region. It includes detailed issues in terms of matters
such as:
Sustainable land use, urban development and transport.
The level of interaction between towns within the Region.
Land capability and opportunities for further development in and around existing towns.
Infrastructure issues providing opportunities and constraints on future growth.
The opportunity for towns and localities round Geelong to further grow and expand.
The G21 Region comprises the above five municipalities, however for the purpose of the preparation
of this plan the northern portion of Golden Plains (beyond Meredith) and the western portion of
Colac-Otway (beyond Colac and Apollo Bay) have been excluded from consideration due to their
distance from Geelong city and closer relationship to areas outside of the G21 Region.
1
Sustainability
2
2.1
The Institute of Sustainable Communities (ISC) defines a sustainable community as follows:
Introduction
A key purpose of the G21Geelong Regional Plan is to provide a long term land use strategy for
sustainable development in the Region and a framework for managing change for up to the next 50
years.
The Plan has a clear emphasis on sustainability and sustainable development for the Region’s future.
What does sustainability mean for the G21 Region?
There is a significant amount of information available internationally and nationally, as well as
locally, regarding the concept of sustainability. Government agencies, non-government
organisations and communities are beginning to embrace the concept of sustainability and are
putting in place plans and strategies to direct and implement sustainable development policies and
actions.
This section of the report defines what is meant by the term sustainable development and a
sustainable city. It outlines examples of the directions being taken towards sustainability
internationally, nationally as well as at a local level, some of which may be useful in the context of
the G21 Region and its long term sustainability.
2.2
What is sustainable development?
Sustainability, sustainable development, sustainable city, ecologically sustainable development and
sustainable community are all terms widely used in today’s planning vocabulary. They have a
common definition and in many respects, are interchangeable.
The most commonly used definition of sustainable development is found in the ‘Brundtland Report’,
the 1987 Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development. It defines sustainable
development as:
“development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.”
The definition relies on two main concepts. Firstly, the concept of “needs”, giving particular priority to
the essential needs of the world’s poor. The second key concept is “the idea of limitations imposed by
the state of technology and social organisation on the environment’s ability to meet present and future
needs.”
“towns and cities that have taken steps to remain healthy over the long term. Sustainable
communities have a strong sense of place. They have a vision that is embraced and actively
promoted by all of the key sectors of society….They are places that build on their assets
and dare to be innovative. These communities value healthy ecosystems, use resources
efficiently, and actively seek to retain and enhance a locally based economy. There is a
pervasive volunteer spirit that is rewarded by concrete results. Partnerships between and
among government, the business sector, and non-profit organisations are common. Public
debate in these communities is engaging, inclusive, and constructive. Unlike traditional
community development approaches, sustainability strategies emphasise: the whole
community, ecosystem protection, meaningful and broad-based citizen participation; and
economic self-reliance.”
(Source: www.iscvt.org)
The refinements and variations to the definition of sustainable development and a sustainable city,
lead to three common elements, these being economic, environmental and social factors. These
include, but are not limited to:
public participation in decision making;
strong sense of community;
minimising use of scarce resources (such as oil, fresh water);
minimising wastes;
protection of the environment;
good links (physical, transport and communication based) between people, jobs and a wide range
of facilities and services; and
economic well-being and stability.
Linked to the concept of sustainable development are terms such as ‘smart growth’ and ‘new
urbanism’. In general, these terms refer to:
“the reordering of the built environment, the revival of ‘place making’ and the creation or
restoration of compact, mixed-use cities.”
(Source: Girardet, Herbert: Cities People Planet, 2004)
The European equivalent to new urbanism is the ‘urban village’. An urban village has a dense
population centre which is connected to the rest of the city via public transport, cycle and pedestrian
streets.
‘Smart growth’ is a term commonly used in the United States and Canada, and more recently in
conjunction with Melbourne 2030.
It is an approach used to manage development and growth areas into the future. A ‘smart growth
city’ may be defined as a city which:
provides housing choice;
2
The United Nations Division for Sustainable Development and the Interagency Committee on
Sustainable Development were also established following this summit.
provides transportation choice;
has a mix of incomes and age groups;
has good walkability, and reduced use of the car;
has good connectivity both within it and between it and surrounding areas;
has a mix of land uses;
has good access to recreation and open space;
protects important environmental areas;
has a strong sense of community;
fosters public participation; and
makes transparent and fair development decisions.
In Victoria, the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) has established ‘Committees for
Smart Growth’. These committees have been established to develop new strategic integrated land use
and transport plans to guide development in growth fringe metropolitan areas, such as CaseyCardinia, Hume and Whittlesea. The Committees for Smart Growth has been established to
implement a range of initiatives in Melbourne 2030.
2.3
Who are some of the key organisations and agencies
promoting sustainable cities?
The concept of sustainability, and a sustainable city has been gathering momentum and support
locally, nationally and internationally for many years. Some of the key reasons attributed to the
growing awareness and action towards sustainability include:
climate change;
urbanisation;
threat to oil supply, and finite nature of key resources;
threat to human health, for example from poor air quality;
globalisation;
scientific knowledge; and
social awareness.
There is a large number of international and national community based organisations, as well as
government and non-government organisations, either promoting and/or actively implementing
principles of sustainability.
Agenda 21 is the UN’s action plan for sustainable development. Agenda 21 emphasises the role and
importance of local authorities in setting the objectives and putting in place plans for achieving a
sustainable city, in consultation with their community.
The UN has hosted a number of other earth summits since, including:
•
Istanbul 1996, signing of the Istanbul Declaration on Human Settlements, endorsing universal goals of
sustainability.
•
Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, setting out to identify new global
sustainability issues that had arisen in the last 10 years and to put in place a plan to improve
sustainable development in the future.
World Bank
The World Bank has developed an urban development strategy which seeks to address a number of core
factors, such as liveability and good governance in promoting sustainable cities, with particular emphasis
on equality and reducing poverty.
European Union (EU)
The EU has recognised the need to protect the environment for the last 30 to 40 years, and promotes
sustainability through supporting a range of activities and programs.
It launched the European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign at the First European Conference on
Sustainable Cities in Aalborg, Denmark in 1994. Eighty local authorities signed the ‘Aalborg Charter’, the
major European initiative aimed at long term action plans towards sustainability and implementation of
Local Agenda 21 processes.
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)
An association of local governments (including Australia and New Zealand) and organisations from around
the world dedicated to addressing environmental problems at all levels through local action.
Other international organisations include:
o World Health Organisation
o European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
o World Trade Organisation
o European Commission
o Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria (KABV)
The KABV is a non-profit, non-political environmental community based organisation. One of its more
recent initiatives is the ‘Sustainable Cities’ award, which replaces its City Pride Program. The award
“recognises the contemporary sustainability agenda and applies it to grass root communities.” (Source:
www.kabv.org.au).
Some of these organisations and agencies include:
United Nations (UN)
The 1992 Rio Earth Summit bought about Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration and subsequent
conventions. It resulted in the adoption of ‘Sustainable Development Action Plans’ in a number of
countries.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
The CSIRO participates in a number of programs and projects, providing communities with tools to assist in
making decisions about natural resource use, planning and management.
Commonwealth Government
3
At the national level, the Government has established an Australian Government Standing
Committee which has produced a Sustainable Cities Report. The report recommends the
development of an Australian Sustainability Charter, setting national targets for water,
transport, energy, building design and planning.
Other Government sustainability initiatives include the Better Cities Program, Year of the Built
Environment 2004 and the Solar Cities Programme.
State Government of Victoria
At State level, the government, through DSE has committed to making environmental
sustainability a priority. In April 2005, the Government released its Environmental Sustainability
Framework, titled Our Environment, Our Future. The Framework contains a number of
directions, environmental quality objectives and interim targets to assist government, business
and the community in factoring in environmental considerations into everyday activities.
Following on from the Framework, DSE recently published the Victorian Local Sustainability
Accord, to assist in the delivery of State objectives in Our Environment, Our Future, at the local
and regional levels.
Other State Government sustainability initiatives include Growing Victoria Together, Our Water
Our Future – Securing Our Water Future, Victorian River Health Strategy, the Victorian
Greenhouse Strategy and Towards Zero Waste.
Local Government in Victoria
A number of municipalities throughout Victoria have embraced the concept of sustainability
and are actively promoting and implementing sustainable development principles.
In 2002, the City of Melbourne adopted ‘The Melbourne Principles for Sustainable Cities’ as a
framework to guide future plans for the city. The City of Melbourne presented the Melbourne
Principles at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg
in 2002.
The Municipal Association of Victoria and the Victorian Local Governance Association will also
have a role in implementing the actions from the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord.
Internationally
The Commission of the European Communities identifies four priority themes to achieve
sustainability, these being sustainable urban management, urban transport, construction and urban
design.
The Commission’s vision for European cities in the 21st Century is as follows:
“Cities and towns should be designed, constructed and managed to support a healthy,
vibrant, inclusive and environmentally efficient economy, to support the well-being of and
meet the needs of its citizens in a sustainable manner, and be sensitive to and work in
harmony with the natural systems which sustain it.”
(Source: Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Towards a Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment, Brussels
11/02/04 – COM(2004) 60 final. Pg 44)
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, an international organisation, suggests the key principle
for achieving sustainable cities is ‘Transport Development Areas’ (TDA). In short, the organisation
advocates TDA as being the key focus of land use planning policy in the future, where people, jobs,
services and transport are linked through integrated land use and economic planning.
The Institute for Sustainable Communities has developed a set of elements which make up a
sustainable community. These elements fall into four broader categories of:
ecological integrity, such as conservation of water, non-renewable resources, protection of
biological diversity;
economic security, such as a diverse economic base and employment opportunities;
empowerment and responsibility, for example, broad participation in decision making, access to
information and political stability; and
social well-being, such as appropriate services and facilities, housing availability and affordability,
sense of community.
(Source: www.iscvt.org)
In the United States, key principles for achieving Smart Growth include:
2.4
What are the key principles or elements of a sustainable
city?
Given the plethora of information available and the large number of government agencies and nongovernment organisations actively promoting sustainable development, there are many examples of
key principles or elements of a sustainable city.
Key principles of a sustainable city are generally centred on economic, environmental and social
elements. A common theme to all levels is the importance of a strong sense of community in
achieving sustainable outcomes.
community involvement and education;
land use and development regulations which promote smart growth in fringe areas;
local planning with regional planning and coordination;
incentives for smart growth development;
consolidating land; and
improved development and planning processes.
The key elements for achieving smart growth are:
education at all levels;
strong partnerships;
transportation infrastructure;
4
regionalism; and
efficient use of energy, including renewable energy sources;
the role of private sector in implementing the vision.
an integrated water and stormwater management system, including re-use opportunities;
(Source: Report of the Urban Land Institute/ J C Canizaro Public Officials Forum, V R Wilbur, Smart Growth on the Fringe,
25 May 2004)
In a report prepared for the Ontario Round Table on Environment and Economy, a useful
comparison is made between elements of a more sustainable city against the characteristics of a less
sustainable city. This comparison is summarised below in Table 1.
Table 1. Comparison of more and less sustainable cities
(Source: Richardson, Nigel www.rec.org)
management and minimisation of domestic and industrial waste;
a sustainable transport network;
energy efficient building construction; and
urban planning which addresses lifestyle, employment and business opportunities.
(Source: Commonwealth of Australia, House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage,
Sustainable Cities, August 2005, pg 9)
These elements require reducing our reliance on non-renewable energy sources, upgrading public
transport networks, actively discouraging road based transport, actively encouraging or providing
incentives for energy efficient residential and commercial construction, public education, fostering a
strong sense of community and investment in renewable and sustainable energy sources and
technologies.
Principle
More Sustainable City
Less Sustainable City
Housing
Compact
Low density, urban sprawl
Land Use
Mixed, housing, jobs and
services/facilities in proximity to
each other
Segregated
Employment Base
Education and skills
Environment polluting or nonrenewable resource based
industry
Transport
Less reliance on the car, good
public transport, walkability and
cycling
Heavy dependence on the car
1.
2.
3.
Energy
Wind and solar
Thermal and nuclear
4.
Waste Disposal
Tertiary treatment of sewage,
natural means of treatment,
reduction, recycling and reuse
of waste materials
Low level or no treatment and
discharge of waste into the
environment, landfills and
incinerators
5.
6.
Protection and use of natural
hydrologic systems
Large areas of hard surfaces
minimising infiltration,
channelling of natural water
courses
Water
Biodiversity
Protection of natural systems
and habitat
Destruction of natural
landscape
A recent CSIRO study examined the issue of sustainability, and in particular, the links between urban
form and energy and air quality. The study identified and assessed six alternative urban forms and
their impact on energy consumption and air quality. The six urban forms were as follows:
No change – maintaining the current pattern of low density, dispersed urban form.
Compact City – increasing density and population in the inner suburbs.
Edge City – increasing population and density at selected nodes with links between the nodes
e.g. Frankston.
Corridor City – growth along linear corridors from the central city, with upgraded public
transport.
Fringe City – growth and new centres on the outer regions of the city.
Ultra City – growth in regional cities with high speed transport links.
These alternative models were applied to the City of Melbourne, with a number of assumptions, to
the year 2011.
The results indicated that maintaining the current pattern of low density, dispersed urban form and
the Compact City model had the worst impact on energy consumption and air quality. The best
performing model was the Corridor City, growth along linear corridors. The study concluded that
urban form has an important role in achieving a more sustainable city.
Victoria
Nationally
Principles and elements of a sustainable city which are promoted and implemented internationally are
applicable to Australian cities and regions.
In its report on Sustainable Cities in August 2005, the House of Representatives Standing Committee
on Environment and Heritage, recognised the lack of coordination and rigorous action towards
achieving more sustainable cities, and the need for the Commonwealth Government to take a
leading role in promoting and implementing more sustainable cities.
At the State level, Our Environment Our Future, the environmental sustainability framework for
Victoria, establishes a number of key environmental challenges facing Victorians, in achieving
sustainability, these being:
improving the health and productivity of land and soil;
improving water resource management;
maintaining and restoring biodiversity;
addressing climate change;
The Committee suggests that the key elements of a sustainable Australian city should entail:
reducing waste; and
the conservation of bushland, significant heritage areas and places and urban green zones;
planning for population and urban growth.
5
(Source: Dr Nick Lumb, Enviro-Futures The Great Ocean Road Region Strategy a Sustainability Model, May 2002, pp5-6)
The Framework sets out three key directions in the pursuit of Victoria becoming a sustainable state,
these are:
1.
2.
3.
Local government
Maintaining and restoring our natural assets.
Using resources more efficiently.
Reducing daily environmental impacts.
At a municipal level, the ‘Melbourne Principles for Sustainable Cities’ which were adopted by the City
of Melbourne in 2002, are as follows:
Each direction details a number of principles and interim targets to be met.
“1.
Provide a long-term vision for cities based on sustainability, intergenerational, social, economic
and political equity and their individuality.
2.
Achieve long-term economic and social security.
3.
Recognise the intrinsic value of biodiversity and natural ecosystems, and protect and restore
them.
4.
Enable communities to minimise their ecological footprints.
5.
Build on the characteristics of ecosystems in the development and nurturing of flexibility and
sustainable cities.
6.
Recognise and build on the distinctive characteristics of cities, including their human and
cultural values, history and natural systems.
7.
Empower people and foster participation.
Through the Accord, the Minister for Environment will appoint a Victorian Local Sustainability
Advisory Committee, to provide advice and resolve issues between local governments and the State
Government. The Accord has committed to appointing the Committee prior to February 2006, for a
period of three years.
8.
Expand and enable cooperative networks to work towards a common sustainable future.
9.
Promote sustainable production and consumption through appropriate use of environmentally
sound technologies and effective demand management.
In progress at present, is a review and redrafting of Clause 56 provisions in the Victorian Planning
Provisions, which relate to residential subdivision, by the Department of Sustainability and
Environment.
10.
Enable continual improvement, based on accountability, transparency and good governance.”
The Victorian Local Sustainability Accord, examines how the principles and directions established in
the Framework above, can be implemented at the local level. It seeks to encourage and facilitate
partnerships between local government (including local communities), State government, regional
organisations and businesses in implementing environmental sustainability objectives and principles.
It sets out a number of actions at local level, regional level and state level. The Accord was
formulated and signed by the Minister for Environment, the Municipal Association of Victoria, the
Victorian Local Governance Association, ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability – Australia /
New Zealand), Metropolitan Environment Forum and Environs Australia.
The Accord establishes a framework for the development of local Environmental Sustainability Priority
Statements for each municipality, commencing in early 2006, and facilitates the preparation of
Priority Statements for regional areas (across more than one municipality). The Statements will form
the basis for State funding. Also on the agenda for 2006, is the development of regional
environmental sustainability strategies and regional management forums. The forums will be
facilitated by the Department for Victorian Communities.
The draft revised Clause 56 has a strong emphasis on sustainability principles and the creation of
new sustainable residential neighbourhoods. The review and redraft seeks to directly implement a
number of policy initiatives in Melbourne 2030.
At the regional level
In 2002, Enviro-Futures prepared a sustainability model for the Great Ocean Road Region Strategy
for the Department of Infrastructure, which included a number of principles for sustainability, being:
risk management, or the precautionary principle;
intra and inter-generational equity, with regards to, social, natural and economic capital and
access;
sustainable use of natural resources, being land, air and water;
maintaining biodiversity;
2.5
Sustainability principles (applicability to G21 Region)
The principles or elements of a sustainable city have a number of common themes that may be
equally applicable at the local, regional or national level. These include coordination and
partnership between different tiers of government, with particular reference to regional and local tiers
of government, community participation in the process of devising and implementing a sustainability
strategy, the important role that the private sector plays in implementing actions towards sustainability
and a strong sense of community.
All these themes are applicable to the G21 Region, and the G21 Region Plan presents a number of
opportunities where these themes may be explored and addressed. The willingness of local
municipalities in the Region to take part in formulating a long term land use strategy for sustainable
development in the Region provides an important opportunity, and critical first step in the process
towards achieving long term sustainable outcomes. The opportunity exists for the principles
established in the Plan to be adopted by local councils and incorporated as policies into their
planning scheme.
enhancing economic and social welfare, without compromising other principles; and
strengthening community involvement.
6
The previous section above identified land use and urban form as important elements of a
sustainable city. Based on these key principles and elements of a sustainable city, a sustainable land
use strategy for the G21 Region should include the following initiatives:
a future urban form based on the ‘Corridor City’, with growth along linear corridors from key
urban centres, with upgraded public transport along corridors and between centres;
space;
improved public transport, and less reliance on the car;
a mix of land uses in proximity to each other;
protection of key environmental features in the region;
promotion of sustainable production practices and environmentally sound technologies, such as
renewable energy sources (e.g. wind, solar), energy efficient building construction, recycling and
reuse programs and tertiary treatment of sewage;
economic incentives for promoting and putting into practice, sustainable production practices and
technologies;
a diverse economic base;
public education programs; and
actively engaging local communities in promoting and actioning more sustainable practices in
everyday activities.
The key steps towards formulating a land use strategy for sustainability should include the following:
confirming a vision for a sustainable region, in conjunction with government, the private sector
and the community;
setting objectives to achieve the vision, and targets which are measurable;
establishing a set of guiding principles to achieve objectives, and actions;
Girardet, Herbert Cities People Planet, 2004
House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage, Sustainable Cities,
Commonwealth of Australia, August 2005
Low N, Glesson B, Green R & Radovic D, The Green City, 2005
Moriarty, Patrick Environmental Sustainability of Large Australian Cities, Urban Policy and Research
Vol 20, No.3, 233-244, 2002
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Sustainable Development – Critical
Issues, OECD 2001
Professor P W Newton & others, Human Settlements, Australia State of the Environment 2001,
Commonwealth of Australia
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Our Environment Our Future Victoria’s Environmental
Sustainability Framework, April 2005, Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and
Environment
Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victorian Local Sustainability Accord, August 2005,
Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment
Town of Kwinana Western Australia, Smart Growth Strategy 2004
United Nations Environment Programme Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, Melbourne
Principles for Sustainable Cities, International Environmental Technology Centre Integrative
Management Series 1, 2002
Websites
City of Melbourne www.melbourne.vic.gov.au, 25/10/05
implementation of actions; and
CSIRO, www.cse.csiro.au 25/10/05
monitoring and review of progress.
Department of Sustainability and Environment, www.dse.vic.gov.au 25/10/05
References
Institute for Sustainable Communities, www.iscvt.org 26/10/05
Canizaro, J C., Wilbur, VR. Smart Growth on the Fringe, Report of the ULI, Urban Land Institute, 25
May 2004
Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria, www.kabv.org.au 26/10/05
Commission of the European Communities, Communication from the Commission to the Council,
the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the
Regions, Towards a Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment, Brussels 11/2/04 – COM(2004)
60 final
Dr Lumb, Mick The Great Ocean Road Region Strategy A Sustainability Model, Prepared for the
Department of Infrastructure, Enviro-Futures, May 2002
Regional Environmental Centre for Central and Eastern Europe, www.rec.org 26/10/05
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, www.rics.org 25/10/05
www.sustainable-city.org 26/10/05
Sustainable Communities Network, www.smartgrowth.org 25/10/05
Ecos, Jan-March, “Reshaping Cities for a More Sustainable Future”, CSIRO Publishing 2004
7
3
Natural environment
3.1
Introduction
The environment is one of the key themes of the existing G21 Regional Plan. An environment “pillar”
group has been established specifically to address issues concerning the environment. The
Environment Pillar has utilised the key elements of the Federal Government’s State of the Environment
Report in responding to environmental issues. These include:
land;
atmosphere;
inland waters;
natural and cultural heritage;
coast / estuaries;
biodiversity;
human settlement; and
integration.
Following are the environmental outcomes and challenges identified by the Environmental Pillar in
the existing Regional Plan.
An environmental workshop was convened as part of the first stage of this project. The clear
message from that workshop was that it is the natural environment that makes the G21 Region
special. Identification, protection and enhancement of natural environmental features of the Region
was seen as fundamental to the future planning of the Region. The comment was made that land
use planning must fundamentally change to see the environment as an ‘asset’ to plan around, rather
than as a ‘constraint’ to urban development, which is often the context in which the environment is
seen in planning documents.
This chapter describes and identifies the environment assets of the Region that need to be taken into
account in the preparation of the Region Plan. It focuses on the natural environmental resources and
on the agricultural resources of the region.
3.2
Natural systems
The G21 Region has been dramatically altered since European settlement and future development
places real pressure on the natural environment. This section of the report provides background
regarding the significant environmental features and assets in the Region and also identifies
environmental assets that must be taken into account in examining options for urban development.
Much of the information in this section of the report is derived from the “Corangamite Regional
Catchment Strategy 2003-2008” (Corangamite Catchment Management Authority).
8
Source: Our Region Our Future - Geelong Region Strategic Plan, G21 Regional Alliance (p43)
Geology and climate
The geology of the Region is relatively recent in Australian terms and is rather diverse. The oldest
parts of the region, sedimentary and low-grade metamorphic rocks, are in the Central Highlands and
the Otway Ranges. The Victorian Volcanic Plain is quaternary and was active as recently as 7,000
years ago. The areas surrounding the Otway Range and the Bellarine Peninsula contain superficial
deposits of older, Cretaceous and Tertiary origin.
The prevailing climate in this Region is temperate Mediterranean. Rain mainly occurs during winter
while summers are warm and dry. The highest rainfall occurs along the Otway Ridge and the Central
Victorian Uplands.
Waterways
There are several significant river systems in the region. The Gellibrand River, Aire River, Parker River,
Barham River run into the ocean along the western end of the region’s coast and are considered a
part of the Otway Coast Basin. East of Cape Otway the same basin extends towards Geelong with
the Kennet River, Wye River, Cumberland River, Painkalac Creek, Anglesea River, Thompson River
and the Barwon River that also run into the ocean.
The Moorabool Basin in the north-east part of the Region contains the Moorabool River, which runs
from the north into the Barwon River at its southern-most point. One part of the Moorabool Basin is
Hovells Creek, that rises up into the Brisbane Ranges and flows into Limeburners Bay within Port
Phillip Bay, east of Geelong.
Lake Colac and the Woady Yaloak River lie to the central and north-west of the Region and are
mainly connected with the Lake Corangamite Basin, which is located outside of the G21 Region to
the west.
Waterways that are a distance inland are generally less healthy than those parts nearer the coast.
Lakes and wetlands
Although Lake Corangamite is not within the geographic boundaries of the G21 Region, its
environmental importance is great. Lake Corangamite is the largest permanent inland natural lake in
Australia and is a haven for migratory and non-migratory birds. It is situated to the immediate west
of the Colac-Otway Shire boundary.
The extensive system of lakes and wetlands in the G21 Region are of national and international
significance. The Region includes all of the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline), Bellarine Peninsula
and some of the Western District Lakes Ramsar sites. These areas support 40 species listed under the
China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement (CMBA), 36 species under the Japan-Australia Migratory
Bird Agreement (JAMBA) and 49 species listed under the Bonn Convention.1
Source: Our Water Our Future Index of Stream Condition: The Second Benchmark of Victorian
River Condition
The Barwon River system occupies most of the central and south-eastern area of the region, draining
the high-rainfall upper slopes of the Otway Range and the Central Highlands, and distributing water
in its lower reaches to Geelong and Lake Connewarre before arriving at its estuary at Barwon Heads.
9
The G21 Region is renowned for its diversity of landscape and natural habitats that support an
equally varied range of native flora, fauna and ecological communities.
Bioregions and native vegetation
Bio-geographic regions capture the patterns of ecological characteristics in the landscape, providing
a natural framework for and responding to biodiversity values. Within Victoria there are 27
bioregions, and within the G21 Region there are 5 bioregions.
More than 80% of the native vegetation is threatened in three of the five bioregions (the Victorian
Volcanic Plains, Warnambool Plains [the eastern tip comes into the G21 region] and the Central
Victorian Uplands).2 The Victorian Volcanic Plains has only 3.6 % of its total area under native
vegetation. The Otway Plains has about 30% of its area under native vegetation, although around
half of this is under threat. In contrast the Otway Ranges has over 80% native vegetation cover, little
of which is under threat.
Approximately half of the remaining native vegetation in the Region is on private land or along
roadsides, streams or disused rail lines. Some 70% of this vegetation is rare, endangered or
vulnerable.
The Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy, produced by the Corangamite Catchment
Management Authority in 2003, identifies the priority ecological vegetation classes in the Region
(which envelops the G21 Region) and estimates the extra area required for conservation
management. This data is represented in the following table.
Table 2. Priority Ecological Vegetation Classes in the Region
Bioregion
Ecological Vegetation Class
Central Victorian Uplands
Plains Grassy Woodland
Hills Herb-rich Woodland
Plains Grassy Wetland
Grassy Woodland
Riparian Woodland
Plains Sedgy Wetland
Damp heathland/Damp Heathy Woodland Mosaic
Swamp Scrub
Floodplain Riparian Woodland
Swampy Riparian Woodland
Lignum Wetland
Grassy Forest
Plains Grassland
Damp Heath Scrub
Grassy Woodland
Aquatic Herbland/Plains Sedgy Wetland Mosaic
Calcarenite Dune Woodland
Heathy Woodland/Sand Heath Mosaic
Herb-rich Foothill Forest
Swamp Scrub
Floodplain Riparian Woodland
Creekline Grassy Woodland
Hills Herb-rich Woodland
Plains Grassy Wetland
Plains Grassland
Creekline Herb-rich Woodland
Grassy Woodland
Stony Rises Herb-rich Woodland
Riparian Woodland 34
Otway Plain
Otway Ranges
1
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, 2003, Corangamite regional Catchment Strategy 20032008, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Colac, Victoria, p45
10
Extra area required for
conservation
management (HA)
330
65
3
261
29
1
5
76
49
182
204
2
83
7
22
1,195
1
1
234
51
1
216
190
2,815
402
56
8
85
38
44
691
3,814
186
2
Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, 2003, Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy 20032008, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Colac, Victoria, p50
Bioregion
Ecological Vegetation Class
Warrnambool Plain (only
partially in the G21 region)
(average 504 ha annually)
Scoria Cone Woodland
Plains grassland/Plains Grassy Woodland Mosaic
Swamp Scrub 200 Plains Grassy Woodland
Extra area required for
conservation
management (HA)
168
162
955
32
Damp Heath Scrub
Grassy Woodland
Sedgy Riparian Woodland
Permanent Saline
Damp Heathland/Damp Heathy Woodland Mosaic
Total
17
31
50
2
5
2
170
13,612
Source: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, 2003, Corangamite regional Catchment Strategy
2003-2008, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Colac, Victoria, p51-52
The Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy also identifies the remnant native vegetation within
each bioregion on private land and provides a benchmark in order to achieve a net gain in quality
and extent of native vegetation over time. This information appears in the following table.
Table 3. Regional Benchmarks for Native Vegetation on Private Land.
Bioregion
Estimated area of native vegetation (HA)
Original (pre-1750)
#
Cleared
Total Remaining
Private Land
Central Victorian
Uplands
145,694
89,303
56,045 (38%)
27,946
Otway Plain
222,117
148,915
71,745 (32%)
20,737
Otway Range
150,067
27,597
122,306 (82%)
25,518
Victorian Volcanic
Plain
665,062
594,361
21,355 (3%)
15,919
Warrnambool Plain
(only partially in the
G21 region)
150,949
126,993
24,009 (16%)
8,604
Total
1,333,881
3.3
Landscape character types
The following information has been informed by The Great Ocean Road Landscape Assessment
Study3 which was published in 2003 and the Forests Commission Victoria book “Landscape
Character Types of Victoria4”, published in 1978. The Great Ocean Road Landscape Assessment
Study was undertaken as a part of the overall Great Ocean Road Region Strategy and covered an
area that spanned the western coastline between Breamlea and Princetown. The study area excluded
the coastal section incorporating Port Campbell and Warrnambool, and covered an area to the
north up to the Princes Highway including Terang, Camperdown, Colac and Winchelsea.
In the context of the G21 Region, the landscape assessment study did not include the Bellarine
Peninsula, which is an area highly valued by the local and broader community, or areas to the north
of the Princes Highway. The Bellarine Peninsula is an area that is currently undergoing structure
planning and detailed assessment of the landscape qualities of the Peninsula need to be undertaken
as part of any future planning of that area.
A landscape character type is a broad scale area of land with common distinguishing visual
characteristics by which the delineation of each is based upon an inventory of the physical landscape
and its overall visual appearance. Total visual character is presented as an amalgamation of
landform, climate, vegetation, waterform and land use pattern.
Coastal areas along the Great Ocean Road
There are four landscape character types found along the Great Ocean Road covering an area
between Breamlea in the east, through to the western edge of Colac-Otway Shire and north to the
Princes Highway to encompass areas including the Camperdown, Colac and Winchelsea townships.
These four landscape character types are as follows:
Western Plains, Cones and Lakes.
Otway Foothills, Valley and Uplands.
Otway Ranges Forests and Coast.
987,169
295,460 (22%)
98,742
Localised Flatlands.
# Note bioregional total includes water bodies
Source: Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, 2003, Corangamite Regional Catchment Strategy
2003-2008, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, Colac, Victoria, p52
Much of the Region’s cover of original native vegetation is found in the forests of the Otway Range.
Of this remaining vegetation, one third of it is managed primarily for conservation purposes and
about half is considered ‘threatened’ in terms of its conservation status, most of which is situated on
private land.
3
Department of Sustainability and Environment, The Great Ocean Road Region Landscape Assessment Study,
2003
4
Leonard, M & Hammond, R, Landscape Character Types of Victoria, Forests Commission Victoria, 1984
11
Western plains, cones and lakes
This landscape character type is associated with the flat to gently rolling topography of the western
plains, punctuated in some areas by volcanic cones, craters and outcrops. The landscape consists
mostly of paddocks divided by shelter belts, with some remnant stands of vegetation throughout.
There are 5 precincts located within this character type that are situated within the G21 Region.
These precincts are:
Winchelsea Western Plains – vast and open, long distance views and low horizon, shelter belts
between large paddocks, indigenous vegetation emphasising landscape features and a character
of farming structures.
Paddocks and cones – rolling landscape punctuated by volcanic formations, volcanic cones and
craters as landmarks, rural outlook from road corridors, shelter belts and long distance views to
volcanic landmarks.
Stony rises – geology and geological features, stark, rough textured landscapes, exposed rocky
outcrops and sinkholes, dry stone walls dividing paddocks and lining roads, sense of openness
and contact with adjacent pastoral landscapes.
Otway foothills, valley and uplands
Located generally at the foothills of the Otway Forest, both inland and on the coast, this landscape
character type is characterised by hilly topography, varying from gentle to steep, and often incised
with rivers, creeks and gullies. A patchwork of paddocks and shelter belts exists, with some remnant
vegetation in waterways and valleys.
There are 5 precincts located within this character type that are situated within the G21 region. These
precincts are:
Northern Foothills – sense of enclosure, undulating pastoral landscape, incised gullies and creeks,
vegetation variety, including Hawthorn hedges and stand of Eucalyptus and enclosed views.
Dairying hills and valleys – contrasting open ridge-tops and heavily-wooded creek valleys, stands
of indigenous vegetation, tall shelter belts and hedge rows, rural qualities and scattered
development tucked into the landscape.
Gellibrand River Valley – low scale development, development nestled in the landscape, heavily
