Future Geelong 2023: Linfox Aviation would match train station funding

Avalon Airport’s boss has committed to matching state and federal funding for a train station between Lara and Little River as the city maps out its future. VOTE FOR YOUR BIG IDEA

Future Geelong.

Linfox Aviation would match state and federal commitments to a train station near Avalon, the airport’s boss told the Future Geelong forum on Wednesday.

Chief executive officer Tony Brun said the company would put “skin in the game” for a train station to be built between Lara and Little River.

“Linfox Aviation has already committed that we will chip money into it,” he said.

Future Geelong.

Mr Brun reaffirmed the airport’s commitment to pushing for the station, complete with a “trackless tram” ferrying passengers to the airport.

The Geelong Advertiser’s Future Geelong campaign – aimed at ensuring the city remains the best to live, work and play in – culminated in a sold out forum.

Key community stakeholders, top demographers and leading employers gathered to map out the region’s growth.

Geelong faced unprecedented growth during the pandemic and is poised to reach 500,000 people by 2047, according to a Committee for Geelong report.

Demographics Group co-founder Simon Kuestenmacher told crowds the migration of Millennials to Geelong put the city in a prime growth position.

He called on the city to speak with a “single voice” to ensure its future remained strong.

“You need to create a whole community approach so people are speaking with one voice about the future of Geelong,” he said.

“There are growth opportunities out there that benefit everyone.”

Sentiments were echoed by Urbis director Kate Meyrick, who compared Geelong to growth cities around the world including Boulder in the United States and Liverpool in England.

She also encouraged growth across the business sectors, a focus on education retention and affordable housing.

“We need to think carefully about an inclusive housing strategy that allows us to age in place with dignity,” she said.

“(We need) a housing strategy that allows the people who make our economy to work here, and not have to travel such vast distances.”

The panel also featured input from Viva Energy’s Dale Cooper, GeelongPort chief executive Brett Winter, Geelong Advertiser editor Nadja Fleet, Avalon boss Tony Brun and Costa Asset Management’s Rob Costa.

Statistics from advisory service KPMG found Geelong and the Surf Coast was the state’s fastest growing regional areas between 2019-2022

Geelong added more than 8400 in that time, while the Surf Coast and Bellarine Peninsula grew by more than 13,000.

Originally published as Future Geelong 2023: Linfox Aviation would match train station funding