Armstrong Creek Hotel project put forward by Australian Venue Co
Australian Venue Co has unveiled plans for a 455-capacity pub in Armstrong Creek, marking what would become the first establishment of its kind in Geelong’s fast-growing southern suburbs.
Australia’s second-biggest pub operator wants to open its fourth venue in the region, with its latest venture planned for a currently vacant block of land in Geelong’s fast-growing southern suburbs.
Australian Venue Co (AVC) has applied to the City of Greater Geelong for a permit that would see it build the first pub in the Mount Duneed and Armstrong Creek area that is now home to almost 25,000 people.
It would add to the company’s Eureka Hotel in central Geelong, Esplanade Hotel in Queenscliff, and Apollo Bay Hotel.
Located at 2-20 Unity Drive on the corner of the Surf Coast Highway, the Armstrong Creek Hotel, as it would be known, would have a capacity of 455 people, including almost 150 in an outdoor dining area and beer garden.
The application, not yet released for public consultation, stated the venue would be a “key catalyst for the area’s ongoing development”.
“The site is ideally suited to accommodate a vibrant food and beverage destination that will serve as a social and cultural anchor for the area,” it stated.
The bistro would be complemented by a “vibrant sports bar”, while the exterior would have a red brick facade and an open gable roof reaching a maximum height of 10m.
An electronic sign 11.4m high and 12.6m wide would sit in the northeastern corner of the site and promote upcoming events to passing motorists on the increasingly busy highway.
A carpark, located on the western portion of the 15,560sq m site, would have 91 spaces – half of the 182 required under the Geelong planning scheme.
It is not uncommon for a developer to request a reduction in carparking spaces as long as it can provide justification, such as nearby public transport services.
AVC declined to comment while the application process was ongoing.
The proposed location is 3km south of the Grovedale Hotel and opposite Armstrong Creek Town Centre and a string of fast food outlets that include McDonald’s, KFC, and Hungry Jack’s.
Also close by is Armstrong Barbecue, which opened in May 2024.
AVC made headlines last year when it apologised after a plan to ban Australia Day celebrations and acknowledgments at its almost 250 venues backfired.
The company, previously known as the Dixon Hospitality Group, announced in August that private equity firm CVC Capital Partners had acquired a 45 per cent stake from Hong Kong-based PAG.
Both CVC and PAG now each own 45 per cent, with the remainder held by company management.
“The combination of CVC and PAG as owners will allow the company to meet its growth strategies to revamp existing premises and deliver better customer experience while also funding new opportunities in major population centres,” AVC chief executive Paul Waterson said at the time.
Australian Leisure and Hospitality Group is Australia’s largest pub operator with more than 350 venues across the country, including the Gateway Hotel in Corio.
Originally published as Armstrong Creek Hotel project put forward by Australian Venue Co
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