vegetated slopes and visual links to the Otway Ranges.
Apollo Bay coastal valleys and hills – stark landscape contrasts, landscape edges, coastal aspect,
clear views across rolling topography and indigenous vegetation emphasising landscape features.
Johanna Coast to Cape Otway coastal valleys and hills – rugged isolated cliffs contrasting with
pastoral hinterland, clear ocean views, indigenous vegetation and shelter belts, rural qualities and
rolling green pastures.
Otway ranges forests and coast
This landscape character type consists of the main area of the Otway Ranges and coast, containing
large areas of dense, tall forest cover in hilly terrain, extending to the sea with high, rugged cliffs in
places. In some coastal locations the vegetation is sparser and smaller in scale. The landscape also
includes areas of plantation timber and clearings set among the forest.
precincts are:
Undulating mixed farming – sense of enclosure in the hinterland, shelter belt plating, discreet
placement of simple structures among vales and trees, rural outlook from road corridors inland,
indigenous coastal heath, sea cliffs and beaches and coastal townships e.g. Torquay and Jan Juc.
Undulating grazing – rolling open pastures, shelter belts, rural outlook from road corridors and a
variety of views, including the Otway foothills and volcanic features.
Otway Ranges Forest and Coast – majestic forests contrasting with the coast, inland dominance
by the Otway Ranges, indigenous coastal vegetation, isolation and enclosure in the forest and
exposed coast, sometimes with high sea cliffs.
Cleared uplands and hilltops – openness, elevation, long distance views, spaciousness and
indigenous planting emphasising features.
Dry coastal woodland and heath – dry forested landscape, indigenous woodland vegetation,
coastal townships and views to the coast.
Low coastal heath – long range views in all directions, low coastal vegetation and high visibility of
built forms.
12
Localised flatlands
This landscape character type is located in the flat, predominantly open and isolated areas associated
with the lakes and saltmarshes around Breamlea and the Aire River estuary.
Table 4. Areas of Heritage Significance in the Region
Landscape Site
Heritage Significance
Bells Beach
Bells Beach is of local significance for its aesthetic value. It is
an irregular coastline with rocky outcrops, steep cliffs, sandy
beaches and costal heathland. Vegetation in the Bells Beach
reserve is of State significance as it contains Coastal
Moonah Woodland communities, Swamp Diuris, Bellarine
Yellow Gums and Small Milkwort, all of which are listed
under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 as
threatened or vulnerable.
precincts are:
Lakes and Saltmarshes – sense of isolation, flat, marshy land, dunes, long, straight roads and a
containment of built form to township.
The coastal, intertidal and marine environment of Bells
Beach is considered of State and National significance.
Aire Valley marshes – unexpectedly flat and open landscape, meandering river in partly cleared
area, lushness, enclosure by surrounding hills and simple rural buildings.
Other landscape character types in the G21 Region
Inland from the Great Ocean Road region, there are two other, broad landscape character types in
the study region. These are the West Central Hills that are located in west-central Victoria and
comprises the lowest and most subdued portion of the Great Dividing Range in the State, and the
Foothills that flank the rugged highlands of Victoria. This character type extends from the Murray
River in the north-east to Ballarat in Central Victoria, and south-east to the New South Wales border.
Only a small portion of this landscape character type falls within the G21 Region being the northern
part of Golden Plains Shire.
West Central Hills - The West Central Hills are moderate and gently sloping, rounded hills mixed
with flat sedimentary and volcanic plains. Typical vegetation includes stringybark and boxironbark open forests on moderate hill slopes. The land use pattern is characterised by agriculture
on plains and gentle slopes and forest on the moderate slopes and hill tops.
Foothills - The foothills are also moderate and gently sloping hills. Rounded ridges and narrow ushaped valleys are located in the western section of this landscape character type. Vegetation is
mostly tall-open foothill forest species: stringybark, messmate, peppermint and gums. Some large
pine plantations are located in the western sections. The land use pattern is typically native forest
with some pine plantations and agricultural and water catchment uses in the valleys.
Areas of heritage significance
There are 9 sites of significant heritage value in the G21 Region that have been recognised by the
National Trust of Australia. The following table lists these sites and provides a brief description of
their significance.
The long association of Bells Beach with surfing has given it
a social, cultural value of National Significance.
Ocean Grove Park, Ingamells
This site is simply an area of open space in the centre of the
Ocean Grove township. It is significant as an example of
remnant flora of the Bellarine Peninsula and also has
important social, cultural and historic associations.
Goandra “Rielly’s Property”
This property in Ocean Grove is of National significance
because it contains the best known stand of Bellarine Yellow
Gum.
The site is also of regional significance due to the
occurrence of a further 39 regionally significant plant
species which have been identified in the grassy woodland
on the property.
Limeburners Point Area, Geelong
This site is considered to be one of the earliest sites of the
lime burning industry in Victoria. This landscape contains
historic remnants of one of the State’s earliest industries.
Marengo-Cape Otway Coastal Area
This area is situated along the Great Ocean Road between
Swell Point and Cape Otway. The area is significant as a
representative coastal heathland, woodland and rural
landscape. It contains areas of historic, scientific and visual
importance including the Cape Otway Lighthouse and many
shipwrecks along the coast.
Otway National Park Coastal Region
This is an area of outstanding scenic interest, with important
botanical and geological coastal landscapes, rural
landscapes and waterfalls. There is also historical
significance in the numerous archaeological and shipwreck
sites along the coast.
Aire River Basin
This site is an uncommon infilled estuary with residual
wetlands and lakes. The area has rural landscapes with
features of historic, scientific, archaeological, geological
and geomorphological importance.
Melba Gully State Park
Located west of Lavers Hill in the western Otway Ranges, this
small park contains remnants of significant flora and fauna
habitats in an area of considerable scientific and cultural
importance.
Source: www.nattrust.com.au
13
Floodway overlay
This overlay identifies waterways, major floodpaths, drainage depressions and high hazard areas
which have the greatest risk and frequency of being affected by flooding. This overlay also ensures
that any development maintains the free passage and temporary storage of floodwater, causes
minimal flood damage and is compatible with flood hazard, local drainage conditions and the
minimization of soil erosion, sedimentation and silting. Its other purpose is to protect water quality
and waterways as natural resources in accordance with the provisions of relevant State Environment
Protection Policies.
Land subject to inundation overlay
This overlay identifies land in a flood storage or flood fringe area affected by the 1 in 100 year flood
or any other area determined by the floodplain management authority. This overlay ensures that
development maintains the free passage and temporary storage of floodwaters, minimizes flood
damage, is compatible with the flood hazard and local drainage conditions and will not cause any
significant rise in flood level or flow velocity. It also aims to protect water quality in accordance with
the provisions of the relevant State Environment Protection Policies.
Public conservations and resource zone
The purpose of this zone is to protect and conserve the natural environment and natural processes for
their historic, scientific, landscape, habitat or cultural values. It also provides facilities which assist in
public education and interpretation of the natural environment with minimal degradation of the
natural environment or natural processes.
3.4
Environmental overlays and the PCRZ
Planning scheme maps indicate land within the Region that is identified as being environmentally
sensitive or pose an environmental constraint to development. These areas are managed through the
individual municipal planning schemes.
Environmental significance overlay
This overlay identifies areas where the development of land may be affected by environmental
constraints and ensures that development is compatible with identified, site specific environmental
values.
Significant landscape overlay
This overlay identifies significant landscapes and works to conserve and enhance the character of
significant landscapes.
14
National and state parks and marine reserves
The following table lists a description of important National and State Parks and Marine Reserves.
Table 5.
State and National Parks and Marine Reserves
Park Name
Characteristics
Carlisle State Park
Carlisle State Park (5600 ha) includes components of the Carlisle Heathlands, heathy
woodlands and Otway's wet forests. It offers excellent opportunities for recreational users
and nature lovers to observe and experience a range of natural environments.
Otway National Park
Otway National Park is perfect for a wide variety of recreational and nature based
activities. Some of the most rugged and inaccessible coastline in Victoria lies in the
13,000 ha park, an invitation to the adventurous to explore this 60 kilometre stretch
from Apollo Bay to Princetown, reached via the Great Ocean Road.
Angahook-Lorne State Park
Angahook-Lorne State Park, comprising 22,000 ha, takes in the steep timbered ridges
of the eastern Otway’s, fern gullies, waterfalls, and a coast with tall cliffs, coves and
sandy beaches. The northern area around Aireys Inlet is drier featuring heathlands of
great floral diversity.
Point Addis Marine National
Park
Rugged sandstone cliffs overlook the Point Addis Marine National Park that covers
4,600 hectares from the Victorian State limit at sea, along 10 kilometres of coastline
between Anglesea and Jan Juc. This Marine National Park is representative of the
central Victorian coastline and is exposed to the intense wave action that arrives on this
coast largely from the southwest. The waves are a major part of this environment and
shape the coastal landforms as well as the animals and plants that live in the area.
The Point Addis Marine National Park also includes the world famous Bells Beach, a
beach noted for its waves and surfing. Bells Beach features as one site for international
surf competitions including the annual Rip Curl Classic.
Offshore, there are a number of small rocky reefs including Ingoldsby Reef, a popular
local diving destination.
Port Phillip Bay (Western
Shoreline and Bellarine)
Covering 1,950 square kilometres, Port Phillip is the entrance to Australia's busiest port
and is one of Victoria's most popular recreational destinations. Every year millions of
people enjoy its vast coastline, world-class swimming beaches and coastal parks. An
entirely different perspective however is available to those who explore the Bay by boat.
Island, shipwrecks and marine reserves dot the Bay, while scuba diving and fishing
reveal the colourful diversity of the Bay's marine life.
Over 3.2 million people live around its shore, making Port Phillip Bay Australia's most
densely populated catchment. The bay is a large expanse of water that is surprisingly
shallow in many places. Nearly half the bay is less than 8 metres deep. Its greatest depth
is 24 metres.
Studies show that Port Phillip is a dynamic and self sustaining ecosystem which is
healthier and cleaner than comparable bays near large cities. The shallowness of the
water aids aeration and the many marine plants and organisms keep the bay in good
condition.
You Yangs Forest Park
Brisbane Ranges National Park
Enfield State Park
The granite peaks of the You Yangs rise dramatically in the Werribee lava plains.
Although only 352 m in height, they dominate the landscape and are clearly identifiable
from Melbourne and beyond.
Little more than an hour's drive from Melbourne takes you to the State's richest
wildflower habitat. Set in a low range of mountains dissected by rocky gullies, the
unusual geology of Brisbane Ranges National Park has preserved plants that have long
since vanished from the region, together with a correspondingly diverse bird population
and the greatest density of koalas in Victoria.
From bush hut chimneys and deep mine shafts to old tree stumps and new growth,
Enfield State Park is home to a large number of plant and animal species as well as
many gold mining relics from last century. Wildflowers abound in Spring, where visitors
can choose one of the many walking tracks to experience the scents and sights of
nature's display.
Source: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
3.5
Environmental issues
The final part of the environmental section of this report identifies the significant environmental
threats to the sustainability of this region. These will be explained under 5 categories.
Rivers, wetlands, streams and lakes;
Water surface quality;
Human activities on the landscape;
Pests, plants and animals; and
Native vegetation and land clearing.
Inland waters
Rivers, wetlands, streams and lakes
The reliance on water from rivers for water supply in the region has reduced flows and land use
practices in river catchments affect water quality. The condition of many rivers and streams in the
region is poor. Reduced surface water flow and quality impact on stream ecology. The Barwon and
Moorabool River systems are under particular stress, given high demands for water from both urban
and rural consumers. Some river systems in the Otway Coast Basin, such as the Gellibrand River,
are also utilised for urban and rural consumption.
15
The Moorabool River is one of the more stressed rivers in the entire State. Degradation is
widespread, with removal of streamside vegetation, bed and bank erosion, obstructions to fish
passage and extensive woody weed invasion, particularly willows and blackberry.
There is significant demand for water resources to supply the urban areas of Geelong, Ballarat and
towns along the Great Ocean Road.
Water surface quality
Surface water resources are also degraded throughout the Region with elevated levels of salinity,
nutrients and turbidity. Extensive clearing of native vegetation has resulted in widespread erosion and
sedimentation problems in waterways producing siltation, nutrient enrichment and a number of
outbreaks of algal blooms.
Urbanisation has generated high levels of nutrients and toxins particularly from stormwater systems.
The lower reaches of most rivers in the Barwon and Moorabool catchments are brackish and saline
and both suffer from high salinity and high levels of nutrients and sediments. The forested upper
reaches of the Barwon and Moorabool catchments and most of the Otway Coast Rivers are not
impacted by salinity.
Sedimentation and nutrient enrichment (nitrogen and phosphorus) are serious problems. Persistent
blue-green algal blooms are increasing in frequency in the Leigh-Barwon system. This is due to
agricultural and urban runoff, septic tank discharges in unsewered areas, and some forest
operations. Agriculture has impacted through intensive animal production and unrestricted stock
access to watercourses.
Human activities on the landscape
The single most important threat to the landscape in the G21 Region is the intensification of
development and population increases along the coast. Landscape values and the health of water
catchments are being impacted on by changes in land use, including poorly sited plantations and
increasing density following the subdivision of traditional farming areas.
As mentioned earlier, salinity is a significant threat to land productivity.
16
Biodiversity
Pests, plants and animals
Pest plants have reduced agricultural land productivity in parts of the Region and have impacted
upon biodiversity values. Gorse and Ragwort are common pests first introduced by European
settlement. Serrated tussock and blackberry are widespread.
Rabbits and foxes exist on both public and private land despite years of trying to manage these
problems. Whilst rabbits are more of a threat to land quality, foxes are threats to livestock, including
lambs, calves and other small farm animals.
Native vegetation and land clearing
The greatest loss to the region’s native vegetation is attributed to land clearing as a result of human
activity, including settlement, agriculture, forestry and other primary industries. While recent instances
of large-scale clearing are few, significant losses are still occurring with clearing for urban and semiurban development, especially around Geelong and coastal areas. As this pattern continues,
considerable pressure is expected to increase on the areas of remnant vegetation.
Another common threat to native vegetation is the removal of understorey and mid-storey species
through rabbits, stock grazing and fire prevention practices.
Past land-clearing practices have created ongoing problems for today’s remaining native vegetation,
including dieback caused by salinity, salt laden wind and high wind exposure.
Inappropriate management has also led to losses in the extent of native vegetation. Direct and
indirect management action on both public and private land has resulted in the loss of native
vegetation. Previously many areas were managed through implementing controlled burns before
summer and often involved the spaying of non-selective chemicals during spring when most native
species are flowering. Often when native vegetation is removed, less desirable plants and weeds
colonise these areas.
Draining and cropping wetlands, cropping and its impact on native grasslands, fertiliser and pesticide
drift into native vegetation and unrestricted timber harvesting of remnant vegetation on private land
also contribute to the inappropriate management of native vegetation in the region.
Western plains
4
Agricultural resources
This component of the report considers agricultural land use characteristics of the region, the levels
of rural productivity being achieved and the types of changes that are occurring to impact upon
ecological sustainability, economic performance and social wellbeing.
4.1
Physiographic divisions
The G21 Region comprises a diverse range of farming environments. This is largely due to the
differences in physiography and the associated changes in climate and soil type.
There are five major physiographic divisions, each of which provides a competitive advantage to the
type of agriculture it supports. The following is a brief summary of these divisions.
Basalt plains
This area lies east of the Moorabool River, north of Geelong and extends to Little River. It has a dry,
windswept climate, where average annual rainfall falls between 450–550 mm and drought is a
frequent occurrence. Farming systems are based on broadacre annual crops, principally cereals,
and oilseeds, with both sheep and cattle supporting the pasture phase. The incidence of stone is
moderate to high. Large farm sizes are required for economic viability due to per hectare productivity
constraints.
Bellarine peninsula
The Bellarine Peninsula is relatively isolated from other parts of the Region due to the encroachment
of Geelong. Its soils are mainly tertiary sandy loams, and its climate mild because of the coastal
influence, with a rainfall range of between 550–650mm per annum. Farming systems are both
broadacre and intensive but urban constraints are being strongly felt which compromises commercial
farming activities. Intensive farming systems include potatoes, vines and olives whereas broadacre
uses are cereals, oilseeds, legumes and intensive grazing by sheep and cattle.
The Western Plains extend from Geelong to the region’s western boundary at Lake Corangamite. Its
southern boundary is the Princes Highway, while to the north it is the rising contour, generally at the
250m mark where there is a change from basalt to Ordovician deposits.
Annual rainfall falls within the 550–700mm range, and the growing season commences with a mid
April autumn break and extending through until early December. This pattern of growth suits annual
crops and both annual and perennial pastures.
Soils of the Western Plains are generally clay loams, overlying a medium to heavy subsoil. Winter
water logging is common due to the flat terrain and heavy textured soil profile. Stone occurs
frequently which acts to reduce farming flexibility.
Farming systems are grazing and cropping based. Sheep are the dominant enterprise (Merino wool
production), but with beef representing up to 30% of livestock equivalents. Broadacre winter
cropping is increasing in activity, due to its better returns over livestock, and the adoption of raised
bed cropping to overcome water logging constraints.
Ordovician highlands
The Ordovician Highlands form the northern boundary of the Barwon Region. The southern
boundary is the Skipton Highway, from Rokewood to Mannibar. The rising, and often dissected
contour, poor soils and cold winters, has resulted in the selection of farming systems which are
grazing based. There are significant areas of light unstable soils which are sensitive to erosion, of
steep contour and possessing low soil fertility. The current and best use of these areas is to retain
them as forest.
The following figure is an agricultural quality map based on the assessment of land capability. The
Region has been mapped by land system5 and these were consolidated into a five class scale where
1 is best and 5 is worst. The map shows the locations of those areas that hold a comparative
advantage to agriculture.
Otway ranges
The Otway Ranges is the major physiographic feature of the region. Bass Strait forms its southern
boundary and it extends inland, forming a series of hills, dissected plateaux and alluvial plains.
Its northern boundary is the intersection of the lower hills with the flat, treeless, basalt plains, and
broadly defined by the Princes Highway while its western boundary extends to the Carlisle River.
The farming systems are predominantly grazing based, due to contour and climatic patterns. Annual
average rainfall varies between 600mm (Torquay) to 1,800mm (Beech Forest) with most of the area
in excess of 1,000mm. Dairying is the main grazing activity, followed by beef and prime lamb
production. A small amount of intensive cropping, mainly seed potato production occurs on the
upper plateaus due to favourable soil and climatic conditions. Forestry is also significant through
national parks and being available for commercial operations, where harvesting existing forests and
introduced plantations is undertaken.
5
Land system analysis is a procedure based on identifying single mapping units that share common
environmental characteristics such as rainfall, parent material, soil type, topography and original vegetation.
17
4.2
The gradual relocation of traditional intensive agricultural activity from the surrounds of the
Melbourne metropolitan district to more distant broadacre areas such as those offered by the
Rural industries
Overview
Rural industries common to the Region can be considered on an industry or farming system basis.
Rural industries at the macro-economic level are commodity based and their industry centres usually
extend well beyond the region’s boundaries. Wool, beef, dairying and cereal cropping are such
examples. Analysis at this level is indicative of broad industry trends rather than on farm
performance.
However, when considering land use impacts it is useful to consider rural industry activity at the
micro-economic or farm level. Farms are usually organised on a farming system basis where a series
of farm practices are integrated to form a pattern of production that may involve one or more rural
enterprises. Farming systems, especially under Best Management Practice are usually specific to a
distinct set of environmental conditions that may only occur in certain locations, hence their
relationship to land capability.
Regional Farming Systems
The following is a summary of the major farming systems in the G21 Region, their key characteristics,
distribution and relative importance.
Intensive Agriculture
Intensive agriculture includes floriculture, vegetable growing, berry fruits, viticulture and other orchard
crops such as olives and fruit.
They are all soil based and prefer deep, permeable and fertile soils either located in high rainfall
areas or with irrigation available. Farm sizes of 20ha or more are generally required. Their location
within the Region are along the river flats, (Barwon, Leigh, Moorabool) and dispersed through the
districts of Anakie, the Bellarine Peninsula, Torquay, Birregurra and the surrounds of Colac. The
excellent soils of the Beech Forest and Lavers Hill districts are used for seed potato production as
their high altitude prevents the spread of insect carrier diseases.
Table 6 is an indication of their financial characteristics assuming farms of a commercial size.
Table 6.
Financial characteristics, intensive agriculture
Farm sizes
Establishment
Gross
ha
capital ($/ha)
Margin ($/ha)
Floriculture
2-50
5000-500,000
5,000-100,000
Vegetables
20-100
8,000-15,000
5000-15,000
Berry fruits
5-20
25,000-50,000
20,000-30,000
Olives
10-100
5000-7000
3000-6000
Viticulture
5-50
50,000-70,000
5000-15000
Intensive agricultural activities within the Region are limited and unlikely to exceed 2,000ha with
viticulture and vegetable production being the major enterprises. The drivers to future growth might
be:
18
Birregurra and Colac districts. However, the availability of irrigation water is essential, either
through surface catchment, groundwater or water recycling.
Good quality recycled water, available at reasonable prices, could become an important driver to
intensive agricultural development for rural areas surrounding major outfalls such as Blackrock.
Potential locations include the Bellarine Peninsula, Torquay district and Moriac.
Continued growth in those intensive agricultural industries that are able to successfully link their
operations with tourism or have a strong retail component. They include the regional wine
industry, floriculture, olive growing, berry production and herb farming.
Overall however, soil based intensive agricultural activities are expected to exhibit steady, rather than
rapid growth due to their current small base and lack of comparative advantage in natural resource
availability.
Cropping specialists
Cropping specialists are those farming systems that have cropping as their major income source but
because of the need to have a ley phase in the cropping cycle, require some form of livestock
enterprise to complement the program. Cropping activities include cereal, oilseeds and legumes.
Some farmers are successfully moving to continuous cropping and avoiding the pasture phase, and
therefore the need for livestock enterprises. However, these farming systems require suitable soils
and the adoption of crop rotation practices that are able to avoid soil disease build-up and soil
structure deterioration.
Broadacre cropping specialists tend to be located north of the Princes Highway because of the
combination of soils and climate. Holding sizes are larger as the area is less attractive to urban
intrusion and land values more related to commercial farming rather than urban expectation.
Commercial farm sizes are generally greater than 400ha. Indicative gross6 margins for the major
crop types are provided in Table 7.
Table 7.
Crop yields and Gross margins
Barley
Wheat
Oats
Canola
Yield
t/ha
4.2
4
3.75
2
Price
$/tonne
170
190
140
380
gross income
$/ha
714
760
525
760
Variable costs
$/ha
320
340
200
340
Gross margin
$/ha
394
420
325
420
The adoption of new technology to raise per ha performance. Raised bed cropping is a relatively
recent innovation whereby broadacre crops are grown in specially formed beds to avoid the
constraint of winter water logging. It has been combined with other cultural changes to
significantly raise potential crop yield by 30-50%.
Increasing professionalism in the crop production process whereby fewer farmers are cropping
larger areas and lowering per ha input costs through scale rather than reducing growing costs.
Scale is being achieved through leasing or share farming rather than land purchase.
Farmers are becoming more involved in the value adding chain with greater awareness of
meeting quality standards and negotiating forward contracts. There is now a greater availability
of specialised services through contract spraying, contract harvesting, soil and foliage monitoring
and integrated pest management. It is now technically possible for a land owner to contract all
services to allow a crop to be grown under Best Management Practice.
The traditional cropping districts are likely to remain in broadacre cropping with a gradual increase
in the intensity and sophistication of the crop production process. Other areas such as the Bellarine
Peninsula are more dynamic. Only a few growers practice broadacre cropping with a strong
dependence on share farming, leasing land or providing contract services to achieve economies of
scale. Alteration in any one of these arrangements could result in a significant reduction in the area
cropped as land owners either lack the necessary skills to farm on their own account or their holding
size is too small to support independent cropping activity.
Grazing specialists
Grazing specialists include the farming systems of wool production, prime lamb production, beef
production (breeding and fattening) and dairying. Goats, equine, alpacas etc are minor enterprises
to commercial activity although they can be important forms of land use within the urban fringe.
Wool, prime lamb and beef to a large degree compete for the same land and other resources. They
are distributed broadly across the region, from the foothills of the Otways to the region’s northern
boundary.
Dairying is more exclusive. The Western Region7 dairy industry has the highest density of cow
numbers in the Colac-Warrnambool geographic area, generally south of the Princes Highway where
the rainfall is higher and the pasture growing season more extended, which better fits the 9 month
cow production cycle. Although there is a distribution of herds throughout the G21 Region, most are
clustered west of Birregurra and south-west through the Otways and continuing westwards.
Table 8 provides some basic comparative data between the different enterprises to indicate relative
performance on a dry sheep equivalent8 and per ha basis.
Specialist crop production is a major farming system to the G21 Region. Some of the drivers to
future growth appear to be:
7
The Victoria Dairy Industry is structured according to three geographic areas, Western, Northern and Eastern.
8
Dry sheep equivalent (dse) is that amount of dry matter required by one mature wether per annum.
6
Gross margins are gross income less direct costs such as seed, sprays, fertilizer, cultivation, harvest and
transport, expressed on a per ha basis.
19
Table 8.
fewer farmers managing greater areas of land with a preference for leasing rather than ownership
of additional land.
Livestock gross margins
Merino
Prime
Beef
wool
lamb
breeding
Dairying
Intensive animal industries
The intensive animal industries within the G21 Region are pigs, chicken meat and eggs. A summary
of the characteristics of each is as follows.
Stocking rate
dse/ha
13.5
15
15
35
Gross income
$/dse
30
44
32
75
Variable costs
$/dse
10
15
7
25
Gross margin
$/dse
20
29
25
50
Gross margin/ha
$/ha
270
435
375
1750
The data contained within Table 8 indicates a number of points:
Dairying is the most intensive of all the grazing industries considered with the highest per ha
returns; a combination of stocking rate and gross margins/dse. The farms are smaller in size but
located in areas where physical per ha productivity is far greater.
Other grazing industries are somewhat similar in financial performance although wool production
has the poorest results due to the prevailing low wool prices affecting wool gross margins and a
lower per ha stocking rate as the farming operations tend to be located in lower rainfall areas.
Pigs
The regional pig industry is based on outdoor sow production. This involves keeping the breeding
herd outside with portable shelters for farrowing down. A site area is established, based on sow
stocking rates of around 15 sows/ha, which is subdivided into small paddocks and the herd rotated
around the site. There is no effluent or solid waste handling. Sites are moved at least every two
years and the old site sown to pasture or crops to utilise the nutrients which have accumulated.
The regional herd totals 6,000 sows which are located at Cressy, Inverleigh, Winchelsea, Shelford
and Balliang. Eight week old weaners are produced which are then grown out to market weights at
contract grow outs north of the divide. Over 85% of the regional herd is farmed under open range
conditions, with the remainder located within intensive systems.
Prime lamb and beef production are both dependent upon fattening meat and therefore require
high quality feed for much of the production cycle. This tends to orient the enterprises to the
higher rainfall districts, including dairying areas.
The gross annual value of regional production is estimated at $13m.
The Western District grazing industries (wool, prime lamb, beef) are monitored annually to determine
trends in financial performance9. The underlying trends on farm structure and performance identified
that the medium sized group of farms (500-1000ha) are currently the most profitable, followed by
large farms (>1000ha) and then small farms (<500ha). Medium sized farms appear to be able to
achieve most of the economies of scale characteristic of large farms and are prepared to spend more
on direct inputs to generate higher income. Small farms, while generating high income per ha, had
the highest overhead cost structure which impacted upon profitability.
The regional chicken meat industry is centred around the Bartter processing plant at Breakwater, the
Eatmore processing plant at Laverton, the Bartter feed mill at North Melbourne and the Bartter
breeder farm and hatchery at Bannockburn. The location of grower farms in the Region are at
Werribee, Lethbridge, Gheringhap, Winchelsea, Inverleigh, Lara, Moriac, and the outskirts of
Geelong.
However, the trend line is for farm size to continue to increase but probably accompanied by an
equivalent lift in labour efficiency. The future models of financial efficiency are likely to find medium
sized farms in the 750-1500ha bracket for the grazing industries, maintaining their relative
advantage in financial performance.
The dairy industry continues to grow in herd size and level of intensity. Average herd size is now
>220 milking cows with milk production levels around 4700L/cow and a stocking rate of over 2
cows per ha. Increasing intensity of production is being brought about through higher stocking rates
and improved herd nutrition by supplementation.
The drivers to future growth for the grazing industries are similar to those of cropping specialists:
increasing size and intensity of the production process;
Chicken meat
There are some 35 grower farms in the area ranging from 50,000 birds to 320,000 bird batch
capacity. Total batch capacity within the Region is 3.5m birds and a batch number per year of 5.5.
The average farm gate value per bird is $2.25 which translates to a regional value of over $43m.
Egg production
Total hen population for the Region is estimated at 460,000. Annual value of egg production is
about $38/hen which translates to a regional value of $17.5m.
A recent study of the intensive animal industries in the G21 Region10 noted that the Region offers
great potential to the expansion of intensive animal industries because of its natural advantages in
climate, availability of suitable land, labour supply, processing capacity and support infrastructure.
However, its development is always going to be a contentious issue within the community because of
negative perceptions regarding odour and waste management. The respective Codes of Practice
appropriate to each intensive animal industry is the major management guideline to site selection.
greater professionalism of management;
wider use of contract services; and
9
20
10
Farm Monitor Project, Dept of Primary Industry.
Intensive Animal Industry Study, Phillips Agribusiness 2002.
One of the recommendations that arose out of the study was to examine the feasibility of establishing
an animal industry cluster and potential sites for its location to enable the concentration of
infrastructure support and to control negative community reaction that invariably accompanies new
developments.
A local winery provides a vineyard establishment and management service whereby subsequent
crops can be processed and marketed under their umbrella. A similar service is being offered to
the local olive growing industry.
Most land owners on the Peninsula are primarily motivated by the rural living opportunities rather
than agricultural activity. While their enthusiasm initially may extend to commercial agriculture, the
lack of time, skills and capital, usually result in sub optimal land use patterns and an eventual
conclusion that the land area is too large and would benefit through further subdivision.
4.2.2 Agricultural outlook
The natural resource base of the G21 Region is a diverse environment through the influences of
topography, climate and soil type. A significant proportion remains unavailable for agricultural use
due to steep topography, poor soils and erosion susceptibility. These areas include swamp lands,
foreshores, coastal dunes, rugged open forest and steep dense forest.
Planning controls can only go so far to address this dilemma and are usually limited to whether or
not to grant a housing permit as most of the lots are below the subdivisional minimum. The
emphasis now is on Whole Farm Plans or Environmental Management Plans linked to title through a
173 Agreement as a means of trying to ensure responsible and effective land use. A major weakness
inherent in such agreements is the lack of a monitoring process to check on the outcomes of the
implementation program.
The major physiographic divisions that comprise the Region have encouraged the development of
farming systems based on comparative advantage. This has resulted in regional agriculture having
primarily a livestock and broadacre cropping orientation.
A similar concern is emerging in some of the catchment areas of Barwon Water. Building activity is
increasing the risk to water quality and the authority currently lacks the necessary legislative powers to
address it. Legislation by itself appears an inadequate mechanism to address land management
issues but the means by which the land holder community can be harnessed to assist is still elusive.
Future perspectives are not going to alter this orientation as Australian agriculture is likely to remain
free of any subsidies or tariffs that cause disruptions to resource use. As a result, the drivers to
continuing change in the grazing and cropping industries are likely to be:
increasing scale of operation as a means of lowering unit costs, particularly labour and
management;
the preparedness to lease rather than buy land as a more cost effective way of using capital
resources to build rural businesses given the high price of land;
4.3
Most of the rural industries in the G21 Region are based on comparative environmental advantage
and therefore generally capable of adjusting to the future farming environment, providing farm size
and the quality of management is adequate. However, farming cannot be competitive within the
urban fringe, as rapidly rising land values stifle the adjustment process. Farmers leave, taking their
knowledge base with them with the property generally reduced to a number of allotments in different
ownerships where one previously existed.
while farm sizes will increase, the total size of the management group will not as farming families
continue to control the majority of rural assets;
the scale and size of rural operations will increasingly seek service industries that can add value to
the production process through providing timely and expert input;
developing more effective value adding chains that either increase the margins available at the
farm level or provides the opportunity for more direct involvement with the other participating
stakeholders in the value adding chain; and
the form and structure of the current farming systems will need to be modified under the influences
of increasing energy costs and climate change. Both influences are likely to encourage a
minimalist and natural systems approach to farming currently embraced under “organic”.
However, there is a significant proportion of the Region that is affected by urban development where
fragmentation of lots and high land values have encouraged the change of land ownership from
rural to urban. The new land owners often do not have the skills to conduct rural activity nor a
sufficiently large land resource to develop an efficient farm enterprise.
The Bellarine Peninsula is an excellent example of where this is occurring. The rural land
management knowledge base has declined through the exodus of traditional farming families, while
historical subdivisional activity has left a large number of lots that encourage fragmentation rather
than consolidation. There has been some compensation for this loss in a number of ways:
Local cropping specialists are able to offer contract or share farming services to land holders that
would otherwise be unable to crop their land.
Conclusion
Theoretically, progressive land management could continue, albeit through a greater number of land
owners than originally existed. But the mechanism of achieving this is elusive and well beyond the
regulatory constructs of municipal planning schemes in their current form.
4.4
Three principles emerge in maintaining the productive, environmental and economic sustainability of
the region’s resource base:
Protect the sustainability and integrity of the farming environment through due consideration of the
interaction between the natural features of climate, topography, soils, water resources and
vegetation patterns;
Encourage the continuing development of commercial farming systems that are productive and in
harmony with the natural environment; and

