Gordon TAFE $23.5m culinary school upgrade starts

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The next generation of food and hospitality professionals will soon train at a multi-million-dollar state-of-the-art facility at The Gordon TAFE in Geelong.

The school will feature cutting-edge food training kitchens, a bakery training facility, a barista academy and café, and an alfresco dining area.

The Gordon’s existing training facility, the Davidson Restaurant, will also undergo a renovation.

Four hundred jobs will be created during construction, 70 per cent of which have been allocated to workers from regional Victoria. Development of the facility will also provide experience for plumbing and electrical students.

The new facility will be available to students studying Commercial Cookery and Patisserie. The Gordon will also offer short courses, including barista training, to create a pipeline of skilled hospitality workers for the region.

The state government has invested $13.5 million towards the project with The Gordon investing $10 million.

Kane Constructions has been appointed as the builder of the project, which has been designed by Gray Puksand architects.

Works will be undertaken in stages to minimise disruption on campus and are expected to be completed in 2022.

Image - AFL Media

Vale Frank Costa AO (1938 – 2021)

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Frank Costa’s influence on the Geelong community, and especially on the Geelong Football Club, was gigantic.

Many acknowledge that the football club, and the stadium it calls home, would likely not exist today but for Frank’s vision, dedication and commitment.

Frank Costa was a leaders’ leader – a man who inspired and encouraged people, who built and who led his community by example.

It’s impossible to imagine a person who has contributed more to the Geelong community over many decades.  His positive influence on Geelong’s business, football and philanthropic communities was immense and will continue as his legacy.  He will be greatly missed.

The thoughts of the G21 Board, staff and members are with the Costa family.

 

Giulia Baggio, G21 CEO

 

G21 supports Victoria’s biggest community solar battery

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A new community bulk-buying solar initiative will help G21 residents and businesses take up solar panels and battery systems.

The Geelong+ Community Solar Program, the largest in Victoria, aims to fast-track renewable energy uptake in the G21 region, to help Victoria achieve its renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030.

It will also give homeowners and businesses access to clean, affordable energy from quality solar and battery systems.

Community not-for-profit group Sustainability Geelong, which is leading the initiative, has chosen RACV Solar and energy services provider Mondo to deliver the project.

Participants can make money when they install a battery through the program – even if they already have solar panels. The Geelong+ Virtual Power Plant will connect a participant’s battery to others in the community to form a larger “virtual battery” that delivers renewable energy to both the home and the grid.

The scheme will help stabilise electricity supply, support more renewable energy and reduce prices across the board. It is also a 100 per cent opt-in program, with no lock-in contract.

Local communities are also set to benefit. For each system installed through the program, one solar panel will be donated towards the installation of a solar system on a local community facility. Up to five not-for-profit organisations will be selected by Geelong Sustainability to receive a donated system in collaboration with local program partners.

The program will hold information sessions around the region, click here for upcoming dates.

You can find out more about the program here: geelongcommunitysolar.com.au

Deakin to lead on water science research

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A trio of projects worth $22.1 million and funded in part by the state government will position Deakin University at the forefront of water and aquaculture research and push the boundaries of water sustainability in Australia.

Victoria’s Minister for Higher Education Gayle Tierney today (23 April 2021) visited the Marine Science Centre at Queenscliff to launch the projects as part of the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund (VHESIF).

They include both capital works and applied research:

  • A new $9.8 million state-of-the-art AquaFI Hub innovation centre to explore animal nutrition and the environment to support the expansion of fish and seafood farming, run in part by AI technology.
  • A $7.8 million water management upgrade at the Waurn Ponds campus, including upgraded stormwater and recycled water infrastructure, for applied research and to demonstrate sustainable practices in management in collaboration with Traditional Owners.
  • A $4.5 million redevelopment of the Marine Science Centre at Queenscliff to establish it as the centre of excellence for temperate water marine science research and education in southern Australia. Works include new laboratories, teaching facilities and a high-speed optic fibre internet network for the community.

Deakin University, the Victorian Government through its VHESIF, and project partners AARNet (Australia’s Academic and Research Network), City of Greater Geelong and Barwon Water, will support the projects.

The projects will provide opportunities for staff and students, in collaboration with Traditional Owners. It will also boost enrolments and create scholarship opportunities, 50 per cent of which will be offered to women.

Melbourne-based Root Partnerships will oversee construction, which will begin this year and finish mid-2022.

