Geelong, Surf Coast police to ramp up patrols ahead of bumper weekend

Ahead of a bumper weekend of events in Geelong, police have issued a stern warning for drivers to be patient on the roads and “make the right choices”.

Sergeant Rob Hodge, left, Senior Constable Mat Byron and First Constable Michael Hikaka. Picture: Alison Wynd

Police will ramp up patrols ahead of a bumper weekend of events with about 10,000 people to flock to Geelong and the Surf Coast.

Seafood lovers will descend on Portarlington on Saturday for the annual mussel festival and Danny Hayes’ Million Dollar Bogan motorbike ride will be held on Sunday.

About 1100 motorbike riders will travel from Corio to Apollo Bay to raise funds and awareness for mental health.

Lorne Surf Life Saving Club hosted its Mountain to Surf fun run on Friday, with the Pier to Pub ocean swim being held on Saturday.

Geelong Highway Patrol Sergeant Dave Brockway said police were expecting about 10,000 to descend on the region over the weekend.

He encouraged drivers to “make the right choices”.

“We will be out targeted speeding and drink drivers, especially on back rural roads as well as targeting people coming down from Melbourne,” Sergeant Brockway said.

“There will be several units tasked in and around those events to ensure everyone can get there safely.

“It is going to be cooler (weather) than we expected which is good.”

Geelong is set to reach 20C on Saturday and 21C on Sunday, with cloudy conditions expected to stick around throughout the weekend.

Sergeant Brockway said police have “generally been happy” with driver behaviour in the first weeks of 2024, although a number of motorbike riders were caught speeding and drink driving.

“We will be out targeting motorcycle riders in the next two to three months during the warmer weather,” he said.

From January to June 2023, there were 14 crashes involving a motorbike rider in Greater Geelong and nine on the Surf Coast, according to TAC data.

In 2023, there will 11 fatalities on roads in Greater Geelong, of which two involved a motorbike rider, and two on the Surf Coast.

“We will continue to encourage the wider community to take a breath and be patient on the roads with the extra vehicles coming down to enjoy our lovely part of Victoria,” Sergeant Brockway said.

Surf Coast local area commander Inspector Ilena Pucar said police would also be targeting anyone not wearing a seatbelt and drivers using their phones behind the wheel.

“To those attending an event on the Surf Coast this weekend, we encourage you to have a great time, act responsibly and help ensure a positive experience for everyone,” she said.

Originally published as Geelong, Surf Coast police to ramp up patrols ahead of bumper weekend