Manage the rural-urban interface with the objective of retaining commercial farming practice as
a land management tool prior to the land being converted to a permanent form of urban related
use.
21
5
Understanding the Region
The G21 Region is comprised of 16 Statistical Local Areas (SLA) throughout the municipalities of
Queenscliffe, Greater Geelong, Surf Coast, Colac-Otway, and Golden Plains. For the purposes of
this report the SLAs have formed the primary basis for the analysis of the performance of areas within
the region. In some cases, these SLAs have been aggregated into larger sub-regions in order to
better understand the geographic differences within the region.
Figure 1 indicates the location for the SLAs and the aggregated areas. Several SLAs have had their
names changed from that allocated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to assist in understanding
their location. These are set out below:
The Coastal sub-region: Encompasses the SLAs along the coast, including the Bellarine Peninsula.
The Coastal sub-region is comprised of the SLAs of Colac Otway South, Surf Coast East, Surf
Coast West, Queenscliffe, and the Bellarine Peninsula. It includes such towns as Lorne, Torquay,
Anglesea, and Ocean Grove, as well as a large rural hinterland affronting the coast.
The Geelong sub-region: encompassing urban Geelong within the Greater Geelong municipality
recognising that this large urban area has different characteristics to the less populated areas of
the region. The Geelong sub-region is comprised of the SLAs of Corio, Newtown, Geelong West,
Geelong East, South Barwon, and Central Geelong.
Figure 1.
The G21 Region by SLA and Rural, Coastal, and Geelong sub-regions
Rural North Geelong, (formerly Greater Geelong Pt C) encompasses the area to the north of the
urban Geelong city limits, i.e. Avalon Airport, Barwon Prison, towns of Anakie, Steiglitz.
Corio – (formerly Corio Inner) includes Lara, Corio, Lovely Banks south to Norlane, Bell Post Hill
and North Geelong.
Geelong West includes Manifold Heights, Geelong West, Herne Hill, Drumcondra/ Rippleside.
Newtown includes the suburb of Newtown.
Central Geelong, (formerly Geelong) reflecting its central location in the region, encompasses
suburbs of South Geelong, East Geelong, Breakwater, Thomson and Geelong City.
Geelong East, (formerly Bellarine – Inner) encompasses the eastern urban city limits of Geelong,
including the areas of Newcomb/ Whittington through to Leopold.
South Barwon includes suburbs of Belmont, Highton, Waurn Ponds, Grovedale and the
Armstrong’s Creek growth area.
Bellarine Peninsula, (formerly Greater Geelong Pt B) takes in the eastern portion of the Greater
Geelong municipality and towns such as Drysdale/ Clifton Springs, Ocean Grove, Portarlington,
and Drysdale.
Surf Coast East – includes Torquay / Jan Juc, Anglesea and rural areas to the north west including
Moriac.
Surf Coast West – Lorne and Otway Ranges through to Winchelsea.
Golden Plains NW – is the north western part of Golden Plains including Linton, Scarsdale and
Smythesdale.
Golden Plains SE includes Bannockburn, Inverleigh, Meredith and Lethbridge.
Colac Otway South encompasses Apollo Bay and surrounding coastal and rural areas.
Colac Otway North encompasses the rural areas around the township of Colac and the northern
rural areas of the Shire.
Colac Otway – Colac is the township of Colac.
Queenscliffe includes the whole of the borough of Queenscliffe.
Additionally the 16 SLAs of the G21 Region have been grouped to create 3 sub-regions within the
G21 Region.
Coastal
Rural
Geelong
Source: ABS 2001 census CDATA & Map Info, and MacroPlan Australia 2005
The Rural sub-region: Comprised of the primarily rural areas of the G21 Region including Golden
Plains NW, Golden Plains SW, Rural North Geelong, Colac Otway – North, and Colac Otway –
Colac.
22
G21 Regional Plan
5.1 Regional Population
Comment
G21 Region
Greater Geelong
245,000
1.2%
190,000
1.0%
185,000
0.8%
180,000
225,000
220,000
0.6%
175,000
215,000
0.4%
170,000
210,000
205,000
0.2%
165,000
200,000
0.0%
160,000
240,000
235,000
230,000
1.0%
0.9%
0.8%
0.7%
0.6%
0.5%
0.4%
1991
1996
25,000
3.50%
20,000
3.00%
In the 5 years between 1996 and 2001only two municipalities have grown at a faster rate
than the G21 Region average. The Surf Coast Shire and the Golden Plains Shire have
grown at 3.2% and 1.7% for the 5 year period respectively.
15,000
2.50%
10,000
2.00%
5,000
1.50%
0
1.00%
0.3%
1991
1996
2001
Surf Coast
24,000
0.40%
23,000
0.20%
22,000
0.00%
21,000
-0.20%
20,000
-0.40%
19,000
-0.60%
18,000
-0.80%
17,000
-1.00%
16,000
-1.20%
1991
0.2%
On an average annual growth basis the G21 Region grew at 0.3% in between 1991 and
1996. From 1996 to 2001 this figure increased to approximately 1.1%. This compares
with the Victorian growth rate of 0.6% for 1991-96 and 1.2% for 1996-01. Australian
growth rates were 1.1% for each period.
2001
Colac – Otway
1996
2001
1991
Queenscliffe
1996
2001
Golden Plains
3,300
0.6%
3,200
0.4%
3,100
0.2%
0.0%
3,000
1.9%
15,000
1.7%
14,000
1.5%
1.2%
13,000
-0.2%
2,900
-0.4%
2,800
-0.6%
2,700
-0.8%
2,600
-1.0%
1991
1996
2001
The G21 Region as a whole has grown by 16,000 people for the 10 years between 1991
and 2001. This growth has pushed the regional population up from 225,000 in 1991 to
over 240,000 in 2001. The majority of this growth occurred between 1996 and 2001.
The extra 16,000 people were focused primarily in Greater Geelong (11,000) and the
Surf Coast (4,400). The Golden Plains Shire contributed an extra 1,300 people to the
G21 Region between 1991 and 2001.
1.0%
12,000
0.8%
0.6%
11,000
0.4%
10,000
The Surf Coast Shire has seen its population expand from 16,000 in 1991 to over 19,000
in 2001. Like the G21 Region the Surf Coast saw the majority of this growth occur
between 1996 and 2001. Coastal destinations such as Torquay, Anglesea and Lorne are
responsible for most of the growth in population in the Surf Coast Shire.
The Golden Plains Shire although witnessing an annual percentage change greater than
that of the G21 Region, has come off a relatively small base population of below 13,000
in 1991 to over 14,300 in 2001. Within Golden Plains, the majority of this growth would
be directly attributable to Bannockburn which attracted an additional 700 people.
Although the G21 Region was home to more than 240,000 people in 2001, 76% of the
total population resided within the City of Greater Geelong. The major centre of the G21
Region experienced average annual growth of 0.3% between 1991 and 1996, increasing
to almost 1.0% between 1996 and 2001.
Between 1991 and 2001 two municipalities have lost population. Colac Otway decreased
by approximately 800 between 1991 and 2001 and the Borough of Queenscliffe
decreasing from 3,118 in 1991 to 3,069 in 2001.
0.2%
1991
1996
2001
Legend
Population - left hand side (LHS)
P.A. Growth - right hand side (RHS)
Source: ABS Census 2001 and ABS CData
23
5.2 Intra Regional Population
Comment
Town average annual growth 1991 – 2001
Towns as a percentage of G21 Region total population – 2001
In 2001 over 80% (192,000) of the G21 Region population of 240,000 resided in towns and urban
centres. With 64% (153,600) residents of Geelong.
G21 Region
Outside Towns,
20%
Aireys Inlet
Other populous towns in the G21 Region include Lara, Colac, and Ocean Grove, all with 4% of total
G21 Region population. While Torquay and Leopold had 3% of total regional population each in
2001. The remaining towns in the G21 Region share a total population of approximately 19,200.
Anglesea
Town Balanace,
8%
Apollo Bay
Bannockburn
Colac
Ocean Grove, 4%
Around 20% (48,000) of people in the G21 Region live outside towns and urban centres.
Drysdale
Colac, 4%
Several coastal towns experienced high average annual growth between 1991 and 2001. Locations
such as Torquay, Ocean Grove, Leopold, Apollo Bay and Anglesea have all grown above 1% per
annum with some, such as Torquay, and Leopold growing above 4% per annum.
Geelong
Geelong, 54%
Torquay, 3%
Leopold, 3%
Indented Head
Inverleigh
Lara, 4%
Lara
Over the 10 year period between 1991 and 2001, Geelong, the largest urban centre in the G21
Region, has grown by 2,846 people. Several towns whose base population is well below that of
Geelong have come close to, or even exceeded, the total change in population experienced by
Geelong e.g. Ocean Grove (1,895), Lara (2,888), Torquay (3,116), Leopold (2,351), Bannockburn
(704), and to a lesser extent Aireys Inlet (358).
Leopold
Municipal population makeup of G21 Region
Lorne
Ocean Grove
Proportion
Point Lonsdale
100%
Portarlington
90%
There has been significant growth in the Region since 2001. The following data attempts to indicate
the areas experiencing the most growth in recent years. It is based on estimated ABS resident
population data, which provide a different estimate of population to that recorded at the Census. The
data is therefore not directly comparable to the population recorded in the Census, but provides and
estimate of growth since the census in 2001.
Queenscliffe
80%
70%
St Leonards
60%
50%
Torquay
40%
Winchelsea
30%
20%
10%
-2% -1% 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7%
0%
1991
Greater Geelong
1996
Queenscliffe
Surf Coast
2001
Colac - Otway
Golden Plains
Town total population figures 1981-2001
Total
1981
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
1991
Greater Geelong
1996
Queenscliffe
Surf Coast
2001
Colac - Otway
Golden Plains
Geelong
Colac
Ocean Grove
Lara
Torquay
Leopold
Portarlington
Point Lonsdale
Anglesea
Drysdale
Bannockburn
St Leonards
Lorne
Apollo Bay
Queenscliffe
Winchelsea
Aireys Inlet
Indented Head
Inverleigh
1986
1991
1996
2001
125,699 125,833 127,348 127,081 130,194
10,587
10,545
10,241
9,793
10,182
5,532
7,021
8,160
9,144
10,055
4,231
5,186
6,318
7,338
9,206
2,880
3,522
4,887
5,984
8,003
2,946
3,452
4,432
5,491
6,783
1,863
2,271
2,553
2,407
2,686
1,973
2,352
2,445
2,676
2,641
1,461
1,652
1,977
1,995
2,203
1,127
1,166
1,406
1,474
1,731
417
662
823
882
1,527
900
1,170
1,206
1,226
1,339
893
935
1,143
1,082
1,216
921
888
894
979
1,190
1,447
1,387
1,236
1,156
1,102
825
890
969
1,027
1,101
271
491
675
761
1,033
421
544
551
453
597
252
227
282
283
515
91-01
Difference
2,846
-59
1,895
2,888
3,116
2,351
133
196
226
325
704
133
73
296
-134
132
358
46
233
LGA
2001
2002
2003
2004
Change
2001-2004
Av Annual
Change
Colac Otway
21,005
21,079
21,290
21,495
490
0.77%
Golden Plains
15,101
15,312
15,747
16,319
1,218
2.62%
Greater
Geelong
194,478
197,542
199,824
202,615
8,137
1.38%
Queenscliffe (B)
3,276
3,253
3,222
3,212
-64
-0.66%
Surf Coast
20,872
21,549
22,072
22,471
1,599
2.49%
G21 Region
254,732
258,735
262,155
266,112
11,380
1.47%
Source: ABS Catalogue 3218.0
This data indicates that since 2001 Golden Plains is the fastest growing municipality, but Greater
Geelong has also had an increased rate of growth with an annual population increase of over 2,700
making up more than 70% of recent population growth.
Source: Towns in Time, 2001 Department of Sustainability & Environment
Source: ABS CData 2001, Towns in Time, 2001 Department of Sustainability and Environment, ABS Catalogue 3218.0
24
G21 Regional Plan
5.3 Population projections
Comment
Growth SLA’s of the G21 Region 2001-2031
Age cohorts G21 Region, Victoria, & Australia – 2001
80,000
Population forecasts prepared by Department of Sustainability and Environment indicate that most
of the growth in the region to 2031 will occur in the City of Greater Geelong, with Surf Coast
also contributing a significant proportion to the future growth.
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
2001
2006
Geelong East
2011
2016
2021
Corio
2031
G21 Region
South Barwon
Bellarine Peninsula
Rural North Geelong
Surf Coast - East
Surf Coast - West
Golden Plains NW
Golden Plains SE
Colac Otway - Colac
Colac Otway - South
Queenscliffe
G21 Region SLA’s in decline 2001-2031
Within Greater Geelong, the largest growth is forecast for South Barwon with almost 30,000
increase in population over the period to 2031.
Victoria
Australia
0-4 - Pre school
5-19 - Secondary School
20-44
45-64
Surf Coast Shire is expected to grow by over 13,000 over the period, with most of this growth
occurring in Surf Coast East (12,330).
65+ - Retirees
Age cohorts G21 Region, Victoria & Australia – 2031
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
2001
2006
2011
Geelong
Newtown
2016
2021
2031
Geelong West
Colac Otway - North
Other major areas of population growth are Corio (northern urban Geelong including Lara) and
Geelong East, both with over 15,000 population increase, and the Bellarine Peninsula expected
to increase by over 19,000.
Golden Plains is also expected to grow significantly with population growth of almost 7,000 with
most of this growth forecast for the southern end of the Shire, but significant growth is also
expected in the North West of the Shire – 2,666.
Colac-Otway is expected to have marginal growth, with Colac Otway South experiencing an
increase of almost 1,200 and Colac growing only marginally.
Queenscliff is not expected to grow significantly from its current population of 3,276.
G21 Region
Victoria
Australia
0-4 - Pre school
5-19 - Secondary School
20-44
45-64
An important feature of the projected population growth is the anticipated rapid ageing of the
population, with the G21 Region expected to have a significantly older population than the
Victorian average and the Australian average. The G21 Region population over 65 is expected
to make up 26.9% in 2031 compared with Victoria - 23.8% and Australia – 21.3%.
65+ - Retirees
E
as
t
C
or
i
o
G Ge
ee
e
lo lon
ng
g
W
es
N
So ew t
B
to
u
el
w
la th
n
B
ri
a
ne
R
rw
ur
Pe
on
al
ni
N
ns
To or
th
ul
ta
a
lR
G
e
ur
el
o
a
Su
l G ng
rf
ee
C
oa l on
Su
g
st
rf
-E
C
o
G
as
ol ast
t
de
-W
n
e
G
Pl
ol
a i st
de
ns
n
Pl NW
ai
Q
ns
C
u
ol
SE
ac ee
n
s
O
C
tw c li
ol
f
ay
fe
ac
O
C
tw Co
ol
ac
ay
la
O
-N c
tw
ay ort
-S h
o
G
21 uth
R
eg
io
n
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
G
ee
lo
ng
Ave. annual growth 01-31
SLA ave. annual growth 2001-2031
Source: Vic In Future, Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2004
25
5.4 Regional Age Structure
Comment
Greater Geelong
G21 Region
50%
On a regional level the G21 Region is ageing. The younger age cohorts of 0-14 and 15-39 are proportionately declining as
a share of total regional population. While the older age cohorts of 40-64 and 65+ are increasing.
40%
40%
30%
Greater Geelong has the youngest population profile, while Queenscliffe has the oldest population profile. While Greater
Geelong is also ageing, it is the only LGA with a lower proportion of 40-64 year olds compared to 15-39 year olds.
30%
20%
20%
As noted in Report 1, the age structure of the region is older than the Victorian and national average and has been this way
since at least 1991. Declining birth rates and slow population growth through the 1990s has meant that the region has
aged slightly faster than the national and Victorian average.
10%
10%
0%
0%
0-14
15-39
40-64
65+
0-14
15-39
40-64
65+
0-14
15-39
40-64
65+
15-39
40-64
65+
Surf Coast
Colac – Otway
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
0%
0-14
15-39
40-64
65+
Golden Plains
Queenscliffe
40%
40%
30%
30%
20%
20%
10%
10%
0%
0%
0-14
15-39
40-64
65+
0-14
Legend
1991
1996
2001
Source: ABS CData
26
G21 Regional Plan
5.5 Dwelling Tenure
Comment
Dwelling type proportion – 2001 census
People buying or owning their own home account for 73% of housing stock in the region,
making up 28% and 45% of total dwellings respectively. This is higher than the Victorian and
national average for dwelling ownership. Only 3.5% of total dwellings fall into the realm of
public rental, consistent with the Victorian average and lower than the national average.
G21 Region
100%
6.1%
16.8%
3.5%
80%
However, in relation to public rental housing there are pockets within the G21 Region that
exceed the average proportion of public rental housing.
60%
0.6%
45.3%
40%
27.6%
Public housing is concentrated in Corio (8.5%), Colac (6.1%) and Central Geelong (4.5%).
Public housing is associated with lower average income levels, lower education ratings, and
lower property values.
20%
Central Geelong
Queenscliffe
Colac Otway - South
Colac Otway - North
Colac Otway - Colac
Golden Plains - NW
Golden Plains - SE
Surf Coast - East
Surf Coast - West
Bellarine Peninsula
Rural North Geelong
Newtown
South Barwon
Geelong East
Corio
Central Geelong
Geelong West
G21 Region
0%
7.0%
28.3%
36.7%
4.5%
0.5%
Colac Otway – Colac
15.5%
Queenscliffe is significant for its high proportion, relative to the G21 Region, of fully owned
housing but a much smaller proportion buying their home. Considering current land prices
in Queenscliffe this suggests a population base of very high asset wealth.
Corio
5.3%
6.1%
23.1%
15.8%
5.6%
Other areas with a high proportion (50% or more) of fully owned housing include Colac
Otway North, Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast West, Golden Plains NW and Golden Plains
SE
49.4%
8.5%
0.8%
1.0%
22.9%
Legend
In relation to the number of dwellings that make up the proportion of public housing Corio
is the standout location with 1,706 dwellings dedicated to public housing. Colac and
Central Geelong have 246 and 224 respectively. This equates to 66% (2,176) of all public
housing being located in Corio, Colac and Geelong, with Corio alone possessing 52% of
total public housing stock for the G21 Region. According to the 2001 census the G21
Region has 3,286 public rental dwellings.
41.9%
27.2%
Queenscliffe
Fully owned
Purchased
Assisted purchase
7.7%
18.0%
Public rental
Private rental
1.1%
Other
0.4%
13.4%
59.4%
Source: ABS CData
27
Comment
5.6 Dwelling Types
Regional per annum growth in dwelling numbers 1991 - 2001
2.50%
Over the 10 years between 1991 and 2001 the average annual number of
dwellings has grown strongest in the coastal subregion, with over 2% annual
growth. The urban centre of Geelong and the Rural sub-regions experienced
slightly less with approximately1.5% and 1% annual growth respectively.
Residential building approvals July 2002 – Dec 2004
1991-2001 p.a. growth
Additional Dwellings since June 2001
3,000
1.50%
1.00%
0.50%
0.00%
Rural
Coastal
Geelong
Regional per annum growth by dwelling type 1991-2001
New Residential Buildings
2.00%
2,500
In relation to structural change the largest annual change has occurred in the
flat, unit, and apartment segment, followed by the separate house segment.
The large percentage change figure for flats, units, and apartments have
equated to only less than 100 new dwellings in the rural region, over 500
along the coast, and approximately 1,500 in Geelong.
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
10.00%
8.00%
Regional total change in dwelling numbers 1991-2001
Rural North Geelong
Golden Plains - SE
Golden Plains - NW
Dwelling numbers 1991-2004*
25,000
7,000
Colac-Otway - South
Colac-Otway - North
Surf Coast - East
Queenscliffe
Colac-Otway - Colac
Geelong
Surf Coast - West
Coastal
Bellarine Peninsula
Rural
South Barwon
-4.00%
Newtown
0.00%
-2.00%
Geelong West
2.00%
Central Geelong
Geelong East
4.00%
Corio
0
6.00%
6,000
5,000
1991
1996
2001
2004*
Across all sub-regions of the G21 Region the total stock of detached, row,
terrace, and townhouse dwellings, as well as other dwellings, have remained
largely unchanged.
The increasing number of dwellings in Newtown and Geelong West since
2001 suggests some level of infill development is starting to occur in these
areas.
20,000
4,000
The real change has been the growth in separate houses. Geelong with its
large base population has gained an additional 7,000 dwellings over the 10
year period. However the Coastal sub-region has shown the most relative
change, especially given its base population in relation to Geelong, with
almost 6,000 new dwellings
3,000
2,000
15,000
1,000
0
-1,000
Rural
Coastal
Legend
Geelong
10,000
5,000
Separate House
Rural North Geelong
Golden Plains - SE
Golden Plains - NW
Colac-Otway - South
Colac-Otway - North
Colac-Otway - Colac
Surf Coast - West
Surf Coast - East
Queenscliffe
Bellarine Peninsula
South Barwon
Newtown
Geelong West
Central Geelong
Other
Corio
Flat, unit apartment
0
Geelong East
Detached, row, terrace or townhouse
* 1991, 1996, and 2001 are taken from ABS census data T18. 2004 is built from an
addition of the 2001 census figure and total residential (houses and other dwellings)
building approvals for the G21 Region from July 2001 to December 2004.
Source: ABS CData
28
G21 Regional Plan
Comment
5.7 Non-residential building approvals
Total value of non-residential building approvals – 2001/02 – 2004/05
Investment in Non-residential development in the region has been largely
concentrated in the City of Greater Geelong and the Geelong Urban Area.
$250
120,000
2001/02
2002/03
100,000
$200
Within Geelong, the activity has occurred largely in four localities – Corio or
the northern part of urban Geelong, Central Geelong, South Barwon and
Bellarine Peninsula.
2003/04
80,000
2004/05
60,000
Millions
Total $ Value ('000)
Greater Geelong non-residential building approvals
$150
$100
40,000
$50
20,000
$-
Rural North Geelong
Golden Plains - SE
Golden Plains - NW
Colac-Otway - South
Colac-Otway - North
Colac-Otway - Colac
Surf Coast - West
Surf Coast - East
Queenscliffe
Bellarine Peninsula
South Barwon
Newtown
Geelong West
Central Geelong
Corio
Geelong East
0
2000/01
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
Colac Otway non residential building approvals
$25
Total value of building approvals by G21 sub-region - 2001/02 – 2004/05
300,000
Total $ Value ('000)
250,000
Millions
$20
Coastal
$5
Rural
$-
200,000
2000/01
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
150,000
Surf Coast non residential building approvals
100,000
$35
50,000
Colac Otway has experienced significant investment in Health in recent years,
however these levels are down on those seen in 2000/01 and 2001/02.
Investment overall fell sharply in 2002/03 to less than $10 million, a recovery
has occurred since then as investment approached $20 million in 2004/05,
largely driven by investment in Health facilities.
Significant retail investment has occurred in Colac Otway in 2003/04 and
2004/05. Investment in Offices has mainly been flat since 2000/01, with
significant spending occurring in 2004/05 - this spending may be related to
Local and State government office upgrades.
$15
$10
Geelong
The City of Greater Geelong has attracted significant investment in Health and
Education, with a consistent level of investment in Factories and Offices
throughout the five year period.
Overall, the G21 Region has had lower levels of investment per capita than the
Melbourne average, with the exception of education and health, where the
region has had equivalent levels in some years. However, when compared
against benchmark regions such as Newcastle, Wollongong and Sunshine
Coast, the G21 Region has experienced similar levels of fluctuation in
investment in the different sectors.
$30
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
Millions
$25
0
$20
$15
$10
$5
$2000/01
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
Legend
Hotel
Religious
Shops
Health
Factories
Entertainment
Office
Miscellaneous
Education
Source: ABS Non Residential Building Approvals
29
Comment
5.8 Occupied Dwellings
Percentage of occupied and unoccupied dwellings – 2001 census
Occupied
Colac Otway – South
The G21 Region’s holiday home ownership levels appear to be higher than benchmark
regions – Newcastle, Wollongong, and Sunshine Coast with higher dwelling vacancy
rates. Within the region, very high vacancy rates (over 50%) were recorded in Surf Coast
West (including Lorne), Colac Otway South (including Apollo Bay) and Queenscliffe.
Unoccupied Dwelling Types
Unoccupied
3.7%
100%
0.0%
2.1%
1.6%
80%
Surf Coast East and Bellarine Peninsula (including Ocean Grove) also has a relatively
high vacancy rate although significantly lower than for the other coastal areas to the west.
60%
92.6%
40%
The housing types in the areas with high vacancy rates have over 90% separate houses,
higher than the G21 average. The exception is Surf Coast East, which has a higher
proportion of townhouse and flats, units and apartments compared with the G21
average. This suggests that the holiday houses in this area are composed of more higher
density stock.
Greater Geelong – pt B
20%
5.1% 0.2%
Surf Coast – West
4.1%
Queenscliffe
Colac Otway - South
Colac Otway - North
Colac Otway - Colac
Golden Plains - NW
Golden Plains - SE
Surf Coast - East
Surf Coast - West
Bellarine Peninsula
Rural North Geelong
Newtown
South Barwon
Geelong East
Corio
Central Geelong
Geelong West
G21 Region
0%
The high levels of vacancy poses issues for these communities in developing community
involvement, establishing sustainable business and services in the face of highly
fluctuating seasonal populations.
90.3%
Surf Coast – East
2.8%
0.3%
0.0%
2.3%
7.5%
0.5%
1.7%
0.0%
7.5%
83.4%
94.4%
Queenscliffe
Geelong East
13.8%
0.8%
0.0%
3.4%
3.2%
0.0%
0.3%
5.9%
79.5%
93.1%
Legend
Separate House
Flat, unit, or apartment 1-2 storey
Townhouses
Flat, unit, or apartment 3+ stories
Other Dwelling
Source: ABS CData
30
G21 Regional Plan
Comment
5.9 Land Prices
Median House Prices 1986 - 2004
Land prices throughout the G21 Region have followed state trends in relation to median
house prices, median unit / apartment prices, and vacant land prices.
Median Unit/Apartment Prices 1986 - 2004
$400,000
$600,000
$500,000
Median house, land, and unit / apartment prices continue to exceed the Melbourne median
prices in the coastal locations of the G21 Region such as the Surf Coast and Queenscliffe.
$300,000
$400,000
$300,000
Median house prices in Queenscliffe have shot above the $500,000 mark, while houses in
the Surf Coast have tapered off at the $350,000 mark. This equates to a $200,000 price
gap between Queenscliffe and Melbourne, and a $90,000 price gap between the Surf Coast
and Melbourne.
$200,000
$200,000
$100,000
$100,000
$0
Colac-Otway
Queenscliffe
Metro Melb
Geelong
Surf Coast
Golden Plains
Country Vic
Median Vacant Lot Prices 1986 - 2004
$200,000
$150,000
Colac-Otway
Queenscliffe
Metro Melb
Geelong
Surf Coast
2004*
2001
1998
1995
1992
1989
1986
2004*
2001
1998
1995
1992
1989
1986
$0
Golden Plains
Country Vic
However, in comparison to Melbourne, other parts of the region not fronting the coast have
a substantial price advantage over Melbourne. Median house prices in Geelong are
approximately $50,000 cheaper than the Melbourne median. While median house prices in
Golden Plains are highly correlated to the Victorian country average, the price gap between
Golden Plains and Melbourne is in excess of $110,000.
A lack of substantial unit / apartment stock in the G21 Region is most likely the cause of
sporadic price movements in relation to median unit / apartment prices. However those unit /
apartments in coastal locations that are available, are pricing above the Melbourne median
price. Units / apartments in Queenscliffe and the Surf Coast are now priced at the $350,000
and $280,000 mark respectively, in comparison to the Melbourne benchmark of $350,000.
Vacant land prices in Geelong have traditionally been $20,000 - $50,000 below the
Melbourne average, however the median vacant land price for Geelong is now above
$150,000; more than the price of a house and land package 4 years ago. In Golden Plains
the median vacant land price has fallen below the Victorian Country average.
$100,000
$50,000
The region has potential to attract more migration from Melbourne with competitive housing
and land prices for potential residents.
Colac-Otway
Queenscliffe
Metro Melb
Geelong
Surf Coast
2004*
2001
1998
1995
1992
1989
1986
$0
Golden Plains
Country Vic
Source: Land Victoria
31
5.10 Employment by Industry Sector 2001
Industry Sector Proportion – 2001
Comment
Industry Sector Proportion – Average Annual Growth 1991 – 2001
Geelong
Personal and Other Services
Rural
Coastal
Cultural & Recreational Services
Personal and Other Services
Cultural & Recreational Services
G21 Region
Health and Community Services
Education
Education
Government Admin & Defence
Government Admin & Defence
Property and Business Services
Property and Business Services
Finance and Insurance
Finance and Insurance
Communication Services
Communication Services
Transport and Storage
Transport and Storage
Accom, Cafes & Restaurants
Accom, Cafes & Restaurants
Retail Trade
Retail Trade
Wholesale Trade
Wholesale Trade
Construction
Construction
Electricity, Gas & Water Supply
Electricity, Gas & Water Supply
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
Mining
Mining
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing
2%
4%
6%
Unemployment
Unemployment has increased across all sub-regions within G21 in line
with the G21 trend. Geelong has consistently had the highest level of
unemployment, reaching over 10% in 2004 and declining in 2005. The
Rural sub-region had the lowest unemployment in 2001, but this has
grown to exceed the Coastal sub-region and remained higher as the
overall unemployment has declined.
12%
G21 Region
Coastal
Rural
8%
Coastal
-8% -6% -4% -2% 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10%
8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18% 20%
Unemployment Rates June 2001 – June 2005
10%
Rural
G21 Region
Health and Community Services
0%
Geelong
Geelong
6%
Overall, the Rural, Coastal and Geelong sub-regions have a similar
economic structure, with some key differences. The Rural sub-region
has a high proportion of employment in the agriculture and lower
proportions in property and business services, education and retail
relative to the other regions, while the Coastal sub-region has a higher
proportion in the accommodation, cafes and restaurants and education
and construction sectors, reflecting the high rate of population growth
and tourism in the sub-region.
In the Geelong sub-region, the highest proportions are in retail trade,
manufacturing and property and business services, reflecting its role as
the primary centre for the G21 Region.
Over 32% of all industry employment in the G21 Region is in the retail
and manufacturing industries. Although manufacturing is a considerable
component of the G21 economy at the moment, growth in the
employment sector in the region has stagnated on a region wide level,
but has shown growth in the Coastal and Rural areas.
The key growth industries throughout the G21 Region and all the subregions include the areas of cultural and recreational services, health
and community services, property and business services, and
accommodation, cafes and restaurants. This indicates a shift away from
the dominance of manufacturing, especially in Geelong and the Rural
sub-regions.
Industries in decline throughout the G21 Region include government
admin & defence, finance and insurance, and electricity gas and water
supply.
In the Rural sub-region industry growth has shifted away from the
agricultural economy and primarily into property and business services,
and cultural and recreational services.
A high level of domestic and international tourism to the Coastal subregion is likely to be a significant driver of growth in the
accommodation, cafes, and restaurants industry in the Coastal sub region. The high proportional level of this industry in the Coastal subregion indicates the impact tourism has on the local economy.
High levels of housing vacancy within the Coastal sub-region may be
contributing to the growth in the personal and other services industry
segment (for example maintenance services, cleaning, gardening etc).
4%
2%
0%
June 2001
June 2002
June 2003
June 2004
June 2005
Source: ABS CData
32
G21 Regional Plan
5.11 Occupation
Comment
Occupation number of employed persons – 2001
Occupation proportions – 2001 census
Geelong
Labourers & Related
Workers
Geelong
Labourers & Related
Workers
Rural
Rural
Coastal
Elem
Clerical,Sales,Service
Wkrs
Coastal
G21 Region
Elem
Wkrs
Int Production &
Transport Wkrs
Int Production &
Transport Wkrs
Int
Wkrs
Int
Wkrs
Advanced Clerical &
Service Wkrs
Advanced Clerical &
Service Wkrs
Tradespersons &
Related Workers
Tradespersons &
Related Workers
Associate
Professionals
Associate
Professionals
Professionals
Professionals
Managers &
Administrators
Managers &
Administrators
0%
4%
8%
12%
16%
On a broad regional level the occupations of intermediate clerical
sales, and service workers, tradespersons, associate professionals, and
professionals occupy the highest proportions.
20%
In terms of the highly skilled occupations of associate professionals,
professionals, and managers & administrators, the Rural sub-region
has the highest proportions within the G21 Region.
The highly urban sub-region of Geelong is home to the largest
proportions of clerical, sales, and service workers reflecting a large
retail and service sector.
The proportion of tradespersons and related workers in the Coastal
sub-region is approximately level with that of the G21 Regional
average, and only slightly behind that of the Geelong sub-region.
However the industry composition of the Coastal sub-region tends to
suggest that unlike Geelong, the majority of tradespersons are not in
the manufacturing industry but instead in the construction industry.
The Rural and Coastal sub-regions both have higher proportions of
managers and administrators and professions than the Geelong subregion and the G21 Region. Interestingly, in absolute terms the
Coastal sub-region has almost as many managers and administrators
as Geelong, likely reflecting a preference for residing in a coastal
location. The high proportion of professionals in rural areas may also
reflect a housing/ lifestyle choice.
0
5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000
In relation to the Rural sub-region the high proportion of managers
and administrators may be related to the high proportional level of
agriculture, forestry, and fishing taking place in the sub-region, as
opposed to actual white collar workers. The later of which typically
centred in urban localities.
The high proportion of labourers and related workers in the Rural
sub-region may also be linked to the largely agricultural economy of
the sub-region.
Source: ABS CData
33
5.12 Journey to work
Comment
Journey to work – resident workforce transport use 2001
Percentage of labour force travelling to Melbourne - 2001
100%
90%
30%
80%
70%
25%
60%
50%
40%
20%
15%
30%
20%
10%
5%
Greater Geelong
729 2,677
723
5,505
56,167
Queenscliffe
Geelong CBD
5,000
5,000
4,000
4,000
3,000
3,000
2,000
2,000
1,000
1,000
Legend
Golden Plains
Colac - Otway - North
Colac - Otway - Colac
Golden Plains - NW
Geelong East
Golden Plains - SE
Queenscliffe
Colac - Otway - South
656
6,026
Bellarine Pensinula
95
Surf Coast - West
341
South Barwon
14
Surf Coast - East
90
Central Geelong
23
Newtown
21
Corio
77
Geelong West
804
0
Rural North Geelong
98
Colac - Otway - North
6,000
Melbourne
0
72
Colac - Otway - Colac
Golden Plains - NW
Colac - Otway - South
Geelong East
Golden Plains - SE
Queenscliffe
Bellarine Pensinula
Surf Coast - West
South Barwon
Surf Coast - East
Newtown
6,000
2,000
2,950
Surf Coast
Corio
Employed persons travelling to Melbourne & Geelong - 2001
Employed persons to Geelong
1,093
34
Central Geelong
Work from Home
Geelong West
Walk/Cycle
Other
Rural North Geelong
G21 Region
Queenscliffe
Surf Coast
Public
Both Public & Private
Employed persons to Melb
15
0%
Private
Colac – Otway
1,159
Golden
Plains
Greater
Geelong
Colac-Otway
10%
0%
112
Public transport usage in the G21 region is very low. Among the five municipalities of the
G21 Region private transport is the predominant transport option. In Greater Geelong,
which boasts the most public transport options of any municipality in the G21 Region,
private transport is still the predominant transport option for employed persons.
35%
Where public transport is available, the use of it as a proportion of employed persons is
still well below the levels seen in metropolitan Melbourne. In Greater Geelong
approximately 3% (2,000 people) of the resident workforce use public transport. While
Queenscliffe has public transport usage comparable to Geelong, with approximately 2%,
this represents only 14 people.
Those employed persons who choose to work from home are focused outside the urban
centre of Geelong. Working from home is most prevalent in the rural hinterland of Colac
Otway (16% - 1,159 people) and Golden Plains (12% - 603 people).
In relation to the destination of the G21 Region workforce, over 11,100 people travel to
work in Melbourne from the G21 Region. Locations proximate to Melbourne feature most
heavily as a proportion of labour force travelling to Melbourne. In Rural North Geelong,
Corio, and Geelong West, 33% (426), 14% (3,535), 12% (877) of the labour force
respectively travel to Melbourne to work.
The high proportions of employed persons undertaking the journey to Melbourne each
day indicates that the northern segments of Geelong may be an option for workers
wishing to work in Melbourne and choose a ‘lifestyle’ destination. Initial appearances may
suggest that the northern areas of Geelong and Bannockburn are a residential option for
Melbourne residents and/or those wishing to work in Melbourne.
The Geelong City CBD is another key employment destination with the G21 Region with
over 22,500 people working in the Geelong central SLA. The majority of travel by
employed persons to the Geelong City CBD are from areas in close vicinity to the
Geelong City CBD. Corio (3,941), South Barwon (5,505), the Bellarine Peninsula
(2,663), and Geelong West (1,625) collectively inject 14,849 employed persons into the
Geelong CBD.
Public
Private
Walk/Cycle
Both Public & Private
79
603
35
32
146
Other
Work from Home
4,411
Source: ABS CData, City of Greater Geelong Economic Indicator Bulletin
34
G21 Regional Plan
5.13 SEIFA ranking - 2001
96
8
92
6
92
4
93
8
93
5
95
0
94
9
96
9
95
8
97
3
97
1
99
0
97
6
G21 Region
Colac Otway - Colac
Corio
Colac Otway - South
Golden Plains - NW
Colac Otway - North
Geelong East
Golden Plains - SE
Surf Coast - West
Geelong West
Bellarine Peninsula
Queenscliffe
Central Geelong
South Barwon
10
27
10
24
10
14
10
10
10
09
10
09
10
03
10
66
11
01
10
96
97
6
91
4
89
0
93
0
94
7
95
1
95
5
Corio
G21 Region
Geelong East
Colac Otway - Colac
Golden Plains - NW
Colac Otway - North
Golden Plains - SE
Bellarine Peninsula
Colac Otway - South
Geelong West
Rural North Geelong
Central Geelong
Surf Coast - West
South Barwon - Inner
Queenscliffe
Surf Coast - East
Newtown
It is important to understand that a high score here reflects lack of disadvantage
rather than high advantage, a subtly different concept.
Within the G21 Region relative disadvantage is present in three SLAs - Geelong
East, Colac, and Geelong West. However the standout area of disadvantage is
Corio (914), with a score of 88 points below the G21 Regional average.
Household Income – 2001
100%
Education & Occupation
The Education & Occupation index measures the level of educational
qualification achieved, and/ or levels of further study undertaken, and provides
an assessment of a skilled workforce.
80%
60%
40%
20%
$0-$399
$400-$799
$800-$1499
Geelong East
Corio
Geelong
Geelong West
Bellarine Pen
Rural Nth Geelong
Newtown
South Barwon
Queenscliffe
Colac Otway Sth
0%
Colac Otway Nth
All the indexes have been constructed so that relatively disadvantaged
areas (e.g. areas with many low income earners) have low index values.
More detailed is included in Attachment A.
Disadvantage
The Disadvantage index provides a reflection of relative disadvantage in family
units, and takes into account variables such as income, unemployment,
educational attainment, and an unskilled workforce.
800
Colac
All locations can be benchmarked according to their proximity to the
SEIFA value of 1000. This value acts as an equilibrium between positive
and negative. A value above 1000 is positive, while a value below is
negative.
Areas which are significantly advantaged on this index are Newtown and Surf
Coast – East. 12 of the 16 G21 Region SLA’s rank in the negative regarding
Economic Resources. The most disadvantaged areas are Corio, Colac Otway
South, Colac and Golden Plains North West.
850
Surf Coast East
The indexes have been obtained by a technique called principal
components analysis. This technique summarises the information from a
variety of social and economic variables, calculating weights that will
give the best summary for the underlying variables. For the SEIFA
indexes, each index uses a different set of underlying variables.
900
Surf Coast West
Explanatory Note: There are four indexes developed by the Australian
Bureau of Statistics which relate to socio-economic aspects of geographic
areas. Each index summarises a different aspect of the socio-economic
conditions in an area.
950
Golden Plains NW
G21 Region
Corio
Geelong East
Geelong West
Colac Otway - Colac
Central Geelong
Golden Plains - NW
Colac Otway - North
Golden Plains - SE
Colac Otway - South
South Barwon
Bellarine Peninsula
Surf Coast - West
Rural North Geelong
Newtown
Surf Coast - East
800
1000
Golden Plains SE
850
1050
G21 Region
91
4
900
Education & Occupation
98
0
96
3
10
01
10
00
99
9
10
02
10
27
10
27
10
24
1100
950
Queenscliffe
10
07
10
00
1150
1000
Economic Resources
The Economic Resources index reflects the income and expenditure levels of
family units, and also takes into account factors such as rent and dwelling size.
Incomes are highest in Newtown, Rural North Geelong, South Barwon and Surf
Coast East (Torquay). Low income areas include Corio (north Geelong), Colac,
Colac Otway South, Queenscliffe, Geelong West and Geelong (central area).
840
10
61
10
49
10
48
10
40
1050
10
22
880
Surf Coast - East
G21 Region
Corio
Colac Otway - Colac
Geelong East
Golden Plains - NW
Colac Otway - North
Golden Plains - SE
Colac Otway - South
Geelong West
Bellarine Peninsula
Central Geelong
Surf Coast - West
Rural North Geelong
Queenscliffe
South Barwon
Surf Coast - East
Newtown
800
Areas which are significantly advantaged on this index are Newtown and Surf
Coast – East and Queenscliffe. The most disadvantaged areas are Corio,
Colac, Geelong East, Golden Plains North West, Colac Otway North.
920
Rural North Geelong
850
960
Newtown
900
1000
Economic Resources
90
6
92
9
92
5
95
5
94
5
96
7
950
1100
Disadvantage
97
5
99
4
97
4
99
7
99
5
10
21
10
18
10
08
1000
1040
10
84
10
79
10
77
Advantage / Disadvantage
1050
The Advantage / Disadvantage index attempts to quantify the relative income
levels and proportion of workforce employed in skilled occupations.
10
50
10
86
1080
10
55
10
54
1100
Comment
Areas which are significantly advantaged on this index are Queenscliffe,
Newtown and Surf Coast – East. The most disadvantaged areas are Corio,
Geelong East, Colac, Golden Plains North West, Colac Otway North and
Golden Plains South East
Overall, Corio - the northern part of Geelong, stands out as the most
disadvantaged part of the G21 Region on all SEIFA indices, except for
Economic Resources, where it comes in 3rd lowest.
$1500+
35
5.14 SEIFA mapping
Comment
Disadvantage
Economic Resources
Education and Occupation
Geelong
The Geelong urban area has several pockets of housing that reflects areas of
significant advantage and disadvantage.
Key focus areas include the north of Geelong around Corio/ Norlane and the
East of Geelong (Newcomb/ Whittington) where significant disadvantage, a
lack of economic resources, and an untrained and relatively uneducated labour
force dominate the economic landscape. These areas also have the highest
levels of public housing in urban Geelong.
Surrounding the centre of the City and extending south, especially along the
south western boundaries of the city are areas of notable advantage. These
locations are above the national equilibrium of 1,000, indicating significant
advantage in terms of income, education, workforce skills and training,
expenditure, and dwelling size.
Geelong City
The only location to have significantly high (above 1,200) levels of economic
advantage, resource, education, and occupation is the northern educational
precinct encompassing Geelong Grammar.
Additionally the residential area of Newtown is the only other location in the
G21 Region to achieve scores above 1,200 in terms of economic advantage /
disadvantage, and education and occupation.
Ocean Grove / Barwon Heads
On average Ocean Grove experiences predominantly average levels of
advantage, disadvantages, education, occupation, and economic resources.
One notable case is the small northern section of the community where above
average levels of all indexes are recorded.
Ocean Grove
In terms of economic resources Ocean Grove has areas fronting the coast that
are below the 1,000 average. The same areas are also showcased in terms of
education and occupation. It may be possible that these pockets of relative
disadvantage may be the local community in the largely seasonal community.
36
Ocean Grove has no significant (below 900) levels of disadvantage for all
indexes.
G21 Regional Plan
SEIFA mapping continued
Disadvantage
Comment
Economic Resources
Torquay
In a trend akin to that of other G21 coastal destinations such as Ocean Grove,
Torquay has predominantly average levels of economic advantage,
disadvantage, resources and education and occupation.
The centre of Torquay experiences below average levels of economic
advantage, disadvantage, and economic resources.
Relative advantage in Torquay occurs consistently along the western fringe of
the town.
Torquay
Torquay has no significant levels of disadvantage (below 900) or advantage
(above 1,200) for all indexes.
Bellarine Peninsula East
The St Leonards area of the Bellarine Peninsula experiences below average
levels of economic advantage, disadvantage, resources, and education and
occupation.
Areas of Portarlington and Indented Head also are consistently falling into the
significantly disadvantaged category (below 900).
Bellarine Pen. East
The entire location falls below the national average of 1,000 for economic
resources, with a particular lack of resources occurring along the eastern and
northern fringes.
Throughout the eastern portion of the Bellarine Peninsula no location achieves a
score in excess of 1,100.
37
SEIFA mapping continued
Disadvantage
Comment
Economic Resources
Colac Otway
Encompassing the western portions of the G21 Regions coast and rural
hinterland, Colac Otway is experiencing below average levels of advantage and
average levels of disadvantage.
The areas experiencing the most disadvantage are Colac, rural parts of Colac
Otway South, and rural areas to the north of Colac.
Within Colac, the western and southern sections of the township suffer
significant levels of economic disadvantage.
Colac - Otway
The municipality is predominantly below the national average in terms of
economic resources, and education and occupation. However large sections of
the municipality have average levels of education and occupational advantage.
38
G21 Regional Plan
5.15 Internet usage
5.16 Education
Proportions of internet usage – 2001
Education – proportions of population with a qualification (2001)
100%
Comment
100%
90%
80%
80%
Throughout the G21 Region it is predominantly the rural and disadvantaged areas of the
region that were the lowest users of internet in 2001. In rural areas such as Golden Plains
NW and SE, Colac - Otway North and Colac Otway – Colac, and Rural North Geelong,
there may also be constraints on internet usage in the form of technological deficiencies
and limited bandwidth speeds.
70%
60%
60%
50%
40%
40%
30%
Within the G21 Region 61% of residents did not use the internet in 2001. Of the 35% of
residents who indicated they do use the internet, most of these use the internet at home
(18%) with only 4.5% using the internet at work.
20%
20%
Legend
Corio
Geelong West
Central Geelong
Bellarine
Newtown
Rural North Geelong
South Barwon
Bellarine Peninsula
Queenscliffe
Colac Otway - North
Colac Otway - South
Colac Otway - Colac
Golden Plains - SE
Golden Plains - NW
Postgraduate Degree
Does not use
The areas with a higher level of population with a qualification exceeding the regional
average are typically the locations that have older populations and higher wealth
(especially asset wealth). These locations include the Surf Coast (East and West), Colac
Otway South, Queenscliffe, the Bellarine Peninsula, Newtown, Central Geelong, South
Barwon, and Geelong West.
Graduate Diploma & Graduate Certificate
>1 location
Bachelor Degree
Elsewhere
Advanced Diploma & Diploma
Work
Certificate
Home
G21 Compared - 2001
The locations with the highest proportion of total population with an educational
qualification are Newtown, Queenscliffe and Surf Coast East. Approximately 43% of the
population is each location has an educational qualification, compared to the regional
average of 33%.
Percentage of the population with a qualification – 2001
Melbourne
Victoria
Australia
50%
45%
20%
40%
G21 Average
35%
15%
These locations also have the highest proportion with the highest qualification i.e. degree
and above.
30%
25%
10%
Educational levels in the G21 Region are generally lower than for Melbourne and
Victoria. The proportions of 15yr+ with qualifications exceed Geelong’s (32%) with
Melbourne at 36%, Victoria 35%, and Australia 35%.
The proportion of the G21 Region population with a degree or higher (10%) was less
than Melbourne (16%), Victoria (14%) and Australia (13%). A similar situation is evident
in relation to postgraduate qualifications, graduate diplomas and diplomas, with the
proportion of the G21 Region population with such qualifications being marginally less
than for both Melbourne and Victoria.
Legend
Not stated
G21 Region
Surf Coast - West
G21 Region
Bellarine Peninsula
Rural North Geelong
Newtown
South Barwon
Geelong East
Corio
Central Geelong
Queenscliffe
Geelong West
Colac Otway - Colac
Colac Otway - North
Colac Otway - South
Golden Plains - SE
Golden Plains - NW
Surf Coast - East
Surf Coast - West
G21 Region
0%
Surf Coast - East
0%
10%
20%
5%
15%
10%
5%
Corio
Geelong West
Central Geelong
Bellarine
Newtown
Rural North Geelong
South Barwon
Bellarine Peninsula
Queenscliffe
Colac Otway - South
0%
Colac Otway - North
Certificate
Colac Otway - Colac
Advanced
Diploma &
Diploma
Golden Plains - SE
Bachelor
Degree
Golden Plains - NW
Graduate
Diploma &
Graduate
Certificate
Surf Coast - West
Postgraduate
Degree
Surf Coast - East
0%
Source: ABS CData
39
5.17 Tourism
Comment
32
90,000
5,000
1,400
28
80,000
4,000
1,200
24
1,000
20
800
16
600
12
400
8
20,000
200
4
10,000
0
0
Rural
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
0
Day Trip Visitors Per Capita
Geelong
50
Coastal
Rural
2000
Geelong
G21
2001
Geelong per capita
2002
Coastal
2003
1.2
1.0
60,000
50,000
0.8
40,000
0.6
30,000
0.4
0.2
0.0
2000
Geelong
2004
Rural
Coastal per capita
1.4
70,000
total trip #
Coastal
trips per capita
Geelong
total trip # ('000)
Trip # ('000)
International Visitation
Domestic Overnight Trips
1,600
6,000
2001
Geelong per capita
Rural per capita
Coastal
2002
2003
Rural
Coastal per capita
2004
Rural per capita
40
30
International Average Trip Expenditure
Domestic Overnight Trip Expenditure
20
10
Geelong
$600
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Day Trip Expenditure Per Visitor
Coastal
Rural
G21
$500
$25
$400
$20
$300
$15
$200
$10
Geelong
Coastal
Rural
G21
Coastal
Rural
G21
$5
$100
$-
$-
$100
Geelong
$30
2000
2001
2002
2003
2000
2004
2001
2002
2003
Domestic Overnight Average Length of Stay
$40
Geelong
3.5
$20
3.0
$-
2.5
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Coastal
Rural
G21
Geelong
25.0
Coastal
Rural
G21
Victoria
15.0
1.5
10.0
1.0
5.0
0.5
0.0
The Coastal sub-region captures the largest numbers of
domestic day trip, domestic overnight and international visitors.
Expenditure to the coastal region for both domestic and
international visitors, between 2002 and 2004, has typically
been on par with the G21 Regional average or slightly below it.
The Geelong region has had a consistently higher yield
(expenditure per visitor) from tourism suggesting that many
visitors choose to concentrate their spending in Geelong.
Between 2002 and 2004 visitors to the Geelong sub-region
tended to stay the longest of any domestic or international
visitor. This may be linked to the increased accommodation
options available in Geelong.
20.0
2.0
The dominant drawcard for tourist visitation, both international
and domestic, is the Coastal region of the G21 Region,
extending from the Bellarine Peninsula in the east, right along
the Great Ocean Road to Colac Otway – South.
The Rural and Geelong sub-regions share have similar per
capita visitor numbers in relation to domestic overnight and
international travel.
International Average Length of Stay
Victoria
Tourism in the G21 Region in 2004 is slightly down on the
peaks of previous year in terms of domestic visitation.
International visitation to the G21 Region has grown steadily by
approximately 10,000 visitors per annum since the 2002 fall in
visitation numbers.
2004
$80
$60
trips per capita
Domestic Day Trips
0.0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Throughout the G21 Region average length of stay for domestic
and international visitors is below the Victorian average.
However the impact of Melbourne would be significant in the
Victorian average.
In 2004 domestic overnight and international visitors tended to
spend a greater amount per trip in the Rural sub-region, than
the Coastal sub-region. This may be due in part to the higher
proportion of business related visits to the Rural sub-region
when compared to the Coastal sub-region in 2004.
Source: Bureau of Tourism Research – National Visitor Survey and International Visitor Survey 2005
40
G21 Regional Plan
5.18 Tourism by purpose
Comment
Domestic Overnight Trip Purpose - 2004
Rural
Geelong
Coastal
2%
8%
5%
26%
1%
19%
29%
75%
64%
G21 Region
8%
Legend
4%
17%
30%
Domestically the G21 Region attracts predominantly visitors concerned with
holiday and leisure (61%). Proportionately this exceeds the Victorian average
(43%) for holiday and leisure visitors.
51%
Victoria
2%
The G21 Region does not attract as many business visitors proportionately as
the Victorian average. This may be due to the influence of Melbourne as the
domestic and international business port of call. However what the G21
Region misses out on in relation to business it more than makes up for in
holiday visitation.
5%
16%
On a sub-regional level the largest asset to holiday and leisure visitation for
the G21 Region is the Coast. This one region proportionally attracts almost 3
times as many visitors as the Rural and Geelong sub-regions.
Holiday or leisure
Visiting friends and relatives
43%
Business
Other
In relation to business visitation within the G21 Region the industrial and
commercial operations in the City of Geelong are the predominant
destination within the G21 Region.
61%
37%
International Trip Purpose - 2004
Geelong
Coastal
Rural
5%
6% 0% 6%
9%
7%
9%
3%
7%
1%
8%
6%
58%
18%
9%
8%
9%
71%
82%
27%
Victoria
G21 Region
3%
8%
Holiday or leisure
Visiting friends and relatives
Business
Interestingly international visitation to the rural hinterland of G21 for holiday
and leisure purposes is proportionately higher than that of the Coastal subregion.
This could be due to University facilities and high quality high school
education facilities such as Geelong Grammar which may contribute
significantly to international visitation to the G21 Region.
Legend
2% 2%
17%
3%
International visitation to the G21 Region is classified among 6 categories.
However like domestic visitation, the G21 Region is most attractive for its
holiday and leisure possibilities. With 68% of all international visitation to the
G21 Region related to holiday and leisure, the G21 Region exceeds the
Victorian average for international holiday and leisure visitation.
Proportionately the highest numbers of international employment options are
available in the Geelong sub-region of the G21 Region.
Other
20%
52%
68%
22%
Education
Employment
Source: Bureau of Tourism Research – National Visitor Survey and International Visitor Survey
41
5.19 Migration
Comment
Geelong
Coastal
Rest of Australia
Rest of Australia
Rest of Victoria
Rest of Victoria
Rest of Victoria
East Central Highlands SSD
Ballarat City SSD
Ballarat City SSD
Ballarat City SSD
Western District
Western District
Western District
Rest of Melbourne
Rest of Melbourne
Rest of Melbourne
Mornington Penisula LGA
Mornington Penisula LGA
M ornington Penisula LGA
Wyndam LGA
Wyndam LGA
Wyndam LGA
Geelong
Geelong
Coastal
Coastal
OUT
IN
0
500
1,000
1,500
Rural
IN
2,000
Rural
OUT
0
6,000
50%
45%
5,000
40%
2,000
25%
20%
1,000
Individual Weekly Income
15%
500
10%
5%
0
0%
< $300
$300 - $999
$1,000 $1,499
$1,500 +
The Coastal sub-region is also experiencing net in-migration from the
rest of Victoria. The majority of this in-migration from Melbourne and
the rest of Victoria is concentrated toward the Surf Coast Shire and the
Bellarine Peninsula.
0
1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000
50%
8,000
50%
45%
7,000
45%
40%
30%
3,000
25%
20%
2,000
15%
10%
1,000
5%
0
0%
< $300
$300 - $999
$1,000 $1,499
$1,500 +
40%
6,000
35%
4,000
Migration
30%
1,500
Proportion
Migration
35%
The largest numbers of in-migration from Melbourne are heading to the
Coastal region (4,768), which is getting the largest net migration from
this source. While Geelong is also getting a large number of migrants
from Melbourne (4,262), it is losing a larger number to Melbourne.
Geelong
Coastal
2,500
The major sources of net in-migration to the G21 Region are
Melbourne, Ballarat and the rest of Victoria, with Melbourne and the
rest of Victoria being the major sources of net in-migration.
Rural
IN
1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000
Migration
OUT
Proportion
Total Migration
Rest of Australia
35%
5,000
30%
4,000
25%
3,000
20%
15%
2,000
10%
1,000
5%
0
0%
< $300
$300 - $999
$1,000 $1,499
Legend
In Migration
Out Migration
G21 Proportion
Regional Proportion
$1,500 +
Proportion
Rural
The Rural region is also growing from net in-migration from Melbourne
and the rest of Victoria. The main destinations for this migration are
Rural North Geelong and Golden Plains South East, suggesting that
these people are looking for a rural residential lifestyle in proximity to
Melbourne.
The Geelong sub-region experiences net in-migration from the Coastal
sub-region (571), however the largest net in-migration to the Geelong
sub-region is from the rest of Victoria (1,370) and the Western District
(683).
Regarding movement into Geelong, the majority of in-migration is to
South Barwon (2,467). This is also the case regarding movement within
Geelong, with net in-migration into South Barwon from all the locations
that makeup the Geelong sub-region.
The income profile of in-migration to the region is generally higher than
the resident income profile. However, the income profile of outmigrating people is also higher than the resident population with a
higher income leaving Geelong and Rural regions than in-migrating,
and a higher income profile for in-migrants to the Coastal areas than
are leaving.
The net migration of lower income groups was primarily to Geelong
East (375), Corio (321), Geelong West (333), South Barwon (1,160)
and Bellarine Peninsula (578).
Net migration of higher income groups were to Newtown (139),
Bellarine Peninsula (166) and Surf Coast East (154).
Source: ABS Census
42
G21 Regional Plan
Comment
Rural
5000
25%
4500
2500
20%
1400
4000
20%
400
15%
1500
10%
Migration
10%
600
Proportion
800
Migration
Proportion
15%
1000
1000
5%
3000
15%
2500
2000
10%
1500
1000
5%
500
200
20%
3500
2000
1200
Proportion
1600
Migration
25%
3000
25%
1800
Age Structure
Geelong
Coastal
5%
500
0
0%
0
0
0%
0-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 85+
Age
0-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84
Age
0%
0-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84
Age
85+
85+
Legend
Out Migration
G21 Proportion
Regional Proportion
60%
3000
40%
2000
20%
1000
0
0%
Legend
In Migration
Out Migration
G21 Proportion
Regional Proportion
Other
80%
60%
8000
6000
40%
4000
20%
2000
0
0%
Separate
House
Flat, unit
Semi
detached, apartment
row, terrace
or
townhouse
Other
80%
14000
10000
Migration
4000
100%
16000
12000
80%
Proportion
Migration
5000
18000
100%
14000
12000
60%
10000
8000
40%
6000
4000
20%
2000
0
0%
Separate
House
Semi
Flat, unit
detached, apartment
row, terrace
or
townhouse
Other
Proportion
100%
Proportion
6000
Household Structure
Geelong
Coastal
Migration
Rural
Semi
Flat, unit
detached, apartment
row, terrace
or
townhouse
The Coastal sub-region is experiencing a greater number of net
in-migration in the older age brackets of 55-64 (1,151) and 6574 (312) than the Geelong sub-region. In Geelong, the levels of
in-migration for the 55-64 and 65-74 age cohorts are 85 and
347 respectively.
Net in-migration in the older age cohorts along the Coast is
heading predominantly to the Bellarine Peninsula, with 359
people aged 45-54, 701 aged 55-64, and 248 aged 65-74.
In Migration
Separate
House
The age profile of people moving into the G21 Region indicates
that it is predominantly people in the 15-35 age group in which
most movement is occurring. Incoming population exceeded
outgoing population in all cohorts except the 15-24 age group,
which indicates young people leaving the region for tertiary
education and employment.
Geelong is the only sub-region experiencing net in-migration in
the 15-24 age group (650). A key factor to this may be the
Deakin University, Gordon Institute of TAFE, Marcus Oldham
Agricultural College and the range of private schools.
The Rural and Coastal sub-regions are experiencing a net outmigration in the 15-24 year age cohort at 859 and 825
respectively. Such movements may suggest that young people are
taking up education and opportunities outside their region. The inmigration patterns experienced for the 25-44 year age cohorts
may suggest that the young people leaving the sub-regions are
returning to some extent.
The housing preference of in-migrants to the G21 Region follows
closely the profile of the region’s housing stock, while the outmigrants from the G21 Region have a greater tendency to choose
higher density housing i.e. flats, units or apartments. This may be
related to the destination e.g. Melbourne where prices and greater
supply make this a more appealing option.
43
Residential development potential
5
Direction 2 identifies key towns suitable for future growth. GORR has identified the following towns
within the G21 Region as having potential to accommodate future urban growth, these are: Torquay,
Winchelsea, Colac and Apollo Bay. Accordingly GORR acknowledges that it is the inland towns that
are expected to absorb future growth in order to relieve pressure off the coastal towns.
This section of the report addresses the topic of future residential development potential in the G21
Region:
5.1

