Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj says there are good things happening in Geelong’s CBD
Soon after his friend and former council colleague Darryn Lyons labelled central Geelong “an absolute sh-thole”, mayor Stretch Kontelj invited the Addy on a walking tour of the CBD to highlight the “green shoots” he says are proof the city centre is turning the tide.
“It’s like music to my ears.”
Stretch Kontelj’s sense of excitement is obvious as concrete is poured as part of the Batman Group’s development on the southwestern corner of the Little Malop and Moorabool street intersection – widely known as Lloyds Corner.
“It’s the sound of progress,” he says.
Emerging from the hospitality strip that has been one of the few shining lights in a city centre beset by boarded up buildings and closed shopfronts, someone wearing a Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union hoodie is spotted entering the Hamilton Group’s Bright and Hitchcock construction site.
The mayor – a long-time Liberal Party member – is asked if it’s the first time he’s been happy to see a CFMEU member.
“No comment,” he responds wryly.
Rumours abound that the Hamilton Group’s recent work on the 170-year-old former department store that sits directly opposite Lloyds Corner has been sparked by an all-but-sealed deal with an international retailer.
Director Cam Hamilton says the deal is “98 per cent done” and will see the retailer filling close to half of the four-level space.
“They’re a real drawcard … it’s really positive, they’re new to Geelong, (been) trying to come to Geelong for a long time but haven’t been able to find the right space,” he says.
“We are talking to someone else that will come along if and when we sign the deal …(the) same agent represents both companies.”
The Hamilton Group has been widely lauded for its work restoring aged buildings and a rejuvenated Bright and Hitchcock building, combined with the Lloyds Corner development, will instil confidence and make Moorabool St much more aesthetically pleasing, Mr Hamilton says.
“I think Geelong is in a really good place in general, growing really strongly and I think the CBD will experience that growth as well,” he says.
“All these things have waves and while we might be in a bit of a bad section at the moment, I’m sure it will come good.”
‘THIRD-RATE COUNTRY’
“At the moment, downtown CBD looks like a third-rate country, it’s an embarrassment, really, an absolute disaster” – Stretch Kontelj, October 2024
Mr Kontelj, previously a councillor from 1998 to 2015, campaigned largely of rejuvenating central Geelong.
Just moments after his formal election as mayor in November, he stated his intention to “make our CBD great again”.
While his preoccupation with the city centre has riled some of his council colleagues, his enthusiasm to drive change is obvious, even by those who dislike his approach or political bent.
He may have understated the time it will take for meaningful change to occur, but he is adamant the tide is turning.
“It all takes time but if you don’t start, you’ll never get there,” he says.
“I’m trying to instil confidence, positivity into the city … any one of these (projects or initiatives) on its own, you’d say ‘that’s nothing much, nothing much, nothing much’, but if you start looking at as a whole, you can see there’s a movement and general direction.
“There is definitely a rejuvenation happening.”
‘GREEN SHOOTS’
The first signs of an improvement in an economy that is performing badly – Cambridge dictionary
Beyond the buildings, Mr Kontelj says a range of measures are in the works that will make the city centre more appealing for people to visit.
They include a weekly Little Malop St market, the installation of planter boxes on Moorabool St north of Ryrie St, and instigating discussions with Deakin University regarding the return of the “father and son” clock at the top of its T&G building that he says was raised Corio MP Richard Marles.
“People would come back into town just to see that,” Mr Kontelj says.
“There’s been a whole generation of people who haven’t see that, but I remember when I was a kid, you’d literally look forward to coming into town to see that.”
But for Mr Kontelj, a major piece of the puzzle is convincing the state government to turn the CBD into a special economic zone, something his Melbourne counterpart Nick Reece has also sought.
The Property Council has proposed the concept, which it says will activate development through combining special planning schemes with tax incentives.
The move, Mr Kontelj says, will help get the 15 projects that have high-density permits approved in Geelong’s CBD off the ground.
“I’ve met with developers to map out what that (economic zone) would look like so I can start prosecuting that with the state government,” he says.
“So apart from the physical stuff you are seeing – the green shoots – there is a lot of thinking and talking going on about shaping policy to improve the economic viability of permits that are sitting there but not coming out of the ground because they are simply not viable.
