‘Never be afraid to invest’: Councillor’s plea as Geelong waterfront transformation plan approved
Geelong council has unanimously backed a bold waterfront masterplan, with one councillor declaring the area rivals world-famous destinations like Venice Beach.
A Geelong councillor has told his colleagues that City Hall should “never be afraid of investing a dollar in the waterfront” because of the benefit it will bring.
Eddy Kontelj was one of a number of councillors who spoke in favour of a fresh masterplan for the area that was unanimously endorsed at the group’s final meeting of the year on Tuesday night.
Mr Kontelj, a waterfront resident, said Geelong residents should never underestimate the appeal of the area.
“People travel the world to places like Venice Beach, Santa Monica, to California for great waterfronts, Glenelg closer to home, Noosaville, all great, but I tell you, our waterfront challenges them all,” he said.
“We will never overcapitalise on the waterfront, our return on investment will come back in multiples, so we should never be afraid of investing a dollar in the waterfront.”
Mr Kontelj called on the pathways to be widened so events such as the Ironman 70.3 and the recently launched Geelong Running Festival offered the world-class infrastructure that was required.
“We need to continue to protect the integrity of the waterfront, continue to keep our eye on expanding its offerings and evolving the offerings,” he said.
“We need to continue to invest and invest hard in the waterfront because our return on investment will be extremely valuable for future generations.”
Council’s endorsement of the internally produced plan does not lock it in to any expenditure, rather it provides a framework to prioritise proposals, guide budgets, and support external funding, grants, and partnerships.
The creation of five distinct precincts and 32 projects, 12 of them “priority proposals”, underpins the plan.
This approach ensured connected planning, design, and management processes, the plan states.
The Western Beach Restoration Precinct includes Rippleside Park to Western Beach Boat Club, before becoming the Convention and Creativity Precinct that stretches to the east of Cunningham Pier.
Central Celebration Precinct incorporates Steampacket Pier to the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, while the Heritage Leisure Precinct takes in Eastern Beach and the accompanying reserve.
Limeburners Nature Precinct is the eastern most precinct, where key proposals include improve pedestrian infrastructure to Eastern Park and the Botanic Gardens.
Andrew Katos said investment that leveraged the impending opening of the $450m Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre would give council the “best bang for our buck”.
“The shoreline in front of that (precinct) has been forgotten for many years,” he said.
Melissa Cadwell and Anthony Aitken supported the plan with the caveat that it not be prioritised over masterplans that took in lower socio-economic areas within their wards.
“I certainly don’t want to see important resources diverted away from projects in the outer suburbs,” Ms Cadwell said.
“I got elected to make sure that we redress the balance, so that we actually ensure people in those suburbs, the outer suburbs essentially, get the funding and get the upgrades that they need.”
Trent Sullivan said the plan generated “overwhelmingly positive” feedback during a four-week public consultation phase.
EARLIER: Pier revamp, plaza, cultural walk in new Geelong waterfront plan
Transforming the northern end of Yarra St into a “plaza-style setting”, introducing a cultural walk highlighting landmarks of the Wadawurrung people, and adding more challenging features to a playground are just three of the priorities contained within a fresh masterplan for the Geelong waterfront.
Councillors will meet for the final time this year on Tuesday night, where they will be asked to endorse the 54-page plan following a period of public consultation that City Hall said confirmed strong support for a staged upgrade of the area.
“The plan provides a framework to prioritise proposals, guide council budgets, and support external funding, grants, and partnerships, the document states.
“Priority proposals have been identified to include a mix of early wins and catalyst initiatives, delivering tangible outcomes while advancing longer-term ambitions.”
Of the 32 recommended projects across five precincts, 12 have been classified as priorities.
A third of those fall within the Convention and Creativity Precinct that takes in the $450m Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre that will open in mid-2026.
An expansion of the Western Beach maritime area is cited, as is the redevelopment of the privately owned Cunningham Pier, and upgrade of the Poppy Kettle playground to enhance
existing play areas that provide engaging experiences for a range of ages and abilities.
“Accessible areas will continue to cater to younger children, while new, more challenging spaces will encourage physical activity and exploration for older kids,” the plan states.
Melbourne-based developer Tim Gurner announced his intention in October to develop Cunningham Pier, partnering with pier owner Costa Property Group.
The proposal includes a six-star hotel, high-end residential offerings, restaurants, bars, public spaces and cultural venues, while the potential for cruise ship port facilities was also flagged.
Council also hopes to activate Yarra St, north of Eastern Beach Rd, in a bid to create a welcoming public space that supports outdoor dining and community events.
“Flush pedestrian crossings will define a plaza-style setting that encourages people to linger, gather, and enjoy the waterfront,” the masterplan states.
“The area will be available for lease to support diverse uses, helping to maintain vibrancy throughout the year.”
The plan also promotes a cultural walk to showcase landmarks of the Wadawurrung people, something that would provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the area’s First Nations heritage.
This first stage of the project, co-designed and initiated by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, would establish key elements such as dedicated infrastructure to mark the starting point, wayfinding signage, seating, and interpretative features.
Public consultation on the plan concluded in October and involved online surveys and face-to-face meetings.
“Feedback confirmed strong overall support for the draft plan and was used to refine the actions and implementation strategy,” council said.
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Originally published as ‘Never be afraid to invest’: Councillor’s plea as Geelong waterfront transformation plan approved
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