It summarises the key land use policies that presently guide future urban development.

It comments on the development potential that exist as presently identified in approved
planning schemes and policies in the region.

It discusses opportunities for possible future urban expansion.
Policies
Great Ocean Road Strategy - Land Use Strategy 2004 (GORR)
A key State policy which will influence land use and transport patterns within part of the Region in the
next 20 years will be the ‘Great Ocean Road Region – A Land Use and Transport Strategy 2004’
(GORR). The strategy is based around 4 key Directions, which cover issues of landscape conservation
and environment, managing growth of towns, improving the management and access of transport
and encouraging sustainable tourism. Most of the towns along the coast and some inland towns
within the G21 Region will be influenced by this strategy.
Direction 1 of the GORR seeks to protect significant landscapes from urban development pressures,
which are highly evident along the coast. Environmental values and beauty of the area is highly
recognised, accordingly retaining and protecting the natural environment is highly important for the
future of the region.
44
Direction 3 focuses on access and transport issues within the region. In regards to its implications on
the G21 Region, the GORR identifies opportunities to make better use of inland routes, in order to
relive growing pressure on Great Ocean Road. GORR acknowledges the need to upgrade inland
routes, to ensure increased safety and performance. Some of the areas selected by GORR that need
improvement are north south roads connecting, Lorne and Winchelsea, Biregurra and Apollo Bay &
Colac and Lavers Hill.
Municipal Strategic Statements

Appendix 3 provides a summary of land presently identified for future residential development in
planning schemes throughout the Region.
There are 5 municipalities in G21 Region, these include Greater Geelong, Surf Coast, Golden
Plains, Colac Otway and Queenscliffe. In reviewing the relevant MSS policies it is evident that some
municipalities provide more detailed and richer strategies regarding future urban development.
Councils such as Greater Geelong, Surf Coast and Golden Plains have adopted relevant structure
plans within their MSS. These structure plans show future residential growth areas and urban growth
boundaries for their key towns. While Colac Otway provides framework plans, these are less
detailed. However Colac Otway is currently preparing structure plans of its major centres. It is
envisaged such strategic documents will outline future growth opportunities and growth boundaries.
Given the size of the Borough of Queenscliffe and its limited potential for future growth it is
reasonable that less information would be provided, although the MSS does provides a Land Use
Framework Plan map but does not provide implications for future growth.
In addition to growth boundaries and designated land for urban development, each of the MSS’s
generally provides a 15 to 20 year time frame regarding future growth and development for its major
towns.
A Structure Plan for the west of Drysdale / Clifton Springs (Jetty Road West Structure Plan) is
currently being prepared by external consultants. That Structure Plan will be used to provide
strategic direction for the growth of the co-established towns.

Torquay / Jan Juc – Is also located about 24 kilometres from Geelong and it the main
administrative and commercial town of Surf Coast and is also the fastest growing area in the
Shire. The Surf Coast MSS has identified Jan Juc as having the capacity to meet increased
population and economic growth over the next 30+ years. New growth will be concentrated
in the designed growth corridors to the north and west of Torquay-Jan Juc, with opportunities
for medium density development in the Old Torquay area. A substantial area of land has been
identified in the structure plan for Torquay / Jan Juc for possible future long term residential
development. That area is located to the west of Duffields Road, along the Spring Creek
Valley, extending towards Bellbrae. Typically infill sites will become available and will absorb
some additional development within the existing boundaries of the township. Currently the
centrally located former Torquay Primary school site is proposed to be redevelopment and will
cater for a mixed use development and residential development at higher densities than that of
existing residential areas.

Bannockburn –Is the largest urban centre in the Shire of Golden Plains and has experienced
significant growth over recent years. Strategies provided within the MSS seek to intensify and
encourage sustainable medium density development in and around a 500 metre radius of the
Bannockburn Town Centre. Sustainable rezoning of land in the Bannockburn Township as part
of a staged development process, is also largely supported.
The following is a list of key towns and details of their strategic direction in regards to future growth:
The primary growth opportunity for Geelong are Armstrong Creek / Mt Duneed, with some
growth opportunities in Wandana Heights and Lara.

Armstrong Creek / Mt Duneed - The MSS notes that this area will provide the key urban growth
opportunity for Geelong in the future. The key strength of the area is that it is close to the city
centre, existing railway line and two major highways. Unlike most other areas around Geelong
it does not have significant environmental constraints.
External consultants have recently been appointed to undertake an Urban Growth Plan for the
growth corridor. The preparation of background reports have commenced and a preliminary
draft is due by December 2006.

Wandana Heights – Provides for limited growth on the western edge of urban Geelong. There
is no plan for a structure plan to be undertaken for this area at this time.

Lara – The Greater Geelong MSS identifies that there are existing rural living zonings close to
the township area that need to be investigated for reconsolidation for conventional residential
development. Lara is also subject to a range of physical constraints both natural and
artificially. These include drainage issues and flight paths associated with Avalon Airport and
buffers from the Heales Road industrial area. These constraints limit future long term growth
opportunities.
A review of existing rural living zoned land has been undertaken with and amendment to be
exhibited in February 2006.
Ocean Grove – Is located approximately 24 kilometres from the centre of urban Geelong.
The MSS states that the estimated residential population will reach 15,000 persons by 2020.
Strategies for future growth identify land to the north of Shell Road and east of Grubb Road.
Council also recognises that there are numerous sites within the township that can provide
opportunity for growth.
The City of Greater Geelong propose to undertake a structure plan for the town in 2006.
Township growth strategies

Drysdale / Clifton Springs – The City of Greater Geelong has identified this area as being able
to absorb future growth and plans exist to link the two towns of Drysdale and Clifton Springs
with infill residential development. There is also an opportunity for future growth to the west of
the Drysdale / Clifton Springs. Further opportunities exist relating to the consolidation of
existing rural residential zones and increasing subdivision density within existing township areas,
more specifically to the south and west of the Drysdale Village Centre.
An Urban Design Framework (UDF) has been prepared for Bannockburn which is now
incorporated in the Planning Scheme. The UDF proposes projected expansion of the township
to the north, east and south east. Strategic planning undertaken by Golden Plains Shire
indicate the town may grow to a population of around 10,000 people by 2021.