The state government contributed $6 million to the projects in a joint effort with Deakin University. It is one of many pitches from universities to the Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund, which was developed in response to the significant impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sector.

The unprecedented $350 million VHESIF is supporting universities with capital works, research infrastructure projects and applied research focused on boosting Victoria’s productivity and economy as the state recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: A state government media release

Rolling out Geelong’s Green Spines

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Geelong’s Green Spine is progressing, with construction on the northern side of Malop Street (Block 1) underway and a tender released for design and public engagement on later sections.

The section between Gheringhap and Moorabool streets will provide entry to Malop Street from Johnstone Park and the train station precinct, and includes a landscaped triangle park, heritage features from the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, tree and grass plantings and seating.

The vision is to transform Malop Street into a vibrant and linear park, delivering more trees and green spaces into the heart of the city.

An ‘all-abilities’ standard will be applied to improve pedestrian movement along Malop Street, including connections to and from the new WorkSafe and NDIS buildings.

The single-lane bike path on the north of Malop Street will also continue through this block, which will feature a mix of indigenous and deciduous tree plantings.

Detailed planning work on the rest of the Green Spine, connecting green spaces and bike lanes are also underway and the community will be engaged in late 2021 to provide feedback on the look and feel of the sections from Yarra Street through to Eastern Park.

Works on Block 3 are expected to begin early 2022. Two tenders have been released for community engagement and design between Yarra St and Bellarine Street.

These works will continue to transform Malop Street, creating additional cycling and pedestrian connections, green areas – including a botanical walk – and alfresco dining options.

The Green Spine project is funded through the $382 million Geelong City Deal – a 10-year partnership between the Australian and Victorian governments and the City of Greater Geelong. It is a key project in the 10-year Revitalising Central Geelong Action Plan, implementation of which is a G21 Priority Project.

Once complete, it will connect Johnstone Park to Eastern Park and the Botanical Gardens via six blocks along Malop Street. This will add nearly a hectare of new green space to the CBD, enhancing business and tourism activity in the central city.

The first section of the Green Spine (Block 2) between Moorabool and Yarra streets was completed in July 2018.

For more on what’s happening in central Geelong, go to www.revitalisingcentralgeelong.vic.gov.au

Geelong region leaders call for port transformation to welcome Spirit of Tas

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G21 and six other Geelong region organisations are collectively advocating for government funding to transform Corio Quay Road and the surrounding area into a safe and welcoming gateway to the region for tourists arriving on the Spirit of Tasmania.

Scheduled to begin service in 2022, the Spirit of Tassie will give a much-needed boost to our visitor economy and is expected to play a significant role in helping our hospitality, accommodation and events businesses get back on their feet.

GeelongPort is investing $135 million to beautify the area and will soon begin construction of a 12-hectare terminal with family-friendly and freight facilities.

To accommodate the mix of tourists, locals and freight vehicles, an upgrade to the surrounding road infrastructure to manage traffic flow is also an urgent priority.

With the backing of G21 and local organisations, the Port is calling on the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments to contribute $15 million to upgrade access roads and install traffic lights to create a safe, efficient passage to and from the terminal for all users.

This would be an important co-investment by our governments in regional jobs, tourism and industry.

The Spirit of Tasmania has the potential to bring an increasing number of visitors to Geelong and deliver an additional $57.3 million in tourism spending to the region by 2029-30 ($174.1 million for Victoria overall.)

It will also provide a significant boost to Victoria’s freight industry, with increased import/export capacity benefitting our region’s agricultural and food industries in particular.

In consultation with GeelongPort, the local community has expressed extremely strong support for a makeover of the port precinct and great positivity towards the Spirit of Tassie making its new home in Geelong.

Ports Victoria Geelong HQ

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G21 welcomes the state government announcement that the new Ports Victoria body is to be headquartered in Geelong.

The new body will begin operating from Geelong on 1 July and will bring together the Victorian Regional Channels Authority and Victorian Ports Corporation (Melbourne) to lead the strategic management and operation of Victoria’s commercial ports and waterways.

G21 CEO Giulia Baggio said the new body’s headquarters being based in Geelong was welcome news, but cautioned against any loss of autonomy for GeelongPort from the creation of Ports Victoria.

“Geelong is an obvious site for Ports Victoria, given our central geographic location, being home to the state’s second-largest port and the region’s attractive lifestyle,” Ms Baggio said.

