Family fights $1m sale of grandfather’s donated land

The family of a former council president who donated a piece of land in Drysdale to the Bellarine Council are outraged by a City of Greater Geelong proposal to sell it

Iven Affleck, Matthew Webster, Diane Webster and Pauline Affleck are among local residents are opposing a council proposal to sell off donated land in Drysdale. Picture: Alan Barber

The family of a former Bellarine Council president is fighting a proposal to sell land their grandfather donated to the community decades ago.

Cousins Kaye Dobbie and Joy Anstis were shocked to receive a letter from the City of Greater Geelong, asking for feedback on a proposal to sell 21 – 25 Oakden Rd, Drysdale.

The land, which was used informally as a carpark by the Drysdale Cemetery, was donated by Ms Dobbie and Ms Anstis’ late grandfather, Harold Bennett.

Harold Bennett, a former Bellarine Councillor, donated land in Drysdale to council which is proposed for sale. Picture: Supplied

Bennett was first elected to council for Bellarine Riding in 1957 – a division of now abolished Rural City of Bellarine – and donated the land as a gesture of his commitment and passion for the community.

“This land was donated by my grandfather, Harold Bennett, and was previously owned by him. It was never meant to be sold or built on, it was meant to supply carparking for the Drysdale Cemetery,” Ms Dobbie said.

Harold Bennett’s family are fighting a proposal to sell land their grandfather donated to the community decades ago. Picture: Supplied

“He donated the land on a handshake because he had been a member of the Bellarine Council at the time (President at one point) and trusted them to keep their word.”

The cousins revealed that the City of Greater Geelong had sought community consultation to sell the land approximately 20 years ago, but after extensive campaigning by their aunt Norma Bennett – Harold’s late wife – council decided to keep it.

Local residents are opposing a council proposal to sell off donated land. Picture: Alan Barber

“Unfortunately they keep bringing up this proposal,” Ms Dobbie said.

“Last time my aunt was alive, and ran a campaign to prevent the sale.

“Now there aren’t so many of the older generation still alive.”

Many Drysdale residents have also voiced their concerns about the sale of the public open space in written submissions to council.

Council had included revenue of $1m from the sale of the Oakden Rd property in Drysdale in its 2025/26 draft budget.

A further five addresses have also been earmarked for sales by the council. These include 5A Dean St in Belmont and 2-14 Rollins Rd in Bell Post Hill, both of which were identified by council more than three years ago as suitable for social housing.

At the time, Mayor Stretch Kontelj said in many cases, the land identified for sale was under-utilised or vacant, and continued council ownership incurred costs to ratepayers without delivering community benefit.

“We want to ensure the community has a voice in how council-managed land is used or repurposed,” he said.

“By reviewing under-utilised sites, we can better focus resources on maintaining and improving the spaces that are actively used and valued by the community.”

Although Ms Dobbie and Ms Anstis acknowledged that land may no longer be needed as carparking for the cemetery, they feel given it should remain accessible to the public, which were their late grandfather’s wishes.

“Couldn’t the Oakden Road block be used for other purposes? Dog walking or a children’s play area, or even a memorial park,” Ms Dobbie said.

Consultation closes at 5:00pm Sunday July 20 and if council proceeds, any sale would be offered through a public process.

The City of Greater Geelong would not provide comment while the proposal was open for consultation, but encouraged the public to provide their views via the ‘yoursay’ website.

Originally published as Family fights $1m sale of grandfather’s donated land