Colac - Is an important sub-regional centre and provides a wide range of services to the
surrounding community such as manufacturing, retailing and education. In regards to future
residential development there are numerous scattered vacant and underdeveloped lots in
zoned residential areas to the east and south-east of Colac, with a number of larger parcels to
the east and west of the city.
The Council is soon to appoint a consultant to prepare a structure plan for the Colac township.
That plan will address issues such as housing, industry, transport and streetscape issues within
the town centre and surrounding land that consists of Colac.
G21 Region Plan
45

Apollo Bay - The Colac Otway MSS recognises Apollo Bay as having considerable potential for
additional residential development, including higher urban densities and new residential area
in the fringes of the existing urban areas. The Great Ocean Road Regional Strategy also
identifies Apollo Bay as a coastal township with the ability to accommodate future urban
growth.
A Structure plan for the coastal town is currently being prepared by Council. It is envisaged
that the Structure Plan and process of adoption will be completed by mid 2006.

Winchelsea – The Surf Coast Shire Framework Plan identifies Winchelsea as a rural service
centre providing connection to other regional centres and townships of varying size. Future
population and residential growth is to be encouraged in the centre. The MSS projects that
future urban growth can be accommodated in the south eastern region of the town, but will be
discouraged north east of the town.
The Winchelsea Structure Plan 2021 has been prepared by Surf Coast Shire and has recently
completed the exhibition phase. The plan projects the majority of the growth to the south-east
of the township with low density residential expansion to the north-east and south-west. The
extent of expansion is projected to cater for population growth until 2021.

Other towns within the Bellarine Peninsula that have the opportunity for limited growth include
Leopold, St Leonards, Barwon Heads and Portarlington / Indented Head. Structure Plans and
Urban Design Frameworks are either proposed or completed to provide future strategic
directions for these townships.
The stage of these plans vary with the structure plan for Leopold completed but not yet
incorporated in the Planning Scheme. Urban design frameworks have been completed for St
Leonards and Barwon Heads and will inform the structure plans that are to be undertaken in
2006. Similarly, a structure plan is to be undertaken in 2006 for Port Arlington / Indented
Head.

To assist in coordinating some of the Structure Plans for the smaller settlements, the Bellarine
Peninsula Structure Plan is being prepared, community visions have been developed and a
draft it due early 2006. A draft of The Bellarine Peninsula Land Use and Lot Supply Report
2005 has been completed and is with Council for consideration. A similar study for Geelong
is currently being undertaken. It is envisaged that these studies will identify a considerable level
of underutilised land providing future opportunities for infill development.
Birregurra is projected to have an increase in growth in the future, providing alternative
accommodation from the nearby coastal towns. Colac Otway does not have current plans to
prepare a structure plan at this time, however it is envisaged that one will be required in the
future.
Golden Plains Shire has also prepared basic town structure plan maps for a number of smaller
townships within the Shire, with certain townships to further grow and expand whilst others are
to be consolidated.
Urban growth boundaries
Three of the five municipalities comprising the G21 Region use growth boundaries as a planning tool
around towns, being Greater Geelong, Surf Coast and Golden Plains. Towns for which growth
boundaries are identified in MSS’s include:

Geelong

Townships within the Bellarine Peninsula including Leopold, Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove,
Drysdale/Clifton Springs, Port Arlington/Indented Head, St Leonards and Point Lonsdale.

Torquay – Jan Juc

Lorne

Anglesea

Aireys Inlet – Fairhaven – Moggs Creek

Winchelsea

Bannockburn
None of the growth boundaries identified for towns in the G21 Region have the status of the growth
boundary identified around metropolitan Melbourne, which requires Parliamentary approval for a
variation. Rather they are expressed as policy in the MSSs of municipal planning schemes.
The nature of the growth boundaries identified vary depending on the circumstances in which they
area used.

In some cases they relate to environmental and land ownership constraints (i.e. crown land or
State / National Parks) that should be seen as absolute constraints to future urban expansion.
For example in some places around township along the Great Ocean Road that are
constrained by crown land and forest.

In some cases they relate to natural features beyond which it is undesirable that urban
development occurs, such as the ridgeline to the north of Torquay.

In other cases they seem to relate more to the anticipated development potential of towns
within a given planning horizon, and to strategic desires to maintain a separation between
towns, or to concentrate development of towns prior to considering future options for their
longer term expansion. For example some of the smaller townships on the Bellarine Peninsula
and growth boundary around Geelong itself.
In a 50 year time fame it is considered that the potential for future strategic planning of individual
township will provide the opportunity to review many of the growth area boundaries presently
contained in local planning policies, except where they relate to absolute environmental constraints
or strongly defensible strategic boundaries.
The City of Greater Geelong has also undertaken a number of studies that aim to intensify
population and development activity in the Geelong Western Wedge and in and around the Geelong
CAA. These are relevant when considering future consolidation and infill development options in
and around Geelong
46
5.2
Potential of presently identified residential development
areas
It is difficult to accurately determine the amount of land identified for possible future residential
development in existing planning schemes and policies at the regional level. However broad
estimates have been made for the purpose of understanding the development and population
potential of currently designated residential land in the region, compared to the population growth
scenarios presented in Report 1. This has utilised information provided by the UDP 2004 for the
Greater City of Geelong and for Torquay / Jan Juc, and consultant estimates for other main
townships in the Region (see explanation in Appendix 3).
Appendix 1 provides approximations of the future residential development potential that exists in each
of the main towns in the region. Table 9 summarises the information presented in Appendix 1. It
shows the estimated amount of land available in terms of:

vacant Residential or vacant Township Zoned land;

land that is presently designated in MSS’s for future residential development; and