“The employment and economic benefits of having Ports Victoria in Geelong are important. Geelong has proven its credentials with TAC, WorkSafe and NDIA as an excellent place for government agencies to locate their headquarters.”

While Ms Baggio welcomed Ports Victoria coming to Geelong she cautioned against the Port of Geelong, and its commercial operator GeelongPort, losing any autonomy under the new structure.

“We are fortunate to have one of the most progressive and innovative port operators in GeelongPort. It’s important that this new structure does not impinge on or limit GeelongPort’s operational strengths,” Ms Baggio said.

“Ports Victoria has arisen from an independent review of the state’s ports. The review will inform a new Victorian Port Strategy, currently under development. We will be watching the outcome of that strategy development process very closely to ensure the operations of GeelongPort are not adversely impacted.”

The state government says the creation of Ports Victoria is a key finding from the Independent Review of the Victorian Ports System, a comprehensive review set to cut red tape, boost safety, and improve the way this vital industry operates.

The government says the Department of Transport will use the broad industry analysis to suggest “changes to increase efficiency and simplify operations” for all stakeholders.

Other changes have been recommended to ensure there is a consistent process for issues like navigational safety, pilotage, and towage and to improve safety for operators and regulators, a state government statement said.

The full response from the government to the review will be released later this year.

For a summary of the independent review’s findings visit transport.vic.gov.au

Former G21 CEO receives leadership award

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The Committee for Geelong has announced former G21 CEO Elaine Carbines AM as the recipient of the Committee for Geelong Leadership Award for 2020.

This Annual Leadership Award, decided by the Committee for Geelong’s Board, independently recognises and celebrates leadership in the Geelong community.

Committee for Geelong chair Clive Pugh said Ms Carbines had been an outstanding contributor to the Geelong region.

“Listening is one of Elaine’s hallmark leadership traits to balance an argument in addition to her openness and honesty in communication with others,” Mr Pugh said.

“Her collaborative style of leadership has yielded much success for the causes that Elaine has supported in her most recent role as the CEO of G21 Geelong Region Alliance and in her previous roles as parliamentary representative and educator.”

“Politics has never been the motivation for Elaine, it was always doing the best for the people of Geelong.”

Elaine will receive the award at the upcoming Leaders for Geelong Graduation and Annual Leadership Award Night to be held at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday 18 March, where she will speak about her leadership journey.

G21 and the Committee for Geelong collaborate on many initiatives that promote and advance Geelong and the wider G21 region.

Donate your old computers to local families in need

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The Lions Club of Corio Norlane is changing lives by collecting old computers and donating them to those in need.

Many families don’t have access to computers, which limits the information they can access and can cause young people to fall behind in their schooling.

You can help by donating any old computer systems, laptops, netbooks, macs or monitors. All equipment needs to be under eight years old and in working condition. Call Richard on 0402 409 895 to arrange collection.

If your business or organisation is renewing their IT equipment, you can ask the Lions Club to take your old equipment.
Click HERE for more information.

Mapping The Health Of Victorians Through The Decades

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Victorian researchers are embarking on one of the largest health studies in the world, tracking a whole generation of Victorians to paint a complete picture of their health and wellbeing, and to help provide answers to complex health issues like asthma, food allergies, obesity, autism and mental illness.

Over the next two years around 150,000 children born in Victoria and their parents will have the opportunity to take part in the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute’s Generation Victoria (GenV) project – officially launched today.

Starting at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s at Sunshine Hospital, the project will roll out to all Victorian birthing hospitals throughout 2021, providing families with a baby born between 2021 and 2023 with the opportunity to join the long-term study, no matter where they live.

The opt-in project will explore critical links between environment, genetics, physical characteristics and development milestones later in life. All information obtained in the study will be de-identified and the highest privacy provisions will be enforced.

The first project of its kind in Australia, GenV will give Victoria’s research community access to a more complete picture of the health and wellbeing of a generation, providing the insight and information needed to make breakthroughs in some of the most complex health problems faced by families.

As part of the GenV project, one of the world’s largest biobanking facilities was recently built at the Royal Children’s Hospital to store and protect biosamples.

This state-of-the-art facility will provide researchers in fields like allergy studies, nutrition, mental health and immunity with the tools they need to analyse trends and make therapeutic discoveries for years to come.

GenV is a joint initiative between the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne, and is proudly supported by the Victorian Government, the Paul Ramsay Foundation and the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Source: Mapping The Health Of Victorians Through The Decades | Premier of Victoria