“If each level government is serious about revitalising the CBD, they need to play their role.
“I think it’s going to be a surge into 2026.”
Geelong MP Christine Couzens says the state government’s commitment to revitalising central Geelong is clear, pointing to projects such as the Geelong Arts Centre, laneway projects, and the new convention centre.
“There is still a lot to do, and I expect the City of Greater Geelong to work with the state government in the best interests of the Geelong community,” she says.
BIGGEST HURDLE
The redevelopment of the Market Square site is front and centre in any discussion regarding the renewal of the CBD.
The previous council endorsed a draft masterplan in an effort to spark some action, and in March the Committee for Geelong released its vision for the area.
And while Mr Kontelj should be given credit for broking a meeting with the site’s Singaporean owners and Mr Marles in April, there has been next to no news on its future since.
A spokeswoman for Davinski Nominees, which purchased the site from council for $32m in 1996, said there was no update.
Mr Kontelj says he is focusing on facilitating a meeting with Davinski and development companies as part of a push towards a joint venture.
“To do nothing is not an option, we have to get that site redeveloped by hook or by crook, whatever that is,” he says.
“My preference is it’s a private investor-led development, but compulsory acquisition is not off the table, for me that’s the plan B.
“I want to help them (Davinski) achieve the potential that site has got and at the moment, simply tidying it up and putting tenants in there is not achieving its potential, nor is it something we can tolerate as a city.”
Mr Hamilton says the Market Square redevelopment was crucial for the CBD to realise its potential.
“We just need these guys to do something,” he says, gesturing to Market Square.
“They hold a big card in respect to making this area a lot nicer … I thought they had a plan but I’m now starting to question that.”
WHERE THINGS ARE AT …
BRIGHT & HITCHCOCK
Work has commenced on its redevelopment amid negotiations between its owner and an international retailer.
Cam Hamilton says the deal is very close to being done and if it is, he says it will be the biggest addition to the CBD in a long time.
LLOYDS CORNER
Paul Votsaris of the Batman Group says three tenancies have already been signed and aiming to be open by Christmas – one is believed to be a national burger chain.
Depending on the upper level split, there will be a further 5-10 tenancies to fill, including a rooftop bar operator.
“What we’ve found with hospitality in the Little Malop precinct, every time there is a new addition of a new restaurant, a new bar, it’s brought new business for the other traders, it hasn’t taken away,” he says.
“Lloyds Corner and Bright and Hitchcock happening simultaneously is great – it’s going to be a massive bang.”
MARKET SQUARE
The future of the once-thriving shopping centre remains unclear.
Communication between council and the overseas owners returning is a positive, but many fear that its much needed redevelopment is several years away.
Compulsory acquisition has been floated, but that process, should it be initiated, will likely be a lengthy one.
Mr Kontelj says he wants the redevelopment to be “architecturally significant and very distinctive, an interesting building that would become a destination in its own right”.
BELCHER’S CORNER
Council forced the demolition of the existing building on the corner of Moorabool and Ryrie streets over safety concerns.
It is owed more than $4m for its work to stabilise, monitor, report and ultimately demolish the building.
Mr Kontelj says council could introduce a special rate and charge that would be registered on the title as a priority debt.
“We’ve got a very big lever to pull here and I’ve been encouraging the council to do exactly that if we can’t come to an arrangement, we will have to force this one on,” he says.
“I’ve got officers talking about how we can come to an arrangement where the City of Greater Geelong takes ownership of this site in exchange for wiping the debt.
“Once we control this site, we can do whatever, we can open this up in the first instance to create a park, which would open up Shorts Place, so you could walk straight through to the hospitality precinct.”
REGENT THEATRE
The Hamilton Group continues to seek tenants to fill the four floors and 2200sq m of floor space.
The facade has been restored and Mr Hamilton says he is open to one tenant taking the entire space or split by floors.
“Our main aim was to get the facade done to spark a bit of interest, now we’re fielding inquiries and we’re always conscience that we don’t want to finish everything off because someone will come in and want something different,” he says.
“We normally get it to a stage, and it’s pretty much there, and then once we get a final tenant, we’ll finish it off … it needs to be flexible to any use.”
Originally published as Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj says there are good things happening in Geelong’s CBD
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