land that is identified in MSS’s for possible future residential development in the longer term.
Table 9.
Future Residential Development Potential
Vac Res 1
Zoned (ha)
Vacant Township
Zoned (ha)
Designated Future
Residential (ha)
Possible Future
Residential (ha)
736
Total
(ha)
Surf Coast Shire
Torquay / Jan Juc
14
367
Winchelsea
24
120
Anglesea
17
17
Aireys Inlet
9
9
Lorne
Sub-total
1117
144
12
12
74
488
736
1298
Colac Otway
Colac
240
Apollo Bay
32
240
32
Sub-total
272
272
Queenscliffe
18
11
Geelong
65
88
Lara
10
97
Barwon Head
8
74
St Leonards
3
12
15
Indented Heads
5
Portarlington
2
13
15
Clifton Springs / Drysdale
17
59
Leopold
13
67
123
410
29
Greater Geelong
Sub-total
2300
2453
107
174
256
5
254
330
80
1708
3261
Overall supply of land in the region
Information provided in Report 1 provided population growth scenarios for a regional population of
between 400,000 and 600,000 by 2051. It also included information regarding possible future
urban land requirements (greenfields) to accommodate such a population. They ranged from
around 2,345 hectares to nearly 17,000 hectares, depending on the growth scenario, the degree to
which consolidation of existing urban areas occurred, and the density of development in greenfields
locations.
The medium growth scenario in Report 1 (a regional population of 500,000 by 2051) identified that
between 4,300 and 13,000 hectares of greenfields land may be required to accommodate urban
development by 2051.
Reference to the Table 9 indicates an estimate of around 5,300 hectares of land in the Region that
has been identified for possible future residential development in existing planning policies and
planning schemes. This includes major ‘possible’ future development areas that have been identified
to the south of Geelong (Armstrong Creek), to the west of Torquay, and a lesser area of land to the
west of Clifton Springs / Drysdale. Those areas have not yet been structure planned and their actual
development potential is still to be determined.
The 5,300 hectares referred to above exceeds the amount of land identified as being required to
accommodate Scenario 2, based on what was termed a ‘high density scenario’. The ‘high density
scenario’ was based on the assumption that 40% of all new dwellings would occur by way of infill
development in existing urban areas, and that a density of 20 dwellings per hectare would be
achieved in new greenfields developments.
If those ambitious assumptions are not met, or if a higher scenario occurs, then the amount of
greenfields land likely to be required to accommodate anticipated regional population growth could
be in the order of two to three times the amount of land identified in existing planning policy.
These estimates are confirmed by the Urban Development Program 2004 (page 105), which
indicates that:
“…based on current trends it is estimated that the stock of broad hectare residential land
is sufficient to satisfy demand for 15 years within the region…
This includes land that is currently identified as ‘Future Residential’ within the councils’
planning scheme.”
Most of the pressures for residential development in the Region is concentrated in the City of Greater
Geelong (around Geelong, Lara and on the Bellarine Peninsula), in Torquay / Jan Juc and in
Bannockburn. Of the 5,300 hectares of land referred to above around 5,000 hectares exists in
those locations. Further, assuming that detailed structure planning identifies that only about 70% of
the ‘possible’ residential growth areas of Armstrong Creek, west of Torquay and west of Clifton
Springs / Drysdale are available for residential use, that amount would be reduced to around 4,000
hectares.
Golden Plains
Bannockburn
488
G21 Region Plan
125
350
125
1259
475
3464
5335
47
In context of future greenfields land requirements around Geelong, Armstrong Creek is identified as
the next major development node for Geelong and is currently being structure planned. Unless
considerably high density development can be achieved in Armstrong Creek than has traditionally
occurred in greenfields areas, then that should only be sufficient to last for the next 15 years or so. In
a 50 year planning horizon, two or three areas equivalent in size to Armstrong Creek may be
required to accommodate anticipated population growth, or more depending on the degree of
urban consolidation that occurs and the density at which new development occurs.
Vacant residential and designated future residential land
There is an estimated total of 488 hectares of vacant residential zoned land in the region. This is a
relatively small supply of zoned land considering the rate of development occurring in the region.
There is only 65 hectares of vacant residential zoned land available around Geelong itself. The
remainder of the 123 hectares of vacant zoned land available within the City of Greater Geelong is
spread through out the Bellarine Peninsula (48 ha) and Lara (10ha). Clifton Springs / Drysdale and
Leopold, which are two of the three centres on the Peninsula identified for more substantial growth
(Ocean Grove is the other), have 17 hectares and 13 hectares respectively.
Torquay / Jan Juc, which is one of the fastest growing towns in the region, only has some 12
hectares of land presently zoned for future residential purposes. However the MSS identifies
substantial land (367ha) for rezoning to a Residential 1 Zone when the need arises. The MSS (and
also the Urban Development Program) also identifies the possibility of longer term development
extending to the west of Duffields Road towards Bellbrae. That precinct has a potential gross land
area of over 700 hectares.
In the Shire of Colac Otway, Colac is estimated to have a supply of some 249 hectares of vacant
zoned residential land. However much of that land is in fragmented ownership to the west and south
of the town, which is likely to constrain its development potential. Around 120 hectares of land is
identified to the south-west of Winchelsea for possible future development.
Bannockburn includes substantial areas of land that is vacant zoned land (Township Zone in the case
of Bannockburn) or are designated for possible future residential development (475 hectares in total).
A substantial area of land at Bannockburn is vacant and in a Township Zone. That provides
considerable development potential for this rapidly growing town in the municipality of Golden
Plains.
Apollo Bay has the greatest supply of the vacant residential zoned land of all coastal towns west of
Torquay / Jan Juc (32). Estimates for the other coastal towns of Anglesea, Aireys / Inlet and Lorne
are relatively low and even then may be misleading, given high level of development that exists within
these towns and their relatively limited opportunities for further development.
48
6
Economic growth and development
As a result, regions in the future must be able to leverage local competitive advantage in areas such
as:
tourism;
education;
6.1
Growing the regional economy
The G21 Region has been experiencing relatively high rate of population growth since 1996
following a long period of slow population growth. A key issue for the future of the Region is to
ensure that the economy grows sufficiently to provide employment opportunities that match the vision
for the Region as a desirable place to live work and invest.
A strong and vibrant economy and an ability to create new jobs is a vital requirement for a growing
region. People are likely to be attracted to an area because it offers opportunities for employment
and education. This has a large impact on some regions, as the opportunities are more limited than
in major employment centres (i.e. capital cities) and young people tend to migrate away and do not
return.
This can impact significantly on a region’s ability to compete. In the new economy, regions need to
be able to compete not only locally, but also with other regions, nationally and globally. The ability
of a regional economy to export (particularly knowledge-based services) is a key success factor.
As a result, regions need to be able to attract and retain knowledge and skill to supply labour
markets. This is particularly challenging in those communities that are experiencing rapid ageing, as
with G21 Region, as the supply for workers cannot meet demand.
Innovation and creativity is critical in any community, given the increasing trend towards a ‘new
service economy’, including the ‘intelligent and creative industries’. A region may be able to
maximise local capacities to generate greater ‘knowledge exports’.
‘Intelligent Industries’ comprise those businesses whose products rely upon the information, human
capital, ‘real time’ decision making, wealth directed to professional and support services, and
sustainability. ‘Creative Industries’ comprise those businesses whose products lie in individual
creativity, skill and talent. Creative industries have the potential to generate sustained wealth and job
creation through the generation, utilisation and commercialisation of intellectual property.
The emergence of creative industries is related to the rise of cultural industries, the significance of
knowledge to all aspects of economic production, distribution and consumption, and the growing
importance of the services sector. It is linked to the dynamics of the new 'service' economy, whose
form is increasingly informational, global and networked.
The creative industry sector produces $US 2.24 trillion worldwide and is growing rapidly. Australia
employs 190,000 people in creative industries, contributing $11 billion (2%) to GDP and in the UK
and USA creative industries make up to 8% of the economy. In future ‘Intelligent Industries’ there will
be a strong focus on the importance of information, human capital, ‘real time’ decision making and
more wealth directed to professional and support services. In ‘Creative Industries’ there is likely to be
significant growth in software & electronic gaming, multi-media, film & tv, performing arts & graphic
design and advertising & marketing.
‘intelligent’ industries;
‘creative’ industries; and
health industries.
production through improved logistics and distribution, creation of new export products/ packaging/
branding or movement into new national or international markets.
In the new economy there are further opportunities to target international settlers, travellers (i.e.
tourism), ‘lifestylers’ and remote and mobile workers.
Global pressure could also be accelerated given the advent of an increasing number of free trade
agreements throughout the world (i.e. USA and China, North American Free Trade Agreement).
Such agreements may either create new opportunities for Australia (if included in agreements), or
impact severely on the local economic future opportunities if we are excluded.
A report prepared for G21 by Deakin University11 indicates the G21 Region is going to be influenced
by free trade agreements as they will have a redistributive effect on the regional workforce. There will
be a tendency for the G21 Region to specialise in the production of goods that the Region has a
comparative advantage in.
The Deakin report indicates that the key industry strengths for the Region include agriculture,
education, health and other services and tourism. Industries where further investment could lead them
to be strengths include aquaculture, viticulture, advanced manufacturing, forestry and the aircraft
industry. Industry weaknesses that are likely to come under a lot of pressure include the TCF industry,
automotive industry and other basic manufacturing.
This will mean that it is likely some industries may be lost or scaled down with free trade. The
Region’s industry strengths are likely to prosper further and the Region’s weaknesses are likely to
struggle. Free trade will mean that increasing competitive forces is likely to force some businesses
and even industries out of the market. The economic perspective is that FTAs will redistribute
industries and the labour force. The Region will tend to focus more on its strengths and less on its
weaknesses.
The social perspective is that FTAs will create some unemployment, but this will be short term by
nature. This is because these workers will have to switch to an industry where the Region’s strengths
lie. Public policy issues will rise how to retrain and help these displaced workers find new jobs.
11
Andrew D. Carter, “The Implications of Free Trade Agreements in the G21 Region from a Triple Bottom Line
Perspective”, Deakin University, September 2005
49
The environmental perspective is quite favourable. It is interesting to note that the industries that tend
to be quite environmentally friendly are the industries that the Region has strengths in (i.e. services,
tourism, education and research).
The Deakin report anticipates that FTAs will be very favourable in the long-term for the G21 Region.
Benefits will include increased employment and higher wages that will lead to higher standards of
living and enhanced economic growth. The main challenge will be in the short-term as to how these
changes, such as structural unemployment are dealt with to help ensure the smoothest transition
possible.
The Local Context
As reported in the Stage 1 Report, Monash University Centre for Policy Studies forecasts for the G21
Region expect the Region’s economy to grow at a rate slightly below that of the nation as a whole. In
part this reflects the relatively high share of the G21 Region’s economic activity in the motor vehicle
sector. This sector is forecast to be relatively slow growing over the period 2006 - 2013. This exerts a
dampening effect on G21 Region’s relative economic growth prospects. This damping effect is
particularly pronounced in the first year of the simulation period.
For the 8 years of the forecast period, the G21 Region’s real GDP is forecast to grow at an annual
average rate of 3.01 per cent. This is 0.3 percent below the forecast annual average rate of growth
in national real GDP.
Employment and population in the Region are forecast to grow at annual average rates of 0.76 and
0.94 per cent respectively. These growth rates are, respectively, 0.07 and 0.02 percentage points
lower than the corresponding national rates. Key industry sectors such as education, finance and
communication services are not experiencing the same level of growth in employment as the national
average and the levels of educational qualification are below the Australian average levels and our
benchmark regions such as Newcastle, Wollongong and Sunshine Coast.
In order to ensure a competitive framework develops in the Region, a number of initiatives are
required to provide the Region with a basis for developing its comparative strengths and further
develop those characteristics required to develop a strong economy.
A report completed as part of the preparation of Melbourne 2030, Globalisation, Competitiveness
and Metropolitan Strategy12 highlighted some key strategic drivers of competitiveness for regions in
terms of urban settlement. These include:
Leading management of 'structural transportation infrastructure', especially airports and the urban
arterial road system. E.g. minimising costs and promoting efficiency in transport movement
through planning for the location and construction of arterial roads to avoid costly and politically
risky retrofitting of such infrastructure. Initiatives such as the designation of the route for the
western by-pass and a future alignment of the southern by-pass would fit within this approach.
Well organised urban regions / settlement patterns for production logistics. Planning the future
direction and form of the G21 Region at this relatively early stage will ensure that the Region has
a well structured settlement pattern to ensure the production. A region which has effective growth
management processes is also going to be well placed to achieve these outcomes.
High incidence of scientific and other 'symbolic analyst' skills in the community, and access to a
high quality education system. These skill stocks tend to be developed from an existing base of
wealth creation capacity. Past prosperity in advanced regions enabled investment in the
education, training and research institutions required to generate a consistent flow of premium
skills. Early attention to developing capacity in research institutions through networking and
clustering is a key requirement.
A pervasive R&D / innovation culture and a propensity towards risk taking entrepreneurship.
Although such drivers are often characterised as 'personality traits' of certain nations/ regions
(most notably the US), they are more likely to be a reflection of historically created wealth. The
greater the unencumbered asset base of a household, firm or region, the greater the capacity to
absorb exogenous economic shocks, to take risks and pursue alternative income generating
opportunities. Developing this culture is a long term prospect which requires significant attention.
The Geelong Technology Precinct approach, although small and contained within the Deakin
University structure, is one initiative which will contribute significantly to this.
A tolerant culture open to new ideas. This was raised as an important issue in the consultation
and has been undertaken for the G21 Region Plan to date. This takes a long time to build (e.g.
Australia's 40 year program of multiculturalism - still an unfinished business) and can be fragile
given the added pressure which globalisation places on marginal groups in the workforce and
international events e.g. recent terrorist activities. The G21 Region, although not as ethnically
diverse as Melbourne, is showing evidence of embracing its diversity, with community leaders
emerging from the diverse ethnic communities in the Region and a range of events that promote
understanding and tolerance. There are still concerns within groups in the Region that new ideas
and development projects are too readily met with a negative response in the community.
Liveable cities. While there are well documented cases of cities that have achieved an apparent
elevation in liveability through a concerted program of investment (e.g. Barcelona, Glasgow),
these transformations often relate to down town areas or other precincts of civic significance.
Transformations of 'quality of life' for the great mass of residents - including quality affordable
housing, access to a wide pool of jobs through an efficient transportation system, the opportunity
to resort to areas of environmental and cultural significance for rest and recreation, access to wide
range of lifestyle opportunities and so on, generally require a much longer time frame.
In terms of a land use strategy for the G21 Region, there are two key policy areas that can assist in
providing a foundation for facilitating economic growth in the Region. These policy areas relate to
the location of business activity in the G21 Region – the Geelong Central Activities Area, other
activity centres in the Region, and the industrial areas of the Region. These policy areas are
discussed below in terms of Activity Centres and Industrial Land for the G21 Region.
12
Spiller Gibbins Swan, Globalisation, Competitiveness and Metropolitan Strategy, Victorian Department of
Infrastructure, May 2000
50
6.2
Activity centres
Geelong’s Central Activity Area (CAA) dominates the Region with a few other centres close to the
central city. The centre provides the focus for higher order government services, including local state
and federal government, as well as a range of services delivered by the government, community and
business sectors. It is also the centre for the major health, education and entertainment facilities in
the Region.
Activity centres in Geelong have enormous variations in their aesthetic qualities and accessibility by
motor vehicles and pedestrians. While some have a distinctive sense of place and are attractive,
comfortable and safe, others are less welcoming. Activity centre growth in some established and
newer areas has tended to spread outwards rather than grow in a compact area. Housing density
within, or close to, activity centres also varies. There has been little development of higher density
housing in, or close to, activity centres with the exception of the Geelong CAA.
A robust network of centres provides the structure for a sustainable pattern of urban development by:
facilitating the provision of an efficient and effective public transport system; and
providing a focus for government investment in centres-based infrastructure and services.
The clustering of a range of services and facilities at strategic locations throughout the urban area,
which are accessible both by private and public transport, assists in achieving improved access to
employment and training opportunities inlcuding:
improved access to retail shopping facilities;
access to a greater range of services, including both government (e.g. Employment services,
family services, child health) and commercial services (e.g. financial - insurance, banking,
financial planning), particularly for those without cars; and
The activity centres policy enunciated in Melbourne 2030 focuses on the centres as locations for new
development to support the overall policy of Melbourne 2030 to encourage more compact urban
growth. Melbourne 2030 seeks to locate housing and employment in selected parts of established
areas to encourage more effective use of infrastructure for human services, public transport, water,
power and communications.
Existing activity centres (with their substantial local community and business investment) will be the
focus of much new development and will facilitate the growth and development of small to medium
enterprises (SMEs) in a range of business services and associated employment opportunities. SMEs
are the business sector where much of the employment growth will occur into the future.
Melbourne’s Central Activities District is metropolitan Melbourne’s largest centre of activity with the
greatest variety of uses and functions and the most intense concentration of development. It provides
services and functions such as commercial, retail, housing, highly specialised personal services,
education, government and tourism.
Under Melbourne 2030, the Central Activities District will continue to be the preferred location for
activities that have State or national significance, and for activities that are major trip generators.
These activities draw users from around the metropolitan area and beyond and benefit from being at
the centre of the Principal Public Transport Network.
A network of Principal, Major and Neighbourhood Activity Centres has been identified in Melbourne
2030. Most Principal, Major and Neighbourhood Activity Centres will be mixed-use, including retail,
commercial, entertainment, education, health and community services. Principal and Major Activity
Centres will demonstrate a range of housing forms and densities and high-quality urban design.
Public transport links between centres will be improved to provide a range of choices for shopping
and other services.
The Government is also working with each of the local councils responsible for Principal Activity
Centres to develop strategic plans for each of these centres and identify potential improvements to
public transport and areas for redevelopment.
Collectively these features encourage commercial confidence and facilitate complementary private
sector investment in centre-based activities.
Focusing a substantial proportion of this development at activity centres that have good access to the
Principal Public Transport Network will help to reduce car trips and decrease the share of trips that
need to be made by car. It will make the most of access to existing facilities and services, ensure that
centres remain viable and vibrant, and reduce development pressures on other existing urban areas.
Good urban design in these locations will encourage sustainability, a sense of place and cultural
identity.
Melbourne 2030 has established a policy framework for centre development that specifically
addresses the role of Geelong, but also identifies a policy framework which could be considered for
regional locations.
The Government has also announced nine centres, including Geelong and three other nonmetropolitan centres, as locations for major redevelopments under the Transit Cities program and
has allocated $10 million over four years to facilitate development.
Specifically, Melbourne 2030 refers to a direction to network metropolitan growth with key Victorian
regional cities. The policy direction - Policy 3.1– promotes the growth of regional cities and key
towns on regional transport corridors as part of a networked cities model. The major focus of this
policy is to support growth of the major regional centres close to metropolitan Melbourne (Geelong,
Ballarat, Bendigo and the towns of the Latrobe Valley).
Transit Cities
maximising opportunities for viable public transport and reducing the need to use private motor
vehicles.
The Transit Cities Program has been developed as an implementation mechanism for the overriding
Melbourne 2030 Strategy.
51
Transit cities are based on the principles of Transit Orientated Development. This is a form of urban
development that clusters a greater mixture of land uses around a high quality transport service. The
transport node, either train, light rail or bus terminus is designed to be the focus for the development
and ideally becomes the community 'heart'. It is where people shop, work, meet, relax and live.
The Transit Cities project is the responsibility of the Department of Sustainability and Environment and
is implemented by the Department in partnership with Councils, government authorities, developers
and the community.
The Geelong CAA is the focus of the initiatives to promote the Transit Cities concept in the G21
Region. The Western Wedge Project, between Latrobe Terrace, Corio Bay and the Central Activity
Area is an area rich in facilities and resources and significant potential for development. It includes:
Geelong Station, Law Courts and Police Station, Gordon Institute of TAFE, Deakin University
Waterfront Campus. The vision for the Western Wedge is for an exciting inner city quarter linking the
commercial heart, waterfront and transport hub, including a ‘clever quarter’ that extends and
connects educational, cultural and business assets as a focus for design and technology and place to
meet and do business with a lively urban environment with uses spilling onto a network of attractive
walkways, creating public spaces for mingling, meeting and creative expression.
Transit-Centred & Urban Lifestyle Development
Promote higher-density, mixed use development around public transport and urban lifestyle
amenities; and
Create an urban lifestyle hub.
One of the elements of Transit Orientated Development is that it is well serviced by public transport,
with development shaped around a transit-hub. By encouraging development around public
transport, Transit Cities is aimed to deliver these objectives in order to achieve better social,
economic and environmental outcomes to the whole community.
There are many benefits to come out of the Transit Cities approach including:
Employment: with the majority of local jobs to be held by local residents.
Retail: the majority of the local residents shopping needs are catered for.
Housing: a range of housing options to be available, concentrating higher density closer to the
centre.
Transport: the highly patronised public transport services are frequent, safe and well integrated
between the different modes.
An important component of the vision for the Western Wedge is to improve access from surrounding
areas to the Geelong Rail Station, with adjacent intensive activities complementing its high
accessibility.
Social Capital: Information interaction between neighbours is common, and the community has
General Principles of Transit Cities and the Urban Renewal of Centres
Community Facilities: Health centres, childcare, education facilities and community halls are in a
Promote a positive centre image;
an identifiable 'sense of place' or community heart.
central location, and accessibly by public transport or walking.
Recreation and Leisure: Residents have access to a range of recreation activities, encouraging
Protect and enhance local character;
interaction between local residents.
Introduce a diversity of housing;
Future Policy Direction
Ensure an active public realm; and
Create pedestrian-friendly streets and spaces.
Movement Network
Create permeable street networks and legible built environments;
The performance of the network of activity centres can obviously be improved by improving its
individual components. The better performing centres can be used as a benchmark for other centres,
although there are no centres in the G21 Region which could be described as coming close to the
more accessible activity centres in Melbourne in terms of public transport services.
The task is to identify the elements that contribute to a centre’s higher level of sustainability and
replicate them. These key elements include:
Provide cycling facilities;
Bring traffic in, carefully; and
Encourage travel behaviour change.
a mixture of jobs and services to encourage multi-purpose trips and reduce the time and energy
used in travel;
High Quality Public Transport & Facilities
availability of public transport services;
Provide effective and inviting public transport services;
provision of integrated transit services and intermodal interchange facilities for centres with high
trip generation (These are well-serviced transport hubs where, for example, train, and bus services
offer passengers easy and quick access and facilities to switch from one service to another - in the
G21 context, the only centre which would currently fit this description is the Geelong Central
Activity Area.);
Provide direct and inviting links to public transport nodes;
Enhance connectivity between different travel modes; and
Give public transport a high public profile.
a compact and integrated urban form within a centre;
higher density housing within walking distance of a centre;
52
an attractive and functional physical design contributing to a sense of vitality and a sense of place;
and
pleasant and safe walkways and public spaces encouraging pedestrian movement and social
interaction.
A key component of the activity centres hierarchy will be to ensure a role and focus for key
administrative and service centres around the Region such as Colac, Bannockburn, Torquay and
Queenscliffe. It will also be vital to identify and facilitate the continuing growth of the Geelong CAA
as the highest order centre, providing the higher order functions within the Region including the most
intense concentration of development. It should provide services and functions such as commercial,
retail, housing, highly specialised personal services, education, government and tourism.
A vital and attractive CAA and a supporting network of activity centres will promote the opportunities
for investment by SMEs in the Region and continuing growth in employment, by providing a highly
accessible and competitive location for new businesses.
6.3
Industrial 1 Zone
Total
Net Takeup
Vacant
993
2
166
Industrial 2 Zone
Total
1,613
Industrial 3 Zone
Net Take-up
Vacant
Total
Net Takeup
3
699
22
0
Vacant
9
Source: Department of Sustainability and Environment, UDP 2004.
The majority of industrial land in the G21 Region is zoned Industrial 2 - 61% of all land stocks or
approximately 1,600 ha. Industrial 1 zoned land comprises 38% of all industrial zoned land or 993
ha. There is a relatively small amount – approximately 22 ha – of Industrial 3 zoned land.
In total, the G21 Region is estimated to have 874 ha of vacant zoned industrial land.
The vacancy rate for Industrial 1 zoned land is estimated at 17%, 43% for Industrial 2 zoned land
and 42% for Industrial 3 zoned land.
The CAA will continue to be the preferred location for activities that have regional or State
significance, and for activities that have a significant impact as trip generators, drawing users from
around the Region and beyond.
In total, it is estimated that there are 495 vacant zoned industrial allotments, equating to an 18%
vacancy rate.
Industrial land
Figure 2 summarises the vacancy rate of industrial allotments by lot size cohort. The industrial
allotment vacancy rate for the G21 Region's most dominant land size parcels in terms of volume (0 to
0.1 ha) was 22%, compared to the metropolitan average of 10%. Table 11 summarises the number
of vacant allotments by lot size cohort in the G21 Region.
The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) prepares an annual Urban Development
Program (UDP) which identifies the supply and take-up of residential and industrial land. The most
recently available UDP is that prepared in 2004 and covers the calendar year 2003. The UDP
reviews only industrial land in the City of Greater Geelong. Greater Geelong is the location for most
of the industrial zoned land in the G21 Region. The only other areas in the Region with any
significant supply are Colac-Otway and Surf Coast Shire. The industrial zoned land in Colac Otway
is located on the eastern side of Colac and is primarily utilised for the timber industry and industries
providing services to the timber industry and the local economy.
Figure 2.
Distribution of occupied and vacant lots by lot area – G21 Region, 2004.
The industrial land supply in Surf Coast Shire is limited to land in Baines Crescent in Torquay, and a
site of approximately 20 hectares in Torquay North on Surf Coast Highway north of Coombes Road
which was recently rezoned. The land in Baines Crescent has only a small area currently vacant.
Development plans have recently been submitted to Council for the site in Torquay north and once
approved the owners can then submit a subdivision application.
Winchelsea has some 23 hectares of industrial zoned land, the majority of which is located at the
western end of the township and includes the Winchelsea industrial park. The Winchelsea Structure
Plan 2021recommends that Council rezone additional land adjoining the industrial park and fronting
the highway.
Source: Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2004.
Existing industrial land stocks
In total, the stock of industrial land is estimated at approximately 2,630 ha, representing 11% of total
industrial land across the metropolitan Melbourne and G21 regions. Of this stock, 874 ha is
currently vacant, equating to an industrial land vacancy rate of 33%.
Table 10. Greater Geelong Industrial Land Supply 2004 (Ha)
53
Figure 3.
However, the analysis in the Urban Development Program needs to be considered in the context of
more detailed studies undertaken of the industrial land supply and demand in Geelong by MacroPlan
and Hansen Partnership in 2000-01 for large industrial sites over 5 hectares and a subsequent study
in 2002 undertaken by MacroPlan for industrial land under 5 ha.
Vacancy rate by lot size cohort, industrial land – G21 Region, 2004.
These studies indicated that at the time of the studies:
Total supply of industrial land / lots in Geelong - 2,923 hectares of industrial land in Geelong
(including both developed and vacant land). That land is contained within some 2,451 individual
lots.
The number of large industrial lots in Geelong – 95 lots. A few of those larger lots are located in
older industrial areas such as Corio and Newtown/South Geelong, but a higher proportion are
located in newer and fringe areas such as Heales Road (388 ha), Avalon (749 ha), Point
Henry/Moolap (207 ha) and Marshall (6 ha).
Source: Ibid
Table 11. Number of vacant industrial lots, by lot size cohort within the Greater Geelong, 2004.
Region
0 to 0.1 ha
0.1 to 0.5 ha
0.5 to 1 ha
1 to 5 ha
5+ ha
Total (ha)
318
94
17
43
23
495
Greater
Geelong
Source: Ibid
Land consumption – recent activity
From 2000 to 2004, the UDP indicates that the average annual net take-up or consumption of
industrial land was 1.7 ha, representing 0.6% of industrial land consumption across the metropolitan
Melbourne and G21 regions.
Table 12. Average annual net take-up of industrial land by zone category, Greater Geelong (ha),
2000 to 2004.
Region
Greater Geelong
Industrial 1 Zone
Industrial 2 Zone
Industrial 3 Zone
0.7
1.0
-0.1
Source: Department of Sustainability and Environment, UDP 2004.
Adequacy of industrial land supply
The UDP indicates that there is an estimated 874 ha of vacant industrial land in the G21 Region,
representing a 33% vacancy rate for industrial land stocks. This is greater than the average for the
metropolitan Melbourne and G21 regions which are estimated at 24%.
Based on existing consumption/demand trends, DSE has estimated that the current stock of vacant
industrial land will suffice for demand for more than 25 years.
The existing rate of vacant land, in terms of both lot size distribution and zoning relative to the
metropolitan Melbourne and G21 regions' average, is sufficient in the context of existing demand
patterns. Specifically, there are no identified shortfalls of land by zone class or lot size. For large
industrial zoned sites, there are 23 allotments that are greater than 5 ha in size, with three greater
than 40 ha.
54
Number and area of large lots that are vacant – There are 44 vacant lots of the total 95 large
industrial lots that exist in Geelong. Those 44 lots comprise around 1054 hectares of land.
Area of large industrial lots in Geelong – around 1,982 hectares (or 68%) is contained in larger
lots of 5 hectares or more.
However a considerable proportion of that land is held in the ownership of large industries or
other institutions as a buffer to existing industrial uses, or for its own use in the future. This
significantly reduces the availability of vacant large lots to other industries generally as outlined
below:
•
In the Corio Industrial Area, Shell and Geelong Grammar own 7 large vacant lots
totalling 116ha;
•
At Avalon, Orica owns some 512 hectares of vacant industrial zoned land;
•
At Point Henry Alcoa owns around 8 large vacant lots and other land is affect by
environmental constraints – around 94 hectares combined.
If those areas are not available for use by other industries it reduces the supply of large vacant lots
to around 332 hectares.
In terms of lots less than 5 hectares, total unoccupied lots amounted to 197 in 2002 and total area
available 90.92 hectares. Lots less than 0.1 ha in area accounted for approximately 41% of total
lots. North Shore (88 lots, 27.6 ha) has the most industrial land and industrial lots.
Breakwater (2 lots, 1.35 ha), Belmont (3 lots, 0.24 ha) and Fyansford (3 lots, 6 ha) have the least
number of lots and industrial land available.
North Shore has the largest provision of lots less than 0.1 hectares (3.22 ha, 67 lots) in proportion to
total hectares and total lots but relatively little market interest due in part to the poor standard of the
estate.
Moolap has a high proportion of the available vacant land (25.13 ha) but also suffers from the
standard of development and lack of interest. Most demand for industrial land appears to be in
North Geelong where supply (5.64ha) is relatively small.
These studies revealed that there was a growing shortage of supply of industrial lots in the both the
range 1,000m2 to 4,000m2 – this lot size range was also where real estate agents were indicating
there was most demand.
Industrial Land Demand
Population growth throughout the Region will necessitate further consideration as to the requirements
for additional industrial land to service growth and provide for new business and investment
opportunities. Industrial land may be required to service some of the rural townships and coastal
settlements as these areas grow. However, the extent of this requirement is likely to be relatively small
and will best be met through detailed local assessment.
The main centres of population growth e.g. the Geelong urban area will require a more strategic
assessment as part of the development of the G21 Geelong Region Plan. There has been an
increasing level of anecdotal evidence of a growing shortage of available land for small-medium size
lots in and around Geelong – North and South Geelong/Newtown in particular. Recent investors’
interest has centred on sites ranging up from 1,000m2 – 2-3 ha.
During the course of this study, Council officers from Geelong, Golden Plains and the Department of
Innovation Industry and Regional Development have indicated that there is a shortage of industrial
land of less than 5 hectares to meet investor interest/ demand.
The earlier studies indicated that the preferred locations for investment are the inner suburbs of North
Geelong and Newtown/South Geelong particularly for the smaller operators. The South Geelong/
Breakwater area is seen as having poor access, with limitations on heavy vehicle access, particularly
the Barwon River crossing on Breakwater Road, which discourages larger operators from choosing
this location. North Geelong is seen as having good access for heavy vehicles, although there are
some limitations due to the rail crossings of the main roads through this area. The Moolap and
North Shore Industrial areas are referred to as budget industrial areas with low standards of
development.
Indications from the State Government and Council officers is that there has been an emerging level
of interest in sites along the planned Geelong western by-pass for transport and distribution related
industries following the announcement that the by-pass is to be constructed in the immediate future.
Enquiries to the State Government and the City of Greater Geelong about the availability of land for
industry also provide an indication of the range of potential industries that would take up the current
supply of existing zoned industrial land. There has been a high level of interest from the transport
and storage sector over recent years but this has not yet translated into any significant take up land
for these purposes. There have also been enquiries for sites for food processing, textiles and timber
processing.
The studies undertaken by MacroPlan and Hansen Partnership also revealed a significant gap in the
supply of industrial land in Geelong - in the provision of a high amenity business/ industrial park to
meet the growing industry requirement for attractive and aesthetically pleasing locations that are
“client friendly”.
One of the key competitive advantages that Geelong has had to offer in attracting new industry and
employment in its largest industry sector – manufacturing – has been the availability of land with one
kilometre buffers from sensitive uses. The requirement for these buffers is not necessarily related to
emissions such as dust or chemicals that require such buffers for dispersal. Issues such as noise and
non-toxic odour are also present in a number of manufacturing and processing industries that are
otherwise inoffensive industries with significant employment opportunities. Only two sites within the
Heales Road Industrial area with a total area of only 17 hectares have been identified as readily
available for industries requiring a 1 kilometre buffer.
Continuing enquiries are received by the City of Greater Geelong from a range of industry sectors
seeking parcels of land ranging up to 50 hectares. These enquiries represent a significant level of
interest in establishing new industries in Geelong. Some of these uses require significant buffer
distances. If one of these enquiries is converted to an investment, the only land available for similar
industries in the future will be that held by private owners for their own purposes at locations adjacent
to Avalon Airport and Point Henry.
The locational requirements of industry will have an important bearing on the future demand for
industrial land. Locational determinants of future demand for industry in the G21 Region include:
The existing industry base and growth prospects for these industries;
Land availability and price;
Infrastructure availability and price;
Proximity to production inputs/ supplies;
Proximity to markets;
Business environment, including national economic conditions;
G21 Region population growth and local economic development; and
Other factors such as amenity, residential, educational and recreational environment.
The main source of competitive supply of industrial land to that available in Geelong is western
Melbourne. The price of land in western Melbourne is significantly higher than in Geelong. CB
Richard Ellis13 has reported that 2,500m2 sites in Western Melbourne are selling for around $193 per
m2 ($482,500 for a 2,500 lot). These are fully serviced sites and usually include landscaping
features that provide an attractive environment. There is a significant supply of industrial land in the
west of Melbourne which is recording high levels of activity.
In terms of metropolitan Melbourne industrial land activity, the west has a supply of around 1,300
hectares of vacant industrial zoned which is being developed at around 125 hectares per year and
this is forecast to continue over the next 4-5 years14. Western Melbourne continues to represent a
relatively low cost option, with land values and rentals continuing to be the lowest in the Metropolitan
Region, although the Region is only slightly lower than industrial property in northern Melbourne.
13
CB Richard Ellis, Market View – Melbourne Industrial, Second Quarter 2005
14
Ibid.
55
In the current economic climate it is unlikely that the G21 Region will provide a competitive
alternative to western Melbourne, notwithstanding the price advantage that applies.
Council’s Framework Plan identifies land in the area as possessing mineral resources and the
extractive industrial nature of land uses might provide an opportunity for development of industrial
activities in the vicinity. The area comprises generally flat land on the valley floor between the
Moorabool and Barwon Rivers. It is overlooked from surrounding elevated areas such as the Ceres
hills to the south, Highton and Wandana Heights on the escarpment to the east, and from the
Hamilton Highway to the north.
Future Land Supply Opportunities
Key considerations for future industrial land will be the opportunity to supply industrial land in
locations to meet the requirements of the industrial land market in the Region. The current
indications are that that there is a short term need to address the opportunity to attract new
investment in transport and storage industries serving the G21 Region through identifying suitable
sites along the western by-pass.
The landscape is heavily modified by the existence of large quarry and extractive industrial
operations, especially in the eastern parts of the area along the Hamilton Highway. The western
parts of the area have a more open rural / grazing character, although much of that land is zoned
for future extractive operations.
There also appears to be a short term requirement for development of a high amenity business/
industrial park industrial estate to meet an existing gap in the market.
Further to the west and north of this area at Gheringhap in Golden Plains Shire, is land in proximity
to the national standard gauge rail that could be considered for industrial purposes.
For the longer term, there will be a need to identify potential locations for industrial land to meet the
future requirements of the new communities. These locations will need to be in proximity to the future
residential growth areas and meet the objectives of accessibility to labour and major transport routes
to enable efficient movement of products and materials as well as the opportunity to provide public
transport to these new industrial areas.
The Hamilton Highway traverses this locality and provides good access to the western districts of
Victoria. Road access into Geelong is somewhat constrained due to the steep grade up the
escarpment into Geelong.
Access to the Princes Freeway and Melbourne or Colac will be enhanced once the Geelong By-pass
is extended to the Hamilton Highway.
The current planning for the Armstrong’s Creek – Mt Duneed growth area should address the
opportunity for a new industrial area to service this area. In planning for industrial areas, it is
important that this planning provide for an allocation of land for the long term. Industrial areas
require a critical mass to enable long term certainty of investment and a mix of businesses that will
provide the opportunities for a competitive land market and establishment of competitive and
complementary businesses within industrial areas.
Moolap / Point Henry industrial area
This locality is located close to the foreshore of Corio Bay and is generally flat. The undeveloped
parts of the area to the east of existing industrial zoned land along Point Henry Road generally have
an open rural character.
Other opportunities for industrial land that have emerged from current consideration of demand for
industrial areas are set out below:
Portarlington Road provides good access to the area from Geelong, but otherwise accessibility to the
area for major industry is restricted. Access to the Princes Freeway corridor requires vehicles to travel
long distances through the Geelong urban area and around or through the town centre.
Avalon
An eastern bypass of Geelong via a bridge over Corio Bay has been mooted for many years. Such a
bridge would link the Princes Freeway near Avalon to Point Henry and significantly improve access to
this area from the Freeway. Alternatively, extension of the western by-pass around the south of
Geelong to Portarlington road would connect the area to the Princes Freeway link to Melbourne. To
date no commitment has been made to either of these transport options.
Two precincts in the vicinity of Avalon Airport have been identified in a previous study by MacroPlan
and Hansen Partnership as suitable for large industries requiring a minimum of 1 kilometre buffer.
One of these sites has a total area of approximately 800 to 850 hectares.
The second area is located to the south-east of the airfield. It essentially involves land owned by
Orica that is presently vacant but zoned for industrial purposes. It has a total area of around 350
hectares. Both sites require further detailed investigation to determine suitability/ availability.
The area has a strong industrial presence and adjoining industrial zoned land to the west appears to
have potential for a higher degree of utilisation than presently occurs.
West of Fyansford
There is a significant area of land west of the Geelong urban area in proximity to the future
alignment of the Geelong western by-pass which will have potential opportunities for urban
development to cater to the long term future growth of the Region and the demand for industrial
land. This locality includes land within a Special Use Zone (for extractive industry), with remaining
areas being within a Rural Zone. Small areas of land zoned industrial and rural living exist around
the township of Fyansford.
56
6.4
Economic assets
Major Highways
The Princes Highway East and Princes Freeway provides a high standard connection for the Region to
Melbourne and beyond. The Princes Freeway, between Geelong and Melbourne, has recently
received a significant investment to address safety issues.
Port of Geelong
Congestion on the freeway network within Melbourne – for example, the West Gate Freeway is a
major concern for the Region. This connection is vital to Geelong not only for commuters working in
Melbourne, but for efficiency of freight travel through Melbourne to its south-eastern suburbs and the
Latrobe Valley, as well as to the Port of Melbourne. Deteriorating traffic conditions on the Western
Ring Road (a bypass of Melbourne) also affect access to the Hume Highway for commercial vehicles
from Geelong.
The Port of Geelong is a significant asset to the Region. It is connected to the interstate standard
gauge network and the broad gauge network. The Port is one of Victoria’s four key deepwater ports
that provides for international trade. However, it is constrained with incompatible land uses within
proximity to its access routes and the Port itself - which may be limiting its effectiveness and potential
for growth. The separation of the incompatible activities has been a long-standing issue within
Geelong. The Port is a key part of the infrastructure facilitating current economic growth and
investment in the Region
A key issue for the growth management framework will be to prioritise the improvements to the road/
freeway network to minimise congestion on these vital links to economic centres in Melbourne.
The Geelong Bypass (West Connect) is being constructed to provide an alternative route for traffic
around Geelong and provides economic and urban development opportunities along the route.
The Department of Infrastructure is currently finalising a Strategic Plan which will address the future
needs and opportunities of the Port. This strategic plan will form an important contribution to the
infrastructure management priorities for the G21 Geelong Region Plan.
Rail Connections
The major facilities at the Port are located around the shore of Corio Bay, from Point Wilson in the
north to Point Henry to the east. There are 14 berths available including specialist and general cargo
berths. The refinery and tanker berths are located on the northern side of the port and the smelter
berth is located near Port Henry in the south. There is a range of general purpose berths and wharfs
and associated storage and processing facilities located between the refinery and smelter.
The State is also investing in the passenger rail connection from Geelong to Melbourne as part of the
Regional Fast Rail project. The new Geelong service will result in increased frequency of service and
some improvement in travel times, on selected services, when the project is completed. The project
will also deliver other benefits such as higher quality trains, and in a separate project, the State has
also extended commuter services to a new station - Marshall.
Improvements to the to Geelong-Melbourne rail services, both in terms of number and speed of
services, are faced with limitations due to congestion on the rail lines into the Melbourne CBD from
the west. This affects suburban and regional rail services and limits the prospects of using public
transport as a means of alleviating congestion on the freeways for freight movement.
Consideration will need to be given to identifying mechanisms to ensure that improvements to the rail
network are prioritised by the Victorian government to improve the overall reliability of the passenger
rail service.
Air
Avalon airport connects the G21 Region to interstate regions – it provides freight and passenger
services. The airport infrastructure is suitable for international flights – however, suitable passenger,
customs and immigration facilities would need to be provided. The City of Greater Geelong
recognises the airport’s strategic value and has implemented planning controls to protect the airport
from incompatible uses. At present the airport can be reached by private car, taxi and bus from
Geelong, along the Princes Freeway East. The proximity of the airport is a unique asset for the G21
Region – no other regional city within Victoria has such a significant freight and passenger hub.
Further opportunities may emerge for new investment in tourism related activities flowing from the
growth of Avalon Airport as a major air passenger service.
6.5
Sustainability principles
The primary objective for economic growth and development for the G21 Region is promoting and
facilitating economic growth and development in the G21 Region to achieve higher value outputs
and higher overall incomes for the community. Sustainability principles relevant to this objective also
include achieving social and environmental outcomes. Potential principles are set out below.
From environmental sustainability perspective, establish a network of activity/ business centres which
minimise overall transport requirements by achieving more multi-purpose trips to a single destination.
The outcome is to reduce the use/ dependence on fossil fuels and thereby reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. They are centres that are efficient in terms of land use and infrastructure provision. They
are centres that achieve energy efficient building design and layout, and protect the integrity of the
natural environment.
From a social sustainability perspective, the desired outcome is a network of centres which have a
high degree of attractiveness and liveability in terms of safety, convenience, comfort and aesthetics.
They provide:
a lively community focus with increased opportunities for social interaction and access for users of
centres to a wide range of facilities and services;
