Jobs at booming Avalon Airport business precinct to double within three years
While its airport gets the most attention, Avalon’s business precinct is being touted as a key employment hub that has the potential for significant growth.
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It is a small A-frame sign advertising sandwiches and coffee, rather than glittering new warehouses over the road, that for deputy prime minister Richard Marles signifies the coming of age of the region’s newest employment hub.
Speaking at last week’s launch of Australia Post’s $75m parcel facility within Avalon Airport’s business precinct, Mr Marles, whose Corio electorate takes in the site, called it an “exciting moment in the economic history of Geelong”.
“This is as good as piece of transport and logistics land as there exists anywhere in the country,” he said.
“For a long time we’ve been imagining about how it might be transformed and now we’re seeing it.
“The presence of a permanent food outlet in this space speaks to the number of people who are coming here each and every day to work.”
Sitting in the front row was billionaire Lindsay Fox, whose company Linfox purchased the airport and accompanying land from the federal government in 1997.
Fast forward to today, more than 2000 people are employed within the precinct, with predictions that number could more than double within three years.
Alongside Australia Post, Cotton On and Petstock have established distribution centres at the site, and the airport’s executive chair David Fox said he was in discussions with up to four other major retailers.
“We have opportunities in excess of $1.5bn of construction positions sitting in front of us right now,” he said.
“Fundamentally, this could generate well in excess of another 3000 to 5000 jobs in the next three years.
“Our objective is to turn this into the greatest intermodal hub within Australia, within the southern hemisphere.”
South Korean defence company Hanwha is building a $170m, 3.2ha “armoured vehicle centre of excellence” within the precinct.
It will include multiple assembly lines, a 1500m test track and deepwater test facility, and a research and development centre.
In July, Hanwha was awarded the multibillion-dollar contract to deliver 129 infantry fighting vehicles to the Australian Army, which is expected to result in a significant expansion of its footprint at Avalon.
“The whole region will benefit from the high value jobs growth created by this opportunity,” Geelong Manufacturing Council chief executive Jennifer Conley said.
“This contract will enhance our manufacturers’ opportunities to enter global markets.”
The first vehicles delivered under the contract are expected in early 2027.
Australia Post’s 160 employees at its new 14,000sq metre facility will initially process 40,000 parcels a day, with room for significant growth in terms of workers and capacity.
Cotton On recently signed a new two-year agreement with Australia Post to deliver online orders to its customers nationally.
Airport chief executive Tony Brun said the growing workforce at Avalon was further evidence of the need for a train station that would service the precinct.
“The train would enable significant growth to aviation and also support workers within Avalon,” he said.
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