REGIONAL ECONOMIC NEWS SUMMARY –

September 2015

Enterprise Geelong monitors and keeps newspaper clippings of our regional papers on topics relating to our Economy.

1 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / A $40m tip is planned for a quarry site on the Hamilton Highway at Stonehaven that would have an 80-100 year lifespan.
2 September 2015
Media Release / A National Institute of Economic and Industry Research evaluation of AVALON'S 2015 Australian International Airshow calculated that the week-long aerospace and defence exposition generated an estimated $146.2 million in total economic benefit for Victoria, including the creation of 2,000 full-time equivalent jobs. The benefits for the Geelong region included the addition of $22.1m to gross regional product and the generation of 258 full time equivalent employment positions. The event had over 169,251 visitations.
Geelong Advertiser / Stage four $89m redevelopment of Simonds Stadium starts today. This is the second last stage of the full stadium redevelopment and will increase seating capacity to 36,000, include a rehabilitation centre and a 600 capacity function room.
Geelong Advertiser / Victorian Builders Association figures show that in the past financial year, $1.28b worth of building permits were issued across Geelong; an increase of 24% on the last financial year. Health and Hospital building projects were the largest contributor with $148.9m worth of permits issued.
3 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / Bids close today for the LAND 400 defence contract, four companies are expected to bid with at least one said to be considering Geelong as its base.
A $20m upgrade of Jade Tiger Abalones Bellarine Peninsular facility to be completed in 2017 will create 42 new permanent full time jobs.
5 new schools are to open in the region for 2018; Armstrong Creek Special School, Armstrong Creek Primary, Bannockburn P-12, North Geelong Special Developmental School and Torquay North Primary School. They will include 360 special needs places at Armstrong Creek and North Geelong. (GA 12/8/15)
4 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / Alcoa officially closed its Anglesea coal mine and power station this week.
5 September 2015
Ballarat Courier / Golden Plains Shire has received $5.1m as part of the Federal Government’s assistance grants program. The grant consists of $1.9m in local road funding and $3.2m in general purpose grants. The City of Greater Geelong will receive more than $19m. Surf Coast Shire, Colac Otway Shire and the Borough of Queenscliffe also received grants.
7 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / Melbourne Landscape consultancy firm, Outlines, has been contracted to lead the $75m Malop to Myers Street Revitalisation Project.
9 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / Concrete reinforcing products manufacturer and supplier, AUSREO, has established its first regional service centre in Breakwater. AUSERO employs more than 250 staff in the 3 eastern states.
A $185,000 State Government grant will extend the Geelong Manufacturing Council’s Industry Innovation Program.
Work will begin this month on the first City in a Park Initiative project in the Myers Street hospital precinct.
Catholic Education has plans for 4 new Catholic schools in the region by 2025, (Primary schools in Bannockburn and Torquay North, a primary school in Armstrong Creek likely to open in 2020 and a secondary college in Armstrong Creek expected to open in 2019.)
10 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / The Victorian Government, the City of Greater Geelong and the Royal Geelong Yacht Club have provided funds for the development of a formal business case and masterplan for a Geelong Waterfront Safe Harbour.
A new feedmill, to be constructed and operated by Ridley Corporation in Geelong, will create 20 full time operational jobs.
Quicksilver’s Torquay store reopened after a $2m renovation.
11 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / Work has begun on the $100 million commercial precinct in Armstrong Creek. About 200 jobs will be created during construction.
12 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / An $8.1m elite sporting complex is being built at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus.
15 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / Work on the $29m Barwon Water building on Ryrie Street is about to begin, it is expected to be finished by mid 2017.
16 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / 2,650 people attended last month's annual Geelong Small Business Festival coordinated by Enterprise Geelong for the business community.
17 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / Residents in Golden plains will have access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme from 2017. Currently 160 people are working in NDIS trial offices in Geelong and Colac. Its estimated by July 2017, 330 NDIS employees will be based in Geelong.
18 September 2015
Tenders are being called for the next stage of the Portarlington Safe Harbour development.
19 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / A planned multi million dollar goat farm and milk powder production plant near Lara estimates it will employ 30 full time equivalent staff.
Epworth Geelong is on track for its official opening in mid 2016.
21 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / The Great Ocean Road Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery will create 57 full time jobs and contribute to Surf Coast Shire’s tourism sector, which itself contributes $84m to the region each year.
25 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / A planning application has been submitted for a haunted house theme park on the former Corio Distillery site in Corio. The operators, Spookers, say it would create hundreds of jobs and bring thousands of tourists to Geelong each month.
26 September 2015
Geelong Advertiser / Bell Park company, Multidrive Technology, has a contract to modify Toyota Landcruisers into 6 wheel heavy duty vehicles for a Queensland company and anticipate hiring an additional 10 to 15 staff.