increased opportunities to work and obtain services nearer to where people live; and
equitable access to meet the needs of those groups such as the young, elderly, disabled and low
income earners normally disadvantaged by the lack of access to private transport.
From an economic sustainability perspective, the desired outcome is a network of centres which will:
attract investment in new higher order services and businesses which will enhance the reputation
of the Region as a preferred location for new business investment;
57
ensure appropriately planned and located centres that minimise the potential costs of new
business establishment within the Region; and
facilitate ongoing viability for businesses and a competitive environment for the establishment of
new business services and industry.
Industry and warehousing are uses that are inherently unsuited to location in mixed use activity
centres. Sustainability outcomes could be focused on:
increasing the opportunities for investment in industries such as advanced manufacturing,
transport and distribution services which support the economic growth objectives of the Region;
ensuring an adequate supply of appropriately located and zoned land for industrial development
in the Region;
achieving choices of travel mode for workers in industrial areas including public transport and
cycling/ walking; and
keeping industrial estates compact and designing pedestrian and bus- friendly internal layouts
(e.g. contiguous street networks; footpaths; lighting).
58
7
Transport
Consultation about transportation identified existing issues as well as aspirations. Much of the
information presented within this section is sourced from the considerable analysis undertaken within
the G21 Region for various land use and transport studies, which include:
7.1
Travel data
Recent Journey to Work data, for the City of Greater Geelong, shows changes between the 1996
and 2001 Census. For example, the data suggests that a higher proportion of the resident workforce
was working with Geelong in 2001 than in 1996.
Table 13. Proportion of trips within COGG
Great Ocean Road Region study;
1996
Geelong Transport Strategy; and
18
Proportion of JTW trips within COGG
78%
2001
81%
Geelong Bypass EES.
This is complemented with consultation activities, some data analysis and observation. Further
information has been requested from the G21 Integrated Public Transport Strategy for use within the
next stage of this study.
COGG = SLA’s of Bellarine Inner, South Barwon Inner, Geelong, Geelong West, Newtown, Corio –
Inner and Greater Geelong (part B).
When considering existing plans and proposals, it is important to understand the demand scenarios
used during their preparation.
The Geelong Transport Strategy set a bus use target of 40 rides per person, per year, by 2011 for
Geelong, up from the present use of about 23 rides per person. This was broadly set as a target of
“doubling use” of buses within ten years. However, it is also significantly less than many other cities.
The biggest transportation project within the Region is the construction of the Geelong Bypass. The
demand analysis behind the bypass was based upon population projections for 2031 that are slightly
lower than the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s (DSE) regional population
projections15.
Table 14. Bus rides per capita19
Approximate urban population
(various sources and dates)
Bus trips per resident per year
Ballarat
87,000
20.1
Bendigo
86,000
15.5
Canberra
300,000
89
The DSE population projection (Victoria in Future) is the most conservative of those being considered
for the G21 Region Plan (Scenario 1), with Scenarios 2 and 3 having average, absolute, growth rates
two to three times the base scenario.
Geelong
200,000
23
Melbourne
3,500,000
93.1
Newcastle
140,000
48.3
The Great Ocean Region Integrated Access Study17 assessed the capacity and demands on existing
infrastructure, based upon past traffic trends and projections, and also undertook a survey within a
holiday period to determine the routes used by visitors. Those results are considered later within this
section.
Schaffhausen
(Switzerland)
44,000
257
Wellington
(New Zealand)
Wollongong
320,000
80
180,000
47.0
Similarly, the Geelong Transport Strategy was based upon an earlier version of the same DSE
projection, with the then estimated population of 211,000 by 2021.16
Much higher growth than that considered within the completed studies will have significant
transportation infrastructure and service implications.
City
When considering the G21 Region as a whole, the mode share for the journey to work is shown in
the following table.
15
Veitch Lister Consulting (2005) Final Report, Geelong Bypass, Traffic and Economic Assessments
(Contract No. 5901), Table 4.1, August 2005.
18
16
City of Greater Geelong (2003) Geelong Transport Strategy, p17, December 2003.
17
Arup (2002) Great Ocean Road Region Integrated Access Study, for Department of Infrastructure, November
2002.
G21 Region Plan
City of Greater Geelong (2003) Geelong Transport Strategy, p17, December 2003.
19
Compiled from Geelong (2003), as well as the PTUA “Submission in response to the Draft Geelong
Transport Strategy”, undated, and some additional population data from various sources. Calculations of bus
patronage and population, and the period they apply to, may influence the results.
59
Table 15. Mode Share for Journey to Work (2001)
Colac-Otway
Greater
Geelong
Golden Plains
Surf Coast
Queenscliffe
Public transport
0%
3%
1%
1%
1%
Both PT & private vehicle
0%
1%
1%
1%
2%
Walk/cycle
10%
4%
2%
4%
9%
Private (driver or passenger)
64%
75%
73%
70%
61%
Other
1%
1%
1%
1%
2%
Work from home/did not
work
25%
16%
22%
24%
25%
Total
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
The relatively high percentage for walking or cycling to work in Colac-Otway may reflect the compact
nature and employment self-containment for rural communities and towns like Colac. The rural
shires also had high proportions of “work from home” and “did not work” that may be attributed to
self employment, farm based employment as well as unemployment.
There is limited public information available about regional travel patterns. The Great Ocean Road
Region (GORR) Integrated Access Study (Arup, 2002) found the following in a survey of visitors
leaving the Region on Easter Monday, 2002:
89% of visitors to Torquay use the Surf Coast Highway;
87% of visitors to Anglesea use the Anglesea Road, and 10% the Surf Coast Highway;
61% of visitors to Aireys Inlet use the Anglesea Road, and 28% use the Surf Coast Highway; and
59% of visitors to Lorne use Anglesea Road, and 10% use the Surf Coast Highway.
The survey, and an earlier telephone interview survey for the same study, found that visitors to towns
west of Lorne use the GORR hinterland routes to reach the Princes Highway corridor, and east of
Lorne, they prefer the Great Ocean Road.
Table 16. Proportion of public transport trips within GORR20
2002
GORR trips
21
9%
2010
10%
The study concluded that if past trends continue, road capacity increases will be required from:
Geelong to Lorne, although constraints would limit this to Geelong to Anglesea; and
20
Arup (2002), p. 3. Estimate included domestic and international tourism visitation for the GORR
(Warrnambool to Geelong), for which coach travel is included as public transport.
60
7.2
Where do we want to be in 2050?
The consultation on transportation identified a range of aspirations.
Consideration of our aspirations helps with assessing what we have now, and what will be required to
achieve our desired future.
There was general recognition that the transportation needs of the future may be very different to
now. This would arise from different demographics, urban development, future services, technology
and transportation trends and many other influences. For example, will people go to the
supermarket, or will they order online and have it delivered by a light truck? How will the attitudes
and perceptions of people in 20, 40 or 45 years time differ from those planning for their future now?
With new urban development, utilising existing road and rail corridors to the east, west or south-west
of Geelong was suggested, as well as intensification of the use of space within the Geelong CAA.
Participants acknowledged that housing diversity in new and existing areas will be required to
accommodate different generational and cultural expectations.
The inter-relationship between land uses and transportation was recognised. Those consulted
indicated that shops and services within walking distance of homes where necessary to minimise the
need for motorised travel. Participants also suggested that community services evolve with time as
the demographics of a suburb change, to meet resident needs. This should reduce travel because
the services closest to peoples’ homes are generally the ones they are most likely to need.
The provision of community and transport services early within urban development was recognised as
being fundamental to reducing car dependence. Public transport services might be quite different,
with more “flexible, door-to-door” services than scheduled route services. Scheduled route services
might be with smaller buses.
The interchanges on the proposed Geelong Bypass were suggested as locations for new industrial
employment zones that could reduce the conflict between residential areas and truck traffic. There
was disagreement on whether residential development should proceed along that Bypass corridor –
people would live closer to employment, but the appeal of the area and access to services is
questionable compared to other locations around Geelong. This would reinforce the westwards and
northwards sprawl of Geelong, away from the CAA.
Some participants within the consultation suggested that continually increasing road capacity to meet
existing or projected demand is not the answer. One group considered the need to protect the
identity of coastal communities, to provide more services within those communities and to not
continue increasing road capacity to them. Development boundaries on all communities were
suggested as an option.
Geelong to Winchelsea, and possibly Colac.
21
Arup (2002) concluded that a combination of selected coastal and inland development could be
supported by the transport system, to utilise spare capacity within existing infrastructure (e.g. the rail
system and hinterland roads) as well as the road capacity increases described above.
Geelong Transport Strategy, p17.
The provision of an inter-modal hub to efficiently transfer freight between road, rail and sea transport
is a priority, as is locating industry at places with quality transport infrastructure. Buses would enable
people to get to work in industrial hubs, from remote residential areas, given that people are unlikely
to choose to live near the northern and western industrial hubs.
G21 Region Plan
The reliability of the road corridor to Melbourne, for freight movement, is an issue now given delays
and congestion on the West Gate Freeway.
7.3
Infrastructure and services
Geelong urban area
Two significant infrastructure projects are underway within the G21 Region – the Regional Fast Rail
and Geelong Bypass projects.
Stage 1 of the Geelong Bypass has been approved, with construction to commence early in 2006.
Approvals for Stages 2 and 3 are still being sought. This includes consideration of alignment options
for Stage 3 at its southern end.
Originally three options and variations were proposed by VicRoads. This was reduced to two when
the Environmental Effects Statement (EES) was development and provided for comment. Option 3
was not included in the EES and it was not stated why it had been removed. Of the alternatives
provided, Option 2f was considered by the G21 Transportation Pillar and was endorsed by the G21
Board as the preferred option because it:
optimised a future direct route connection to the Surf Coast Highway;
separated local traffic and minimised congestion to the Surf Coast Highway;
provided for a free flowing, high standard link to the Princes Highway west; and
promoted the aim of the Great Ocean Road Regional Strategy to encourage alternative access to
the Great Ocean Road through inland routes.
The short to medium term effect of the bypass is a decrease in traffic volumes along several key
routes within Geelong, including Latrobe Terrace.
This will reduce regional traffic on Geelong’s roads, however whilst that will benefit residents by
reducing local travel times, local pollution and improving road safety, it will also make car travel
more attractive relative to alternatives unless specific on-road public transport measures are also
implemented.
However, the location of the interchanges for the bypass with existing roads may increase traffic on
those roads. The G21 Transportation Pillar identified the following issues:
additional capacity, by road widening, will be required on the Midland Highway, east of the
Geelong Bypass; and
increases in traffic on Deviation Road and Hyland Street is of concern and options need to be
considered.
Over time, the number of trains could be increased to higher frequencies, if additional rolling stock is
purchased and there are available “slots” within Melbourne’s metropolitan rail network for more
regional trains.
In contrast, the Princes Freeway provides sufficient capacity for about 10,000+ people in the same
2.5 hour period, if there is only one person per vehicle. The current timetable for the passenger rail
system provides about 12% of the total capacity within the corridor from Geelong to Melbourne.
Trains running at 10 minute intervals would provide seated capacity for 2,300 passengers, which is
about 20% of the corridor’s extended peak period capacity.
In addition to the Regional Fast Rail project, Marshall Railway Station was opened in 2005, providing
a rail service from Grovedale and Marshall to Melbourne. Its location near the Surf Coast Highway
provides an opportunity for park & ride by commuters from the coastal communities, as well as for
local commuter trips within Geelong and to Melbourne. The 2006 timetable only provides three
services from Marshall that arrive at Spencer Street Railway Station by 9.00am – at present, most
services start from Geelong. However, urban development around Marshall Railway Station will
increase demands and additional service should be provided as growth occurs.
In the short term, another station is likely to be constructed in Waurn Ponds, on the Warrnambool Geelong line at Ghazeepore Road. This is often referred to as a station for Deakin University, which
is located about 1.5 kilometres north of the proposed railway station. Local feeder buses would be
required. Train services might be from diesel or metropolitan (electric) trains.
A Waurn Ponds railway station would provide an opportunity for transit oriented development within
the Armstrong Creek growth corridor. This is an opportunity that should be actively explored.
Non-urban area
Road widenings and duplications are proposed for the G21 Region22, including:
duplicating the Princes Highway from Waurn Ponds to Colac; and
duplicating the Bellarine Highway, east of the Drysdale to Ocean Grove Road (Grubb Road).
The Peninsula SeaRoad Ferry carried 670,000 passengers and 170,000 vehicles to and from the
Mornington Peninsula in 200123, and is an important regional link to eastern Victoria and south-east
Melbourne. Services have been increased to meet rising demand.
Regional bus and coach services provide public transport access across the Bellarine Peninsula, and
increased services have recently been funded by the State Government. Coach and train services are
also available within the GORR hinterland. However, within communities public transport for the
Great Ocean Road towns and hinterland is limited in coverage and frequency, if it exists at all. There
is considerable scope to implement local and regional bus services, perhaps using mini-buses to
reduce on-going operating costs.
Planning is believed to be underway by VicRoads for the Midland Highway.
The Regional Fast Rail project has led to the development of a new timetable for Geelong’s train
service to Melbourne. The proposed 2006 train timetable for Geelong Railway Station to Melbourne
is for ten services to arrive at Spencer Street between (approximately) 6.30am and 9.00am. The
seated capacity of the new “fast trains” is 144, hence there is a one-way capacity for over 1,440
passengers within that period. However, the mix of express and stopping all stations services, and
preferred journey times for passengers, will focus the demand on only a few of the available services.
G21 Region Plan
22
Sourced from VicRoads publications. The VicRoads publications included the 2004 management studies for
the Princes Highway, Bellarine Highway, Hamilton Highway and the Surf Coast Highway.
23
VicRoads (2004) Bellarine Highway B110, Geelong to Queenscliff Management Study 2004, p4.
61
Most of the public transport infrastructure within the Region is located within, or centred upon,
Geelong and its CAA. This is appropriate given its regional context, and role as a provider of
services and employment. However, cross-regional services are still required.
• frequency;
• coverage;
• affordability; or
The popularity of the region’s coastal and inland features will continue to attract significant volumes
of holiday traffic, and people seeking a lifestyle change. However, the improved accessibility, by
private car, of communities to the north-west of Geelong, arising from the Geelong Bypass and its
associated roadworks, may increase demand from prospective residents seeking “lifestyle living”
within proximity to Geelong and Melbourne’s employment opportunities and services.
• span of hours.
Reform of services, particularly within Geelong, is a significant opportunity. A significantly higher
bus use – for example, 75% of the workforce and older student population using public transport
once each weekday (e.g. 90 to 100+ average annual rides24 per capita), might be an
appropriate aspirational target for the long-term, and desirable in the short to medium term. This
would be complemented by more people walking or cycling when undertaking daily activities – a
product of higher density and mixed use development, the rising cost of car ownership, good
urban design and other, similar, factors that encourage walking within communities. Particular
opportunities include the following:
No proposals have been developed for the Anglesea Road route to the Great Ocean Road, although
the Great Ocean Road Region Study found that this is the preferred route for travel to communities
west of Anglesea.
The community aspirations identified by the local community during the consultation were for limited
road widening and to protect the character of the coastal communities. However, there is an
apparent conflict with increasing road capacity, particularly to cater for holiday peak travel demands.
Demand management measures will be required to ensure that higher capacity access routes don’t
result in unsustainable coastal development.
Some concerns have been expressed about the affordability of housing within the coastal
communities, for long-term residents. If residents are displaced to inland communities, then this will
increase the need for scheduled bus services from the hinterland communities to the coastal
communities, for access to employment and recreation opportunities.
Avalon Airport is also a significant regional asset from transport and employment perspectives.
Whilst only providing limited services and facilities at present, for a budget airline operation –Jetstar –
the airport has significant potential for expansion if it can attract more budget and full-service
airlines. Its distance from Melbourne is a challenge, given Tullamarine’s proximity, but is also a
significant asset to the G21 Region. This may assist with attracting new businesses to the Region,
particularly if services to other business locations can be regularly provided from Avalon.
Conclusion
Consideration of the existing transportation networks, without detailed analysis, suggests four likely
growth fronts for Geelong’s urban area – Internal consolidation, South, East and North-west. The
scale of development within those growth fronts will depend on growth across the communities of the
G21 Region. For example, what proportion will be within the coastal and rural communities versus
the greater Geelong urban area?
A significant influence on future travel demands will be the provision of jobs, and then residents of
the G21 Region obtaining those jobs. Future employment will need to be concentrated within
precincts and along corridors that are well serviced by public transport if the Region is to avoid longterm car dependence. The affordability of multiple-car ownership and travel, within the period being
considered by this study, could be radically different.
7.4
Bus services in to industrial services (employment centres).
Bus priority for airport bus services to and from Avalon airport, as congestion increases between
Melbourne and Avalon, and perhaps on congested links within Geelong’s road network and
along the freeway.
Integrated ticketing across the G21 Region public transport system, with an appropriate fare
structure similar to that in Melbourne.
Development of a railway station for Deakin University and the proposed Armstrong Creek growth
corridor. This should be serviced by extended trains services from Melbourne, as well as regional
trains between Geelong and Warrnambool.
Higher intensity population and employment at transport interchanges e.g. Geelong Railway
Station (as per the Geelong Western Wedge Framework and designation of the station as a
Transit City).
The staged reduction in forecast traffic volumes on Geelong’s arterial roads, as the Geelong
Bypass is completed, will provide opportunities for road authorities to reallocate road space for
other modes. This might mean creating bicycle lanes and bus lanes along key routes, widening
footpaths within activity centres, and reducing the number of lanes for cars. The Geelong
Transport Strategy identified Shannon Avenue-Thompsons Road and the Princes Highway
(Moorabool Street and High Street), as well as others, as future transit corridors. Both routes are
expected to have a significant reduction in road traffic with the completion of the bypass,
particularly if the Bypass is extended to the Surf Coast Highway. Investigations for other locations
should also be undertaken.
Freeway and standard and broad gauge rail access to the Geelong Port and Heales Road
industrial precinct, on the north side of Geelong. This Region is well located for industrial and
commercial development, located between the Geelong and Melbourne markets on high quality
inter-state transport infrastructure.
Opportunities
Low public transport use suggests that the current services do not meet expectations in one or
more of the following:
62
Cross-town services within the Geelong urban area.
24
Assuming 250 working days per year, and 75% of the population is within the workforce or secondary or
tertiary education or similar, requiring daily travel.
G21 Region Plan
Providing employment for a higher proportion of the G21 resident workforce within the Region,
particularly closer to residential areas and public transport.
Demand measures – increases in the capacity of the transport network for safety reasons, or to
cater for peak holiday travel, may increase development pressure on coastal communities. Are
planning constraints required to reduce the travel demand, and to limit the size of the
communities?
Can or should demand be managed with road pricing – for example, following improvements to
public transport, introducing a parking levy and/or increasing on-street parking prices within
selected activity centres?
7.5
Constraints
The capacity of road infrastructure. Without significant changes in travel patterns arising from the
relationship between place of residence, employment and the location of services, the growth of
some of the coastal towns may be partly constrained by the infrastructure used to travel to them.
Frequency of intra and inter-town bus services, if there are services, for communities outside of
Geelong.
The establishment of scheduled and on-demand regional buses and mini-bus services to provide
frequent services to the coastal townships and hinterland communities.
Public transport services that connect employment areas to residential areas and transport
interchanges. This requires forward planning for employment areas so that they are designed for
public transport access (route and stop level planning, as well as urban form).
Technology may permit greater “work from home” across the Region, but particularly attracting
new economy workers seeking lifestyle living (e.g. by the sea). Consequently, broadband
communications infrastructure may assist with reducing peak travel demand.
Transit oriented development for all new urban development within Geelong.
Are further increases in the capacity of the Geelong to Melbourne corridor possible, or desirable,
given the construction expense and capacity constraints for the road and rail network within
metropolitan Melbourne? Will growth within the Wyndham Growth Area of Melbourne congest
the Princes Freeway?
Increased frequency and span of hours of bus services within Geelong and each town within the
G21 Region. Routes should be direct. This may be at the expense of meeting the current
standard of scheduled bus services within 400 metres of 90% of households.
Difficult road access between the Heales Road industrial estate and the Geelong Port.
Aspirational and visionary
Constrained port operations arising from incompatible abutting land uses. Is central Geelong an
appropriate location, given the city’s growth, for a Port and inter-modal freight hub?
Various suggestions have been made for potential transportation related projects, including:
Will the displacement of the local coastal workforce to inland locations, where housing is cheaper,
increase travel demands from inland towns to the coast for the journey to work?
7.6
Growth towards Leopold, utilising the Queenscliff corridor, Bellarine Highway and GeelongPortarlington Road. Whilst medium term planning could be based upon bus services providing
public transport within this area, the rail reservation should be adequately protected within an
appropriate corridor to enable long-term restoration of rail services or the construction of a
dedicated busway. A dedicated busway like Adelaide’s O-Bahn can, at capacity, carry 18,000
passengers per hour, within a seven metre wide corridor25. Rail or a dedicated busway would
need grade separation where it intersects with roads (and some local road closures) - protection
of the required land should be undertaken in the short-term.
Opportunities for the future
If more sustainable travel is a desired outcome, then urban growth should be centred upon
locations where public transport services can be provided between residential areas and
employment opportunities. This suggests:
In the long-term, an express passenger rail service from Melbourne to Avalon Airport, utilising
Regional Fast Rail infrastructure.
Passenger service on the Ballarat-Geelong broad gauge line, servicing new urban development
within the Lovely Banks area.
A radial passenger rail and bus network from the Geelong CAA.
Freight line along the Geelong Bypass alignment.
Can the Port gradually be relocated to a less constrained location that:
• Has deep channels access?
• Increasing the intensity of development within established urban areas and townships,
particularly where public transport services are (or can be) improved, and near employment
opportunities.
• Unconstrained land use?
• High quality road and rail infrastructure?
• Development southwards from Geelong, along the Warrnambool rail corridor (Grovedale,
Armstrong Creek-Mt Duneed) using transit oriented development principles.
• Ready access to employment markets?
• Eastwards along the parallel road corridors and former Queenscliff railway line (towards
Leopold and Drysdale – see below) using transit oriented development principles.
25
GHD (2005) G21 integrated Public Transport Strategy, Best practice and evaluation criteria report, draft,
August 2005.
G21 Region Plan
63
7.7
Sustainability principles
Design for walking and cycling within communities. For example, designing for transit oriented
development around rail stations, bus and busway interchanges, and along bus routes with
frequent services.
Planning and designing rural and coastal communities and towns around walkable distances, and
designing for bus access.
Increased densities, particularly within 800 metres of transit. However, transit oriented design can
extend over a kilometre from transit, given favourable walking and cycling conditions towards the
transit station, frequent transit services and the absence of easy alternatives. Individual site
assessments are required.
20,000 to 30,000 people within two to three kilometres is a guideline for new railway stations
(other issues also have to be considered).
Demand management measures, such as constraining urban development that is not within the
catchments of public transport and appropriately locating housing, employment and mixed use
developments to minimise commuting.
64
G21 Region Plan
8
Community wellbeing
The primary purpose of the regional plan being prepared as part of this project is to:
provide a long term land use strategy for sustainable development in the Region to 2051;
identify regional infrastructure requirements;
provide a framework for the management of population growth and related economic, social and
environmental change; and
develop implementation strategies and monitoring programs.
The strategy observes that “the Region offers a range of outstanding leisure opportunities for arts,
culture, sports and recreation and these are a cornerstone of the Region’s lifestyle”. It notes that
“projected changes in the population and economy, both in size and make-up, present challenges to
the community”. It goes on to comment that “within the Region some communities are struggling to
deal with the changes to traditional economic and vocational structures and are experiencing issues
such as inter-generational unemployment”.
An imperative of the existing regional strategy is to focus on community building through the
development of a Regional Community Strategy. The objective of that strategy will be to meet the
unique challenges of the Region through the provision of a range of services and programs that will
grow community capability. The preparation of a Regional Community Strategy is one of four
foundation projects of the existing strategy:
Regional Community Strategy;
Ensuring that the social and economic wellbeing of the community is enhanced as a consequence of
the plan is central to the objectives of the project.
Regional Growth Strategy;
Existing Geelong Region Strategy Plan
Regional Marketing Strategy.
The existing Geelong Region Plan identifies a number of themes:
The ‘G21 Region Plan – a Sustainable Growth Strategy’ is the title for the regional growth strategy
and the regional ‘land use’ strategy that will be prepared as part of this project, and will present a
framework for the preparation of the Regional Community Strategy.
Arts, Culture and Heritage.
Community Safety and Security.
Economic Development.
Regional Indicators Framework; and
Health and wellbeing
Environment.
The focus of the Health and Wellbeing Pillar as set out in the existing strategy is on:
Health and Wellbeing.
building healthy communities through promoting lifelong health;
Lifelong Learning.
addressing future needs and support for an ageing population;
Research.
strengthening access to health treatment, care and support;
Sport and Recreation.
fostering neighbourhood renewal, capacity building and support; and
Telecommunications.
strengthening existing collaborative inter-agency approaches. (p 47)
Transportation.
These themes are strongly interrelated. Each theme forms a ‘pillar’, or a key element of the existing
plan. Each pillar is lead by a Pillar Group, which is responsible for further developing policies and
strategies in relation to the theme. The existing strategy sets out outcomes, challenges and strategies
under consideration for each pillar.
The Health and Wellbeing Pillar is particularly relevant to the issue of community wellbeing as
addressed in this section of the report. However given the strongly interrelated nature of each theme
or pillar, most other themes have elements that are also related to the overall social and economic
wellbeing of the community.
As identified in the existing Region Strategy Plan (p19), throughout the Region there is a strong sense
of community and a high degree of involvement and participation, particularly at a local level.
G21 Region Plan
Some of the key challenges identified in relation to health and wellbeing that are particularly relevant
to this project include:
ensure regional planning enhances social connectedness within neighbourhoods and strengthens
local participation in decision making;
support people with illness and disability through increased access to services, reduction in
environmental barriers and empowering them to become contributing citizens; and
assist a number of neighbourhoods to revitalise, to build capacity and to improve social
connectedness.
Structure planning of existing and future residential areas to focus on neighbourhood planning
principles and community development, urban design principles to avoid environmental barriers to
access throughout urban areas, and positive programs to assist in revitalising existing areas of
disadvantage are all principles that can be incorporated into this project.
65
Lifelong learning
The focus of the education pillar is on lifelong learning (p 51). The education pillar recognises that
the education and skill level of the regional community is relatively low compared to other regions,
and must be increased if the overall community wellbeing is to be increased.
The G21 Region effectively needs to ‘re-educate itself’ and to increase the existing skill and
educational base of its regional population if it is to transform from a traditional manufacturing
economy to an economy that embraces new and growing economic sectors that have the potential to
provide sustainable jobs for a substantial greater regional population in the future.
Lifelong learning involves a more varied and flexible approach to conceptualising the way people
learn and re-train progressively throughout their life. It moves the focus from traditional educational
institution such as primary, secondary and tertiary schools. It embraces the concept of learning in its
broadest sense. In particular it involves exploring opportunities for better links with business and
opportunities for on-the-job training and the like.
It will be necessary for new spaces and places to be made available in urban areas that are more
suited to lifelong learning activities. This will be in addition to traditional institutions that are provided
for education such kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools.
Education itself is a large part of the local economy. Geelong already has higher proportion of its
workforce employed in education (around 8%; Report 1 page 16) than Melbourne, Victoria
generally. The promotion of G21 as a Region of learning and education excellence, will have
positive economic development implications for the region.
Sport and recreation
Sport and recreation is a substantial and growing sector with increasing recognition of the size and
importance to Local, State and National economies. Large numbers of people are employed both
directly and indirectly because of golf courses, sports clubs, convention centres and community
recreation facilities and the sector often produces a vital revenue stream for the local economy.
The sector has great potential to stimulate the economy, but it also is part of our community
consciousness: our national pride, community cohesiveness, the health of the community and
individual well being. Participation in any facet of the sector is being actively pursued by Federal,
State and Local Government and by industry representatives across Australia.
Every effort must be made during the recreation planning process to ensure that the impact of
planning in each of community and health services planning, transport planning and environmental
planning is taken into consideration. It is essential that cooperative integrated approaches are
established within local government and the region.
Sport and recreation planning provides opportunities to positively contribute to community spirit and
should be integrated with the provision of other types of human services provision. Achieving this
requires a shared responsibility and partnerships between local government, community
organisations and private developers.
Regional planning is becoming increasingly important because of the pressure on government
resources, asset management requirements and the impact of changes in local government service
provision. Strategies that assist in achieving a regional perspective that warrant consideration
include:
Meetings with representatives of regional sporting and recreation bodies to ascertain their needs
and to identify where individual municipalities can or should contribute to the development of
broader sport and recreation facilities, programs and services.
Compiling inventories of regional sport and recreation opportunities to highlight the possibilities of
joint provision and multi-use to minimise duplication.
Establishing regional sport and recreation consultative groups.
Joint local government initiatives to prepare regional plans. Similar initiatives have been
successful in some other states.
The G21 Regional Alliance has a sport and recreation pillar group that brings together relevant
interests from local government, the community, youth, tourism and education. It is pursuing issues
regarding sport, recreation and community health through the development of a Regional Sport
Development Plan and Regional Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Strategy.
Traditionally land use planning has focussed on providing areas of active and passive open space in
newly developing residential areas. Of more recent times the linking of such areas to provide linear
local and regional pedestrian and cycle connections has become a focus of planning of urban areas.
The next phase that needs to be incorporated into the preparation of a strategy for the G21 Region is
to embrace the concept of ‘active transport’, not only as a way of promoting a more active and more
healthy community, but also for sustainability reasons, to reduce the reliance on the car. A principle
must be established that convenient and direct routes for walking and cycling must be planning into
all urban developments. This equally applies to public transport. Emphasis must be removed from
planning for the car to provide a much more balanced approach to resolving the transport equation.
Arts culture and heritage
Arts, culture and heritage is an important component of community wellbeing. As stated in the
existing strategic plan:
“Developing arts, culture and heritage assets and capabilities is an essential element of a
thriving region.” (p 30)
Community consultation identified a lack of higher order arts, cultural and entertainment activities in
the G21 Region, and in particular in the Geelong CAA.
A strong arts and cultural base is important for the G21 Region to achieve greater socio-economic
diversity. It is important to establish the Region as a more cosmopolitan and interesting place to live.
This is equally important to attracting higher educated, skilled and more creative people to the
region, who are more likely to assist in diversifying the economic base and participate in creative,
knowledge and growth sectors of the economy, as it is to providing stimulation and intellectual
pursuit for the existing regional community.
Ongoing community involvement in the decision making process should be encouraged by
establishing ongoing groups and organisations that have a role and responsibility for identifying need
and implementing strategies.
66
G21 Region Plan
The relevance to this project is the need for policies and principles regarding the promotion of activity
centres as focal points for activity. Urban design must be to a high standard and create attractive,
pleasant and beautiful places. It also involves principles regarding the protection of heritage places
and features that contribute to the history and to the culture of the region.
Economy
Access to a wide range of well paid and secure jobs in the Region is a fundamental tenant of
economic wellbeing and economic self-sufficiency for individuals. Growing the regional economy to
provide jobs for a much expanded resident labour force has clear implication for a regional land use
strategy.
The strategy must ensure sufficient land is available for a wide range economic activities in
appropriate locations. The supply and servicing of land must promote choice and price
competitiveness. Key economic infrastructure such as ports and airports must be protected.
Transport planning must facilitate easy of access for business and freight. Land is required for a wide
range economic enterprises such as industries and commercial development, retail and service
activities, tourism, agriculture and natural resources.
Activity centre planning will play an increasingly important role as a focal point for mixed use
development and higher order, creative and knowledge based jobs. Well located, competitively
priced and high amenity land will continue to be required for small and start up business, industry
and warehousing.
Other issues related to wellbeing
The ageing population
Accommodating the needs of an aging of the population will be one of the biggest challenges facing
the Region in the future. Report 1 identified that the proportion of people aged 65 or more is likely
to increase from about 21% in 2001 to around 37% by 2051.
This will have significant planning implications in terms of matters such as:
the variety and type of housing required, both in existing urban areas and in greenfields
developments;
the need to reallocate substantial government funds and resources towards meeting the special
needs of elderly people;
the importance of ensuring all aspects of urban areas and activity centres are readily accessible
for mobility impaired persons, and that excellent public transport is available for an increasing
proportion of the population that may not have access to a car; and
the importance of the arts, culture, entertainment and leisure opportunities in engaging a
population that is less actively engaged in work.
The Region will need to look at creative and innovative ways to respond to the needs of an ageing
population. Community and commercial clusters, integrated service and infrastructure planning, and
common demographic data sets are initiatives currently being pursued within the region.
G21 Region Plan
Neighbourhood planning
The planning of functional neighbourhoods in newly developing residential areas, as well as
reinforcing the concept of ‘neighbourhood’ in existing urban areas, is critical to the development of a
sense of community and a sense of belonging in urban areas.
Common building blocks of a neighbourhood include community facilities such kindergartens,
neighbourhood houses and buildings from which a wide range of maternal child and family services
can be provided, primary and secondary schools. Such facilities need to be planned to relate to
local and neighbourhood activities centres, areas of public open space, public transport, and local
walking and cycling routes, to create real and active focal points for local communities. A network of
local neighbourhoods should be connected to provide larger populations necessary to provide the
base for a wider range of services and facilities.
The DSE’s Safer Design Guidelines set outs good ideas to be incorporated into the design of
residential neighbourhoods, activities and other parts of urban area to promote community safety
and health. Those guidelines should be utilised in the planning of neighbourhoods and activity
centres throughout the G21 Region.
Social disadvantage
There are clearly identifiable areas of social disadvantage within the G21 Region. Many of these
areas are older areas of concentrated public housing that are approaching the end of their economic
life. They also include smaller communities where there may be concentration of aged or low
income people with few job opportunities and economic prospects.
Positive multi-agency action is needed to address disadvantage in these areas. Action plans need to
be developed in collaboration with local communities to identify what needs to be done to improve
the wellbeing of residents of these areas.
These areas are also more susceptible to negative impacts as a result of further structural change of
the economy away from the manufacturing sector, given the existing skill and educational based of
residents of those areas.
Small coastal towns and rural villages
Many parts of the region, particularly along the coast, are experiencing extreme price increases due
to high demand for holiday and tourist accommodation from people from outside the town or the
region. This is forcing many existing and long term residents, especially older people, out of the
these towns. Many people employed in tourism and service businesses and industries within these
towns, cannot afford to live in them. High proportions of dwellings in some of the smaller coastal
towns remain vacant for much of the year (up to 70%). As a result permanent populations are low,
there is little support (or demand) for community or commercial services and facilities, and there a
few local jobs for the permanent population that remains throughout the year. Local government has
significant problems in serving the needs of these communities. The consultation raised issues
concerning the ability of these communities to continue to effectively function in a sustainable way in
the future.
67
Similar issues exist in some of the smaller rural towns throughout the region, albeit for reasons
unrelated to property values. Many of the small rural towns and their rural surrounds, have small
communities of insufficient size to support the provision of basic community services and facilities.
Council’s use flexible service delivery programs to service the needs of these communities. However
the provision of an appropriate range of services remains a challenge.
Housing affordability
Whilst specific issues affect housing affordability in smaller coastal locations, the affordability of
housing throughout the Region generally was identified in consultations as a critical issue causing
stress to many households from a wide range of income levels. Housing affordability relates to the
affordability of buying a house, as well as the affordability of both public and private rental
accommodation.
Whilst the State government plays in important role in providing affordable housing, numerous other
agencies and organisations, and local government, are playing an role in developing creative
schemes to accommodate the increasing need for more affordable housing.
Strategic planning has a role to in housing affordability:
Ensuring choice and variety in the type of land subdivision, the housing product provided, and the
design standards of development, to ensure price competitiveness.
Actively encouraging a wider variety of residential lots types and housing types, especially smaller
and more compact housing types that are suited to the needs of smaller, elderly and lower income
households. This is equally applicable for infill development in established urban areas as it is for
greenfields development.
Coordination of planning and service delivery
Urban development and the delivery of human and community services and facilities to future
populations includes many different agencies across three levels of government and the private
sector. Some of these agencies need to be involved in strategic planning at the regional level, other
need to be involved in structure planning at the sub-regional level, and others do not need to be
directly involved but merely need to be aware of the outcomes of the process for input into their own
planning processes.
Consultations identified extreme overlap between agencies responsible for the delivery of programs
to clients various agencies and concerns about use of different data sets and population projections.
They also referred to delays in the provision of community facilities in newly developing urban areas.
A challenge of the regional plan will be to provide a framework for coordination of those agencies
that are relevant to include in the initial planning stages of urban development, and ensuring the
timely provision of services and facilities.
Community involvement and participation
A basic tenant of planning for community development is that it must be initiated from within the
community. The community must be responsible for identifying its own issues, priorities and actions,
and for responding to those issues. It is critical that any framework for community development and
the enhancement of the wellbeing of the community is owned and embraced by the local and
regional communities towards which they are directed.
Encouraging provision of affordable housing to low income groups through public housing as part
of new development or innovative mechanisms for example housing co-operatives etc. Affordable
housing has traditionally been provided by government through public housing. With increasing
demands on government funds, schemes for requiring a proportion of new housing to be
affordable housing as part of larger residential development may have merit in the future.
Diversity and tolerance
An issue raised in consultations related to the need to promote a tolerant community within the
region. Anecdotal comment was made about the need for the community to positively embrace the
diverse population base that comprised the region, as well as to tolerance social and economic
differences that characterise some localities.
Common understanding about how the Region is likely to change
A key role of the regional land use strategy being prepared as part of this project is to identify how
the Region is likely to change in the future. This will enable community and human services providers
to develop plans and strategies to accommodate change in an efficient and timely manner.
The G21 Geelong Region Plan will provide common information for all five municipalities existing in
the region. This will provide a consistent basis for community and human services providers to use in
their future planning.
68
G21 Region Plan
9
Infrastructure
Water from the Barwon and Moorabool systems is blended at the Montpellier Basin in Highton to
maintain satisfactory water quality, particularly for industrial consumers in the northern suburbs.
Water from the Montpellier Basin is distributed to Geelong’s northern and central suburbs as well as
Little River, Lara, Anakie and Staughton Vale.
9.1
Introduction
The Barwon and Moorabool systems operate as a single water supply system due to their interaction
at Montpellier.
growth with limited water resources. The White Paper strongly supports the use of recycled water and
requires urban water authorities to operate in a sustainable manner, balancing the needs of the
environment with the needs of water consumers.
A separate system extracts water from the West Moorabool River for Lethbridge and Meredith.
The Barwon and Moorabool rivers, which supply most of Geelong’s water, are both significantly
stressed, with little or no spare capacity to supply future growth in the Region, particularly the
Moorabool River. Barwon Water, as the responsible authority, is actively promoting water
conservation and seeking alternative water sources to meet the needs of a growing community.
Using sophisticated computer models Barwon Water has calculated that the existing system yield of
the Barwon/Moorabool system, including groundwater, is 44,000 megalitres/year. This was based
on maintaining a 95% reliable supply i.e. restrictions imposed 5% of the time.
Barwon Water has a responsibility to provide water and sewerage services within its district, and plans
new resources and infrastructure improvements to meet growth, within hydraulic and resource
constraints. It has recently completed major investigations into water resources and sewerage
infrastructure to meet expected growth over the next 40 years.
9.2
Water
Existing capacities
Barwon/ Moorabool system
The Barwon, East Moorabool and West Moorabool rivers provide the water supply for the Greater
Geelong area. Around 70% comes from the Barwon system, through the West Barwon Reservoir and
tributaries on the edge of the Otway Ranges. During droughts the Barwon system is supplemented by
groundwater from the Barwon Downs area.
This water is transferred to the Wurdee Boluc Reservoir where it is treated before being distributed to
Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula.
The Moorabool system comprises the Lal Lal Reservoir on the West Moorabool, and reservoirs on the
East Moorabool River from Korweinguboora to Bostock, near Ballan. Water from this system is
transferred through the Upper Stony Creek reservoirs near Anakie, by pipeline to the Moorabool
water treatment plant on the West Moorabool River at She Oaks. It is blended with water from Lal
Lal before being transferred into the Geelong distribution system.
The townships of Bannockburn, Teesdale, Shelford and Inverleigh are supplied with water from the
Moorabool system.
Barwon Water has been granted Bulk Entitlements for the Moorabool and Barwon systems, and for
the Barwon Downs groundwater system, which limit the amount of water that can be extracted to
ensure sustainability of the resources.
Barwon Water used 35,733 megalitres from the Barwon/Moorabool system in 2003/04 (Barwon
Water, Water Resources Development Plan, March 2003). Barwon Water has adequate supplies to
meet demand in the short term, however new sources of water will be required in the medium to long
term to meet predicted population growth and reduced supply expected from climate change. Water
conservation will also continue to be important to water supply security.
Otway coast systems
Colac
The Gellibrand River provides the water supply for the Colac region, which extends as far north as
Cressy and includes Beeac, Alvie, Coragulac and Irrewarra. Water is piped to the Colac water
treatment plant from the West Gellibrand and Olangolah reservoirs, on the upper reaches of the
Gellibrand River.
Barwon Water has been granted a Bulk Entitlement of 5,400 megalitres per year from the Upper
Gellibrand catchment.
Modelling of the Colac system has determined that the system yield is 4,000 megalitres per year.
Barwon Water used 3,876 megalitres from the Colac system in 2003/04.
Apollo Bay/Skenes Creek
Apollo Bay and Skenes Creek are supplied from the East and West Barham River, with water being
diverted to the Marengo Basin where it is treated before being distributed to consumers.
Barwon Water has been granted a Bulk Entitlement of 365 megalitres per year from the West Barham
River.
Modelling of the system has determined that the system yield is 300 megalitres per year.
69
Barwon Water used 402 megalitres from the system in 2003/04. This reflects the significant growth
in development and tourism occurring in the townships in recent years. Barwon Water has
recognised that a new water source is required to meet the increasing demand and is planning a
system augmentation as a matter of urgency (WRDP, March 2003).
Lorne
Lorne is supplied from the St. George River via the Allen Reservoir.
Barwon Water has been granted a Bulk Entitlement of 510 megalitres per year from the river.
Barwon Water used 452 megalitres from the system in 2003/04.
Aireys Inlet
Aireys Inlet and Fairhaven are supplied from the Painkalac Creek via the Painkalac Reservoir.
Barwon Water has been granted a Bulk Entitlement of 317 megalitres per year from the creek.
Barwon Water used 162 megalitres from the system in 2003/04.
Constraints
Environmental responsibilities
growth with limited water resources. The objectives of the White Paper are also consistent with the
National Water Initiative (NWI), which aims to:
Resource caps
The Barwon and Moorabool catchments are fully allocated. The government has capped
consumption of water in both catchments and no new diversions will be permitted until the EWR is
determined. Although this recognises existing bulk entitlements it will be necessary at some time to
review those entitlements to enable a sustainable EWR to be set.
The Otway Coast streams, including the Gellibrand River, have been capped at current entitlements,
although there is generally water available for new allocations. The EWR will be set when sustainable
diversion limits have been determined.
Moorabool river
The Moorabool River is one of the most stressed streams in Victoria. CCMA studies have indicated
that the majority of waterways in the Moorabool Basin are in poor condition with more than 60% of
available surface water utilised (CCMA RCS 2003).
Salinity has been increasing in the West Moorabool River. This results in only a fair water quality out
of Lal Lal Reservoir, which must be blended with less saline water from the East Moorabool for
consumption in Geelong.
A detailed assessment of the water use and environmental flow requirements of the Moorabool River
was undertaken by consultants Sinclair Knight Merz in 2004 on behalf of the CCMA. Although
recognising the entitlements of both Geelong and Ballarat, as well as the significant impact on flows
from farm dams and the like, it was concluded that environmental flows must be increased or the
health of the river will continue to decline.
improve the security of water access entitlements;
The Draft Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy, in considering options for future water supply
for Ballarat, is considering as an option transferring Geelong’s allocation of the West Moorabool
River at Lal Lal Reservoir. If this were to proceed it would be necessary for Barwon Water to find an
alternative resource of similar or greater allocation.
ensure ecosystem health;
It is therefore unlikely that any additional allocation will be made for the G21 Region.
ensure water is put to best use by encouraging the expansion of water markets; and
encourage water conservation in our cities.
Within the framework of the White Paper and the NWI, sustainable water management continues to
be a fundamental responsibility of water authorities.
The Victorian Government has established an Environmental Water Reserve (EWR) that will guarantee
water for environmental purposes. Bulk entitlements and the EWR will divide the total resource
between water users and the environment. Catchment Management Authorities will be responsible
for operational management of the EWR.
Barwon Water currently takes water within sustainable limits but any growth in diversions will push the
system closer to its environmental limits (CCMA Regional Catchment Strategy, December 2003).
70
The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and Barwon Water will need to work closely
together to provide water for river health and for continuing growth in urban and rural communities.
Barwon river
The Barwon River is also one of the most stressed streams in the Region, with the majority of streams
in the Barwon Basin in marginal to poor condition (CCMA RCS 2003). Although a detailed
assessment has not yet been undertaken, it is likely that environmental flows will eventually need to be
increased similar to the outcome of the Moorabool River assessment.
Gellibrand river
The Gellibrand River has been identified over many years as a potential resource for Geelong.
However, although its allocation is below sustainable diversion levels, the river is a major source of
water for Otway Coast townships and Warrnambool. The upper reaches also have high
environmental value.
G21 Region Plan
Opportunities
Barwon Water has identified the Gellibrand catchment as a major new water source in its Water
Resources Development Plan (2003). An environmental assessment will be undertaken to determine
the impact of harvesting additional water, up to 6,000 megalitres per year.
Reducing water consumption
Although the resource is used for Colac and district, accessing the Gellibrand River for Geelong
urban consumption will also require considerable community and regulatory consultation.
A number of opportunities to reduce water consumption, and defer the need for finding new water
sources, have been identified by Barwon Water in its Water Resources Development Plan.
The State Government proposes to protect the current environmental flow regime of the West
Gellibrand River and complete a stream flow management plan for the Gellibrand River catchment.
This will assist in managing licensed diversions in the basin to reduce environmental stress during
summer (Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy Facts Sheet).
Water conservation
Groundwater
Barwon Water has a licence to extract up to 20,000 megalitres per year from its Barwon Downs well
field, with an annual average of 4,000 megalitres over the long-term. An upper extraction limit of
80,000 megalitres over any 10-year period also applies. The well field, which is only used during
drought periods at present, is to be augmented with new bores planned for 2010.
Potential groundwater resources have been identified west of Bambra that could provide an
additional 2,000 megalitres per year. Environmental studies and community consultation would be
required before any licence was issued for Bambra.
Barwon Water will be proceeding with augmentation of the Barwon Downs groundwater system
rather than developing Bambra.
Climate change
The Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy identifies climate change as one of four key pressures
that will impact on water supply in the future (Chapter 4).
It identifies that as a result of the high degree of uncertainty associated with future emission scenarios
and the response of the climate system, there is a wide range of uncertainty associated with
predicting the impacts of climate change on water resources.
It goes on to state that current studies indicate that global warming is likely to significantly reduce
rainfall, river flows and the amount of water supplied by our reservoirs.
It identifies that the CSIRO predicts that Victoria will get hotter and drier with less rainfall in winter
and spring, and more evaporation, and that water resources will be reduced. It comments that initial
estimates of the impacts of climate change on stream flows are based on the results of studies
undertaken by CSIRO. Initial estimates indicted that climate change impacts could reduce stream
flows by as little as 7% or by as much as 64% by 2055.
The Victorian Government has indicated in its White Paper that it will vary water entitlements and the
EWR if future long-term reductions in water availability occur.
Barwon Water is introducing a number of water conservation measures with the overall aim of
reducing regional consumption by 15% over the next 20 years. Achieving this target will require
sustained community commitment.
Rainwater tanks
Residential use of rainwater tanks on a large scale has the potential to deliver a significant reduction
in the volume of water taken from catchments. Tanks in urban areas are not recommended for
drinking water due to potential contaminants but the water can be used for gardens and some inhouse situations, such as toilet flushing.
Barwon Water is moving towards the compulsory installation of rainwater tanks in all new dwellings.
Stormwater recycling
Runoff from roofs, roads and paving is controlled to prevent flooding and discharged to waterways
and the coast as waste. Management of stormwater is the responsibility of municipal councils. One
of the main issues with stormwater is the high level of pollutants it accumulates, causing potential
hazards in natural waterways as well as for public health.
Local councils in the Region have been preparing Stormwater Action Plans focusing on improving the
quality of water and making it suitable for recycling. Barwon Water has worked with the CSIRO and
City of Greater Geelong in an assessment of the potential for stormwater re-use in the Indented Head
area. The results of this study could be applied to other coastal re-use opportunities.
Stormwater recycling presents an opportunity to reduce the volume of water taken from water supply
catchments. However, considerable further work is required to determine the necessary infrastructure
and provide a reliable resource that is fit-for-purpose.
System enhancement
The need for new water sources can be deferred by improving the existing water supply system
providing more efficient operation and minimising losses. Barwon Water is covering some service
basins and replacing others with tanks to reduce evaporation losses, and concrete lining open
channels to reduce seepage losses.
In some areas water pressures are being reduced to minimise leakage in the reticulation system. This
also has the effect of lowering consumption.
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Using recycled water
Treated effluent from water reclamation plants is known as recycled water. This water is classified by
the Environment Protection Authority according to the quality of the sewage and the level of
treatment. For example:
• Class A recycled water can be used for watering public areas and for human food crops
consumed raw. It cannot be used as drinking water.
• Class B recycled water can be used for dairy cattle grazing and industrial wash down water.
• Class C recycled water can be used for irrigating non-food crops.
Barwon Water has eight water reclamation plants producing Class C recycled water with Anglesea
producing Class B, and aims to achieve 25% water recycling by 2015.
Potable substitution
Dual reticulation
Dual, or third pipe reticulation has been investigated as an opportunity to use recycled water in the
Region. Third pipe schemes have been implemented elsewhere in Australia. This is an expensive
option for existing suburbs but is relatively easy, and hence cheaper, to incorporate in new
developments.
Community acceptance is mixed, as there are still many issues to be resolved. Barwon Water is not
encouraging dual pipe reticulation in new developments at this stage, but will continue to investigate
risks and options.
Future infrastructure
Water can be treated to potable standard (drinking water) and re-used through the water supply
system. The costs to treat to this quality, and return the water to the distribution system, are
significant.
Up to 13,500 megalitres a year could be available as potable recycled water from the Black Rock
Water Reclamation Plant. This water would need to be pumped up to Pettavel Basin to be blended
with water from the Barwon system and returned to the distribution system. Lesser amounts would be
available from the regional water reclamation plants, but these smaller plants would not have the
benefits of large plant economies.
Although the community has indicated acceptance of potable recycling, there are many issues
remaining to be addressed, particularly full removal of industrial contaminants. Extensive community
consultation would be required. Barwon Water is not planning any major implementation within the
next 20 years.
An alternative is to provide Class A, B or C recycled water to industries to replace their use of potable
water. This substitution of their potable water requirements provides a direct benefit by reducing the
volume of water taken from catchments. This defers the need for resource augmentation and makes
more water available for growth without using new water sources.
Barwon Water is investigating potable substitution opportunities with a number of major water users
in Geelong.
Recycling
Barwon Water has been actively pursuing recycled water opportunities for many years. It currently
has commercial arrangements with golf courses, vineyards, food growers, and flower and turf
growers for Class C water from Black Rock and other water reclamation plants.
In some cases, such as golf courses, use of recycled water represents potable substitution. In the
agricultural uses the recycled water provides a more reliable water supply than seasonal rain.
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Opportunities for using recycled water are continuing to be investigated. Barwon Water is
considering using localised sewage treatment plants to “mine” water from sewers for local
applications, particularly for industrial and agricultural use.
Central region sustainable water strategy
The approach identified in the Central Region Sustainable Water Strategy in relation to balancing the
communities water needs into the future included (p45):
• protecting and where necessary improving the health of rivers and aquifers;
• conserving and using our existing water supplies more efficiently;
• interconnecting water supply systems;
• making use of alternative sources; and
• augmenting current urban supply systems.
Desalination
Desalination of seawater offers an unlimited resource. It is still very expensive relative to other water
sources but costs are decreasing. If the price of water was to increase, desalination could become a
viable option for Geelong and coastal communities.
Barwon Water is keeping a watch on desalination technology, but is not planning for any plants
within the next 20 years.
High energy costs and high levels of green house emissions associated with current technologies
raise sustainability issues regarding the appropriateness of desalination at the present time.
Melbourne interconnection
An interconnection with the Melbourne Water system could provide up to 10,000 megalitres per year
for Geelong. This would require construction of a 42 kilometre pipeline from Cowies Hill basin, near
Werribee, to the Lovely Banks basin. The supply would be one way with no infrastructure to deliver
Geelong water into the Melbourne system.
G21 Region Plan
Although the volume of water that could be supplied to Geelong is very small in comparison with
Melbourne Water’s overall entitlement, potential environmental issues in Melbourne’s catchments
would need to be investigated. In addition, Melbourne’s water supply is fluoridated, which could be
an issue when blended with Geelong’s non-fluoridated water.
This option for augmenting Geelong’s water supply would not be required for at least 10 years and is
unlikely to be considered until after groundwater augmentation.
West Gellibrand interconnection
Interconnecting the Barwon and Gellibrand systems could provide up to 6,000 megalitres per year to
the Geelong system. This would require a pipeline from the West Gellibrand Reservoir to the West
Barwon Reservoir. As noted above, there would be significant environmental and community issues
to overcome before the interconnection could be implemented.
This option for augmenting Geelong’s water supply, which is preferred by Barwon Water over the
Melbourne interconnection, would not be required for at least 10 years and is unlikely to be
considered until after groundwater augmentation.
West Moorabool - Lal Lal reservoir
An agreement has been in place since the construction of the Lal Lal Reservoir, which provides for
Barwon Water to transfer its entitlement of 7,000 megalitres per year to Central Highlands Water for
Ballarat. Under the agreement Central Highlands Water is required to assist Barwon Water with
finding an alternative resource.
Due to the serious water shortages experienced by Ballarat in recent years, and the difficulty in
finding new water sources, the Government considers the transfer of Geelong’s Lal Lal entitlement as
a key augmentation option for Central Highlands Water (Sustainable Water Strategy, Central Region
Discussion Paper 2005).
Source: Discussion Paper – Sustainable Water Strategy Central Region – Department of Sustainability
and Environment - 2005
9.3
Sewerage
Existing capacities
Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula
Sewage from the Geelong urban area, Lara, Leopold, Drysdale/Clifton Springs, Torquay, Barwon
Heads, Ocean Grove and Queenscliff / Point Lonsdale is transferred to the Black Rock Water
Reclamation Plant, near Breamlea. This plant treats 55 megalitres per day of raw sewage with Class
C treated water being recycled through local agricultural, horticultural and golf course watering or
discharged to the ocean.
Biosolids from the plant are currently stored and dried at the Western Treatment Plant (Melbourne
Water) for use as a soil supplement on private agricultural land. This arrangement will be
discontinued in the next few years and Barwon Water proposes to have all biosolids processed on a
site adjacent to the reclamation plant, for subsequent recycling.
The Black Rock WRP processes around 80% of Barwon Water’s sewage. It also receives a large
volume of trade waste from wool processing industries, textile industries, tanneries and a major
petrochemical industry, which is relatively difficult to treat. The plant is also subject to large
fluctuations in flows due to infiltration and inflow to sewers during wet weather.
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Portarlington
Other townships
The Portarlington Water Reclamation Plant treats sewage from Portarlington, Indented Head and St.
Leonards. The Plant has an average daily flow of 1.5 megalitres per day with the Class C treated
water being used for watering tree lots and local vineyards.
Bannockburn
Colac
The Colac Water Reclamation Plant, which has recently been upgraded, has an average daily flow of
five megalitres per day with the Class C treated water being discharged into Lake Colac.
A significant proportion of the flow into the Colac WRP is from two industries with different trade
waste characteristics, making the operation of the plant more complex. The plant is also subject to
high flows during wet weather.
The plant has the most stringent effluent licence of all Barwon Water’s water reclamation plants due
to the discharge into Lake Colac.
Coastal townships
Apollo Bay / Skenes creek
The Apollo Bay Water Reclamation Plant has an average daily flow of one megalitre per day,
producing Class C water, which is discharged to the ocean. Some treated water is used at a local
plant nursery.
Aireys Inlet
The Aireys Inlet Water Reclamation Plant has an average daily flow of 0.35 megalitres per day,
producing Class C water, all of which is used to water tree lots adjacent to the plant. It is a
requirement of the EPA licence that all the water is recycled.
The Bannockburn Water Reclamation Plant has an average daily flow of 0.18 megalitres per day,
Winchelsea
The Winchelsea Water Reclamation Plant has an average daily flow of 0.21 megalitres per day,
Constraints
Environmental responsibilities
Barwon Water has environmental responsibilities under the Environment Protection Act 1970 and is
regulated by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). EPA controls are not limited to sewage
treatment licence obligations and standards, but include trade waste management and water
conservation.
An important component of Barwon Water’s Sewerage Strategy is the conservation of resources,
aimed at reducing the volume of sewage and trade waste. It is also aiming to improve the quality of
industrial waste water discharged into the system to minimise impact on the environment. The overall
objective is to promote ecologically sustainable industries in accordance with Government policy.
Land disposal
Lorne
Many of the water reclamation plants in the G21 Region use land disposal to on-site tree lots. This
form of disposal is limited by the size of the plantation and soil conditions and requires careful
control to maintain a sustainable disposal system.
The Lorne Water Reclamation Plant has an average daily flow of one megalitre per day, producing
Class C water, which is discharged to the ocean.
As development occurs in these areas, tree lots need to be expanded or alternatives to on-site land
disposal found to take the additional flows.
Anglesea
Ocean outfalls
The Anglesea Water Reclamation Plant has an average daily flow of 0.8 megalitres per day,
producing Class B water, which is used for golf course and recreation ground watering or discharged
to the ocean.
Ocean outfalls are used at Lorne, Apollo Bay, Anglesea and Black Rock. The Government requires
that the quality of water discharged to the ocean is improved and reduced, with discharge ceasing if
possible at some time in the future (White Paper). Alternative disposal methods will need to be
found, including increasing the use of recycled water.
The Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay plants are subject to highly seasonal flows due to the influx of
holidaymakers, with a 50% surcharge in Apollo Bay and a 100% surcharge in Lorne and Anglesea.
The EPA is working with industries and water authorities to reduce pollutant loads and review existing
discharge licences to progressively reduce discharge impacts.
Lorne and Apollo Bay plants are also subject to higher flows in wet weather.
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G21 Region Plan
Opportunities
Water mining
Recycling
Water mining, or sewer mining, is the process of intercepting the flow in sewers at a local site
(“mining”) and treating the water for use in local recycling projects. This enables recycled water to be
tailored for specific uses in local areas and also reduces the load on the sewerage system.
The Government strongly supports the use of recycled water and requires urban water authorities to
prepare and implement Sustainability Plans, which must include a program for water recycling.
Under its Water Recycling Policy, Barwon Water aims to establish the use of recycled water as a key
element in the sustainable management of water as a limited resource, and encourage its
commercial use while ensuring the highest environmental standards in land-use and recycled water
management.
Barwon Water has prepared a Water Recycling Strategy and is committed to promoting and
providing recycled water services. Through the strategy, which was prepared in response to the Water
Resources Development Plan, Barwon Water has committed to a water recycling target of 25% by
2015, equivalent to recycling 6,500 megalitres per year by 2015.
Barwon Water has established a number of commercial arrangements to supply recycled water,
including vineyards, golf courses and agriculture and is pursuing further opportunities. It will be
necessary to expand the market considerably and to attract investment in recycled water infrastructure
to meet targets set by the Government and the authority.
Increasing the use of recycled water is dependent on a number of factors:
• establishing and maintaining a recycled water market;
• willingness of customers to use the product and to pay a reasonable price;
• determining a reasonable price, reflecting the principles of user pays, polluter pays
(generator) and beneficiary pays;
• infrastructure to get the product to the customer; and
• commercial viability for Barwon Water and customers.
Barwon Water has investigated water mining and conducted a trial. An opportunity in the Clifton
Springs / Leopold area will be evaluated in more detail and compared with the need for a significant
upgrade of the sewerage system between Leopold and Geelong. This will form part of a more
detailed strategic assessment of the sewerage management of the whole Bellarine Peninsula, which is
currently underway.
Future infrastructure
Geelong sewerage strategy
Barwon Water has prepared the Geelong Sewerage Strategy that aims for sustainable management
of sewage and trade waste and to meet expected population and industrial growth over the next 40
years. This strategy also updates and extends the 1996 Geelong Trunk Sewer Strategy that provides
for augmentation of major sewers including the outfall sewer.
A number of options have been considered including a new water reclamation plant in the northern
suburbs and connection to Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant. All options were designed
to meet major sewerage infrastructure needs for the next 40 years without replacing major sewers
through central Geelong.
A major strategic assessment of the Bellarine Peninsula sewerage system is currently underway. This
work will determine the most suitable strategy for continuing to provide sewerage services to the
towns on the Bellarine Peninsula for the next 40 years.
Northern water reclamation plant
Dual reticulation
The Northern Water Reclamation Plant (NWRP) is the preferred option to meet Geelong’s future
needs. The NWRP would be built in partnership with the Shell Refinery as the major consumer of the
recycled water from the plant. The plant would process sewage from northern Geelong and Lara,
and all trade waste and stormwater runoff from the refinery.
As noted above, Barwon Water is not encouraging dual pipe reticulation in new developments at this
stage, but will continue to investigate risks and options.
Although Shell would be the main user of the recycled water, water would also be available for local
industries and for watering parks and sports grounds.
Aquifer storage and recovery
Connection to Melbourne’s western treatment plant
Storing recycled water in local groundwater aquifers for later recovery and re-use can enable greater
volumes of recycled water to be generated with less discharged to the ocean or land disposal. There
are some areas in the Region where this might be possible but significant investigations,
environmental assessment and community consultation will be required.
Connection to Melbourne Water’s Western Treatment Plant would involve constructing two pipelines
over the 30 kilometres from Corio to the WTP at Werribee. One pipeline would transfer sewage to
the WTP and the other would return treated water to the Shell Refinery.
A significant factor in advancing water recycling in the Region is to maximise private sector
partnerships to develop more opportunities.
Apart from being more expensive compared to the NWRP, the WTP option would not recycle the
same volumes and would not conserve drinking water. For these reasons this option is no longer
considered viable.
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9.5
Trunk sewers
The following augmentation works are planned by Barwon Water as part of the Geelong Sewerage
Strategy:
• replacement of a one-kilometre section of ovoid sewer between the Geelong Racecourse in
Breakwater and Carr Street in South Geelong (2015-2020);
• new booster pumping station at the corner of Barwon Terrace and Swanston Street, South
Geelong, at the existing Excelsior sewage pumping station site (2015-2020); and
• new sewage pumping station and a 10-kilometre long pipeline between Reserve Road
Marshall and Black Rock water reclamation plant, parallel to the existing large sewer
between Geelong and Black Rock (2015).
Townships
Colac Otway Shire is preparing a wastewater strategy for Birregurra and this scheme is expected to
be completed in the next few years.
Sewering of Skenes Creek is underway.
Barwon Water is developing long-term strategies for Portarlington, Winchelsea, Lorne, Apollo Bay,
Colac, Aireys Inlet, Anglesea and Bannockburn.
9.4
Planning for future growth
Barwon Water has a responsibility to provide water and sewerage services within its district, and plans
new resources and infrastructure improvements to meet growth, within hydraulic and resource
constraints. In consultation with local government and the Victorian Department of Sustainability and
Environment, Barwon Water has undertaken a detailed investigation to determine the likely
population increases in the G21 Region over the next 40 years and is preparing strategies to enable
it to provide the infrastructure to serve this population.
The White Paper has set a clear sustainability agenda for the water industry. It will be necessary to
ensure the environmental needs of rivers and streams are addressed when assessing available
resources or discharging waste water. It will be necessary to make maximum use of recycled water
and to minimise sewage discharge to the ocean. It will be necessary to consider dependent surface
water systems when extracting groundwater. And as environmental entitlements are now formally
recognised they must also be taken into account.
The implications of meeting sustainability objectives are considerable. The Barwon/Moorabool
system is effectively over allocated and some water will probably be returned to the environment as
entitlements are reviewed over time. Otway Coast systems are still within sustainable limits but they
are generally in sensitive environmental areas, so any additional supplies will need to be
“negotiated” with the environment.
The Gellibrand River represents a potential source of new water for the G21 Region. Although the
system is in excellent health, any additional allocation for Geelong will be subject to close scrutiny to
ensure that the condition of the stream is maintained, especially with the hotter and drier conditions
expected over coming years.
At the other end of the spectrum, recycled water will need to play a more significant role in meeting
sustainability objectives. The community generally supports recycled water use but is still unsure if it is
safe. It will need to recognise its responsibilities as a polluter and embrace recycled water as an
alternative water source. Water authorities will need to set reasonable prices for recycled water, from
a sustainability perspective not purely from a commercial perspective, to encourage its use.
And finally, the value of water must be recognised and priced to the community to reflect its true
value. This will encourage water conservation and recycling, and increase the viability of other
technologies such as desalination.
Industry is also predicted to grow with higher volumes of industrial discharges (trade waste) flowing
into the Geelong sewerage system.
It is estimated that the combination of population growth and increased trade waste flows will cause
a 50% increase in flow volumes entering the Geelong sewerage system over the next 40 years.
As new growth areas are identified, Barwon Water works with municipal planners to ensure that the
areas can be serviced, and incorporates the necessary capital works in its 10-year investment plan.
Augmentation works are planned to overcome any capacity issues that might arise in existing areas
due to growth or changes in the operation of the system. These works are also incorporated in the
10-year investment plan.
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G21 Region Plan
10
Challenges for the Region Plan
This section of the report identifies some of the key challenges that will be faced by the G21 Region
in preparing a regional plan with a 50 year time frame.
The purpose of the next stage of the study will involve preparing the plan for the region. Part of that
process will involve considering various options and alternatives for the region. The challenges
identified in this section begin the process of considering some of the key matters that will need to be
address and resolved in the next stage of the project.
Presently some 10% of Geelong’s workforce travels to Melbourne for work. Whilst 90% of work is
local, other than for service based jobs a high proportion of jobs are in traditional manufacturing
sectors of the economy. The manufacturing sector is likely to decline substantially in years to come.
Whilst it will remain as an important component of a diversified economy, it will not provide sufficient
new jobs for a growing regional population. Geelong has relatively low levels of employment in key
future growth sectors such as property and business services, finance and insurance, and
communications services. This is a common trend in second tier cities and regional centres that are
close to larger cities, as such jobs gravitate towards higher order State capitals. In order to be
attractive to such economic sectors Geelong must achieve a threshold size that justifies the location
of such activities within the Region.
Population of Major Australian Cities and Metropolitan Regions
10.1 The benefits of a larger regional population
Geelong is a second tier city in the Australian context. In the hierarchy of Australian cities, in terms of
population size, it sits way below the major State capitals, whilst being larger than the smaller capitals
of Darwin and Hobart. It is also considerably smaller than its NSW city / regional counterparts of
Newcastle / Hunter (590,000) and Wollongong / Illawarra (400,000).
The entire G21 Region (255,000) and the city of Geelong itself (160,000), are considerably smaller
than most of the key outer suburban regions within the State capitals of Melbourne and Sydney.
These suburban regions are relevant comparisons, as many have strong economies with both
National and international linkages to growing economic sectors, have busy and active town centres
that provide an increasing proportion of jobs and higher order services and facilities to their regional
populations, and are increasingly becoming economically independent of their central city business
districts.
Suburban localities in the western suburbs of Sydney have populations of 265,000 - Blacktown,
295,000 - Parramatta (Central Western Sydney), 348,000 - Fairfield / Liverpool and 400,000 Baulkham Hills / Hornsby (Central North Sydney). The combined outer western suburbs of Sydney
have a population of around 1.3 million. In the Melbourne context the Berwick / Pakenham /
Cranbourne corridor has a population of around 228,000, which when combined with outer eastern
suburbs to include the corridor running from Ringwood through Dandenong to Frankston, has a
population of over 860,000.
The challenge facing Geelong is to evolve as a self-sustainable Region in which its population growth
is matched by growth in regional employment, rather than it becoming a dormitory suburb of
Melbourne with residents increasingly commuting to Melbourne for work. Much of the recent high
levels of growth experienced in the Region have been driven by people moving from Melbourne.
Unless local job growth increases, the risk exists that such residents will continue to commute to
Melbourne for work in the longer term.
A self-sustainable region is one in which a high level of access exists within the region, to
employment and to a wide range of higher order retail, social, community, sporting, entertainment
and cultural services and facilities etc.
G21 Region Plan
City / Region
Population 2001 (ERP)
Sydney
4,128,272
Melbourne
3,471,625
Brisbane
1,650,422
Perth
1,393,002
Adelaide
1,107,986
Newcastle (Hunter)
588,981
Baulkham Hills / Hornsby (Central North Sydney)
406,900
Wollongong (Illawarra)
399,987
Fairfield – Liverpool (Sydney)
348,080
Canberra
318,939
Parramatta (Central Western Sydney)
295,796
Blacktown (Sydney)
264,799
G21 Region
254,732
Ringwood Croydon Knox (Outer Eastern Melbourne)
247,712
South Eastern Melbourne Outer
228,572
Hobart
197,282
Geelong (urban area)
159,503
Yarra Ranges (Melbourne)
141,971
Greater Dandenong City
128,516
Frankston City
114,008
Darwin
106,842
700,000 to 800,000 threshold
Companies and business within the Region need to increasingly pursue overseas markets to grow
their business and to increase local employment. A larger more diversified economy can provide the
critical mass to increase national and international exposure and enable Geelong to emerge from
the shadow of Melbourne as a distinct economy.
Consultations undertaken as part of the study were critical of the current performance of the Geelong
central activities area as the principal activity centre in the region. Consultations also identified a
lack of higher order entertainment, cultural and other activities, and the generally diversity in those
activities that is be expected in a large cosmopolitan city. Diversity in all such higher order activities.
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The consultants believe that a population in the order of 700,000 to 800,000 people or more can
enable a region to be economically self sustainable, to pave its own way nationally and
internationally, to have a strong and diverse economic base linked to future growth sectors of the
economy, and to provide a cosmopolitan life style with a wide range of higher order services
expected in a major city. This is considerably larger than existing second tier cities and regions in
Australia (i.e. Wollongong, Newcastle, Canberra) and is approaching the size of the some major
suburban economic agglomerations that exist in metropolitan sectors in the outer suburbs of
Melbourne and Sydney.
Growth scenarios contained in Report 1 identified regional populations of 400,000, 500,000 to
600,000 by 2051. All are considerably less than the 700,000 to 800,000 referred to above. This
suggests that the Region will need to actively encourage high levels of sustainable growth over a
prolonged period to evolve into a more economically sustainable region. It will need to position itself
as a major growth node in a State as well as a national context. It will need to position itself to be
recognised by both State and Federal governments as a growth node of equal magnitude to those
located in capital cities. This will enable the G21 Region to attract the political support and level of
infrastructure funding that will be necessary to accommodate the population increases that are
expected to occur in a sustainable way.
10.2 Accommodating the expected population growth
Stage 3 of this study will consider options and alternatives for future urban development in the Region
over the next 50 years. This section of the Stage 2 report identifies a number of implications for
future urban development that have emerged from the work undertaken to date. They are presented
to stimulate thought and discussion in moving from the research phase of the study to the plan
preparation phase. They are not as yet fully investigated or researched options.
Consolidating and containing existing urban areas
A key challenge for the Region will be to consolidation and contain urban expansion.
Report 1 presented scenarios for a regional population of between 400,000 and 600,000 by 2051.
It also included information about possible future urban land requirements to accommodate such a
population. They ranged from around 2,345 hectares to nearly 17,000 hectares, depending on the
growth scenario, the degree to which consolidation of existing urban areas occurred, and the density
of development in greenfields locations. The mid point for the medium growth scenario (500,000
people by 2051), based on a medium density development outcome (30% of new dwellings in
existing urban areas and 15 dwellings per hectare in greenfields locations) resulted in a requirement
for around 6,500 hectares of land. The importance of urban consolidation in reducing the amount
of greenfields land required to accommodate future population growth is clearly critical.
Consolidation is necessary to contain one of a key relative advantages of the G21 Region, which is
the compactness of its urban areas and the high levels of accessibility this provides, and the low
levels of traffic congestion that exist.
Consolidation of existing urban areas should focus on activity centres and public transport routes, in
addition to consolidation throughout the balance of urban areas within the capacity of the character
of those neighbourhoods to absorb incremental change. Specific opportunities for substantial infill
development within the existing urban area need to be identified and pursued as individual project
initiatives. One such example is the Geelong Western Wedge. That is an area of underutilised land
located adjacent to the Geelong Railway Station, the Geelong CAA, Corio Bay, and including
Deakin University. It has considerable potential for higher density mixed use development.
Accommodating Geelong’s growth in transit orientated nodes on the edge
of Geelong
Regardless of the degree to which the G21 Region is able to consolidation and contain existing
urban areas, there is be a continued and ongoing need for greenfields development on the urban
fringe.
A number of principles exist to enhance the sustainability of urban development in greenfields
locations:
a higher density of development that results a greater number of people and jobs being located
closer to services and facilities and being more able to support a higher level of service and
infrastructure provision;
space;
improved public transport and improved opportunities for walking and cycling, and less reliance
on the car;
a mix of land uses in proximity to each other; and
protection of key environmental features.
Future large scale urban expansion should be planned to incorporate these principles from the
outset. Major urban expansion of Geelong should be planned to take the form of compact nodal
transit oriented development. This will require the designation of future development nodes on the
fringe of Geelong, of sufficient area to be structure planned in a way that will result in an effective
transit oriented form.
Information provided in Section 5 and Appendix 3 indicate that at present some 4,300 hectares of
land is designated and identified for possible future urban development within the Region (although
not all of that is locate in growth areas or will be available for development). The medium growth
scenario presented in Report 1 identified the amount of greenfields land required as ranging from
4,300ha to 12,900 ha depending on the rate of consolidation achieved and the density at which
greenfields development occurred.
The Armstrong Creek growth area provides the opportunity to achieve a nodal transit form of
development to the south of Geelong to accommodate the region’s next major phase of urban
development. However additional nodal development areas equivalent to the size of Armstrong’s
Creek will need to be identified around Geelong to accommodate development over a 50 year
timeframe. Such areas should be planned to:
to avoid environmental features and areas of high landscape significance;
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G21 Region Plan
be on direct arterial road links into the centre of Geelong;
either be on a railway line or have the potential for rail or an alternative high volume public
transport connection to central Geelong and to the Melbourne public transport system; and
be of sufficient size to support the social and community infrastructure required to become a
strong and sustainable community.
Potential areas for further investigation include areas to the north-west of Geelong (Geelong Ballan
Road), to the west of Geelong (west of Fyansford). In the very long term consideration could be given
to investigating areas to the south-west of Geelong, in the Freshwater Creek locality or beyond the
Barrabool Hills towards Moriac.
G21 Region Plan
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Planning regional growth nodes as sustainable towns
Considerable growth pressure is occurring and will continue to occur in Torquay / Jan Juc, in towns
on the Bellarine Peninsula and in Golden Plains, particularly in Bannockburn. Strategic planning to
date has concentrated on accommodating future short to medium term development trends having
regard to environmental considerations and community attitudes.
Incremental growth of rural towns
As part of a sustainable urban development strategy the need exists to consider the long term
development potential of these areas with a focus sustainability, balancing environment
considerations with social and economic concerns. In the strategic planning of these areas
consideration should be given to the ultimate population size of towns (or clusters of towns) and the
opportunity to realise rail or alternative high volume public transport connections in the longer term:
Colac, Bannockburn and Queenscliffe have an administrative role as they are the location of local
government.
Torquay / Jan Juc – Can the town grow to the 20,000 to 30,000 threshold considered as a
benchmark to support a rail extension or alternative high volume public transport link. Does the
opportunity exist for another nodal transit oriented ‘suburb’ to be established between Armstrong
Creek and Torquay in the very long term, to provide further population along a potential rail
corridor, whilst retaining separation between nodes to retain the individual identify of the
settlements.
Bellarine Peninsula Towns – Can the population of the numerous individual towns on the Bellarine
Peninsula grow to a levels protects the environment values of the Peninsula, but when combined
provides a population size sufficient to support rail or an equivalent alternative form high volume
public transport from a central nodal point somewhere on the Peninsula.
Bannockburn – Whilst a small town as present Bannockburn has been the fastest growing
townships in the Region over the past decade. Substantial areas of land around the town have
been zoned for future urban development. Does Bannockburn have the potential to evolve into a
major growth settlement to the west of Geelong, with a population sufficient to support high
volume public transport? How might Bannockburn’s future relate to the potential that may exist
for a new nodal of urban development, for possible for a major concentration of industrial
development, to the west of Fyansford.
Torquay / Jan Juc and towns on the Bellarine Peninsula abut environmentally sensitive and highly
valued coastlines and are surrounded by attractive rural landscapes. Investigations of opportunities
for a more sustainable urban form should not undermine the protection of those features.
Recognising the limits to development in coastal towns, within a
sustainability framework
The Great Ocean Road Regional Strategy provides direction regarding the future development of
towns along the Great Ocean Road. The coastal towns of Anglesea, Aireys Inlet / Fairhaven and
Lorne have limited development potential. Their planning should occur independent of the need to
accommodate regional population growth pressures. The GORRS identifies that these towns should
not be expanded beyond existing boundaries. It refers to the need to have regard to environmental
and neighbourhood character considerations for any redevelopment within the boundaries of the
towns. However consideration needs to be given to the long term sustainability of these small
settlements within the above policy framework. Emphasis needs to be given to the way areas within
designated urban boundaries may evolve overtime to achieve a more sustainable urban form that
balances environmental and character considerations, with longer term social and economic
considerations.
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Apollo Bay is identified in the Great Ocean Road Regional Strategy as having the potential to
accommodate a higher level of development than other towns along the Great Ocean Road
(excluding Torquay / Jan Juc).
Other rural towns vary in size, role and function. Generally they are not subject to the significant
development pressures experienced by towns along the coast, or closer to Geelong.
Towns such as Colac and Winchelsea have very significant development potential. Their potential is
limited more by the relatively low rates of development that have been occurring the past, rather than
by physical constraints.
To varying degrees these towns provide:
services and facilities for surrounding rural populations; and
lifestyle alternatives away from Geelong and the coastal settlements.
These towns should be planned to continue to perform this role.
Otway / coastal hinterland
Increasingly rural towns west of Geelong, to the south of the Princess Highway corridor and to the
north of the Otway Ranges, have the potential to provides alternatives to the coastal towns along the
Great Ocean Road, both for employees working in coastal, and as holiday and tourist destinations.
Other than for Apollo Bay future development opportunities in the coastal towns is limited. Whilst
ongoing sensitive infill development will continue, they do not have the potential to continue to grow
to accommodate demand for coastal real estate. Due to the high price of housing may people who
work in and service the populations of the coastal towns live in other nearby locations.
Increasingly these towns will accommodate spill over pressures from the coastal towns, and
development a strong tourist and lifestyle role given their location in the beautiful Otway region.
Key issues to address in the planning of these towns will be:
size and role of the towns in terms of establishing sustainable communities;
providing access to higher order towns, services and facilities in the region, especially by public
transport;
the delivery community, social and human service programs to towns with small population bases;
and
providing adequate social and engineering infrastructure to accommodate anticipated growth.
G21 Region Plan
10.3 Refocussing the economy
The analysis of the economy of the Region has indicated the necessity of facilitating the growth of the
economy of the Region with more sustainable sectors contributing a higher level of value adding and
development of industries which will be competitive internationally. People are likely to be attracted
to an area because it offers opportunities for employment and education. This is important to the
G21 Region as the opportunities are more limited than in Melbourne.
In order to attract and retain knowledge and skill to supply labour markets, the Region needs to take
initiatives to grow innovation and creativity. Important to this outcome is to create a lifestyle and
community which values diversity, has a strong research and development capacity drawn from its
education institutions and an entrepreneurial culture.
G21 Region Plan
The liveability of the Region is a critical factor in developing theses characteristics, through the
development of vibrant and attractive activity centres, cultural activities and facilities. The Region has
the opportunity to leverage local competitive advantage in areas such as:
tourism;
education; and
health industries.
production through improved logistics and distribution, creation of new export products / packaging
/ branding or movement into new national or international markets.
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Developing an innovation culture is important and further enhancing initiatives such as the Geelong
Technology Precinct will contribute significantly to this outcome.
Planning the future direction and form of the G21 Region at this relatively early stage will ensure that
the Region has a well structured settlement pattern to ensure the production. A Region which has
effective growth management processes is also going to be well placed to achieve these outcomes.
Development of a strong network of activity centres in the region, highly accessible by public and
private transport will also assist the economic growth through minimising transport costs and
promoting efficiency in transport movement. Critical to this is developing the role and identity of the
Geelong Centre Activity Area as a higher order centre, providing the higher order functions within the
Region including the most intense concentration of development. It should be a vibrant and attractive
centre with a focus on services and functions such as commercial, retail, housing, highly specialised
personal services, education, government and tourism.
A robust network of centres provides the structure for a sustainable pattern of urban development by:
facilitating the provision of an efficient and effective public transport system;
providing a focus for government investment in centres-based infrastructure and services; and
facilitating the growth of new businesses particularly small to medium sized enterprises.
An important aspect will be to ensure a role and focus for key administrative and service centres
around the Region such as Colac, Bannockburn, Torquay and Queenscliffe.
An important component of future economic growth in the Region is the availability of an adequate
supply of appropriately zoned industrial land in the region. A number of stakeholders have raised
concerns about the current supply of industrial land for small to medium sized businesses.
The potential for location of industrial development on highly accessible transport routes, particularly
the proposed western by-pass has also been raised as a key opportunity to facilitate new investment
and jobs in the region.
10.4 Managing high levels of growth
Key issues that have emerged from the research and consultation undertaken in Stage 1 and Stage 2
of this project include:
The need for a common data base for the Region to understand the level and rate of growth of
the region, current infrastructure and service needs and the forecast demand for infrastructure and
services.
The associated opportunity to adequately program budgets and infrastructure and service delivery
to provide the appropriate level of services and infrastructure to meet the needs of the growing
community. This needs to recognise the extent of any current under provision of infrastructure or
services, or the inappropriate location or delivery of services/ infrastructure.
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The alignment of statutory processes for changing zoning of land to permit development and the
identification and programming of infrastructure funding and delivery of services to accord with
statutory processes.
A regional coordination structure could be established with the role of the primary advisory and
coordination body overseeing the implementation of regional planning in the G21 Region. This role
could include the following activities:
collating and disseminating data and information of regional planning significance from and for
relevant agencies, interested parties and the public;
coordinating and integrating other regional sectoral strategies eg health, water, sport and
recreation and other regional growth management activities;
ensuring that the strategic priorities of Governments are consistent;
providing advice on significant regional infrastructure needs and priorities;
assisting agencies and Governments to plan for and resource regional planning activities, by
developing a 12 month forward program of its priorities;
advising the Local, State and Commonwealth Governments on issues of regional significance;
providing a forum to foster discussion and resolution of conflicts on regional issues affecting the
G21 region;
coordinating the implementation, monitoring, review and ongoing development of the Regional
Plan; and
coordinating the implementation and monitoring of regional sectoral strategies eg health, water,
sport and recreation.
Consideration of role of non-government interest groups and organisations and the opportunity to
involve such groups in the regional planning activities that G212 currently provides. For example:
advising on how specific initiatives are impacting on its sectors and suggesting alterations and
improvements based on this advice;
providing non-government sector views on monitoring and review activities, and infrastructure
coordination activities; and
providing advice on consultation initiatives of the project.
This could include representatives from human services, women, Indigenous people, business, land
development, trade unions, environment, rural.
The role of State Government agencies could include coordination arrangements, as necessary, to:
manage the implementation of priority actions for which they are the designated lead agency;
provide input into ongoing planning or sectoral strategy initiatives at the regional level;
participate in infrastructure and services coordination arrangements at the regional and subregional level; and
reconcile, as far as possible, the views of State agencies to promote a coordinated approach to
regional growth management.
G21 Region Plan
State and Local Governments should examine their statutory planning documents to identify actions
required to implement the Regional Plan. This could involve an assessment of the need to prepare or
review statutory planning instruments (State Planning Policies at the State level and planning schemes
at the Local Government level) and prepare a program for the implementation of the actions
identified through this process.
There are currently in operation two key co-ordination groups undertaking some of these roles –
these groups are:
This program could set out priorities, a timetable and an estimate of resource implications for each
agency for the achievement of implementation of these actions. Joint funding of planning scheme
amendments, negotiated with individual Local Governments, could facilitate this.
In the short term, these two groups could develop an arrangement for the distribution of
responsibilities for these roles.
G21 Region Plan
The G21 Geelong Region Alliance.
The State government’s South West Regional managers Forum.
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