Drysdale By Pass Community Consultation starts mid April

The Geelong Advertiser reports today that"

"VicRoads is hosting open sessions where residents can see the latest options for the bypass, and provide input into issues such as intersections and improvements to High St....

Community consultation sessions will be held in:

— Drysdale on April 15 between 3pm and 7pm at the Springdale Neighbourhood Centre.

— Portarlington on April 22 between 3.30pm and 7pm at the Portarlington Neighbourhood

House."

Coles Supermarket in Drysdale gets the go ahead but what about the traffic?

The Geelong Council on 10 February 2015 passed the an Amendment C297 which rezoned the vacant land at 32 Murradoc Road, Drysdale, from the Commercial 2 Zone to the Commercial 1 Zone.

This Amendment was also combined with a planning permit to construct a full-line Coles supermarket at 24-26, 28-30 and 32 Murradoc Road, Drysdale.

The Council received 20 submissions, 16 in support or not objecting and 4 opposing the Amendment. The contentious issue was whether there was sufficient economic and policy justification for another supermarket in Drysdale at this time and consequential impacts to local traders and the Jetty Road developers.

Council referred the submissions to an Independent Planning Panel appointed by the Minister for Planning. The Panel Hearing was held in November 2014. The Panel concluded that the proposal was strongly supported by State and Local Planning Policy, was strategically justified and warranted, and would strengthen the role and function of the Drysdale Town Centre. The Panel was satisfied that the existing road network would adequately cope with the traffic generated by the new supermarket.

The minutes of the meeting are on the City of Greater Geelong Website.

From my perspective, the old house is gone and the site has been cleared - that is a good thing.  The trees apparently will be kept - also good.  However, it remains to be seen whether Murradoc Road can cope with an increase in the number of cars accessing the new supermarket. Its bad enough now on Wednesday and Saturday mornings when Aldi has their specials days.  The combination of the roundabout, and traffic lights and schools drop off and pick up times creates a huge traffic jam both in the morning and afternoon.

I have also noticed an increase in cars accessing Clarendon Road generating more corrugations and dust - many people are now using this as a way to bypass the town centre.  This will only get worse until the bypass is built and that wont be tomorrow.

So Coles - great for competition between Aldi and Woolworths but we no longer have a green grocer. It will be interesting to see how the existing retail outlets perform once Coles becomes operational.

Vicroads is currently working on the Drysdale Bypass Network Planning Study

"In November 2014, the Victorian Government committed $109 million to construct the Drysdale Bypass. This includes $106 million for the bypass and $3 million for an upgrade of High Street in Drysdale.

VicRoads is currently working on a Drysdale Road Network Planning Study and is developing a business case to fix traffic issues in Drysdale. The Study will focus on how the bypass can improve traffic flow through and around Drysdale, reduce congestion and the number of commercial vehicle trips through the town centre. It will also model future traffic patterns and through Drysdale, analyse crash statistics including those involving pedestrians and cyclists.

The design of the Drysdale Bypass will be squarely focused on safety, and will be constructed to provide the safest road environment which will reduce the risk of crashes and serious injuries…”

More information is available from: https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/planning-and-projects/regional-road-projects/drysdale-bypass

Three video clips from the breakfast briefing held at the Springdale Neighbourhood Centre are available for viewing below:

Where to vote in Drysdale / Clifton Springs for the State Election on Saturday 29 November

There will be three polling booths in the Drysdale Clifton Springs area on Saturday 29 November for the 2014 State election.

• Drysdale Uniting Church Hall, Palmerston Street, Drysdale (Full wheelchair access)
• Beacon Point Kindergarten, 49-55 Centaurus Avenue, Clifton Springs (No Wheelchair Access)
• Clifton Springs Primary School, 84 Jetty Road, Clifton Springs (Full wheelchair access) 

Polling booths are open 8am - 6pm, 29 November.

Early voting centre for the Bellarine - Bellarine State EO - EVC, Shop 2 509 Bellarine Highway Moolap 3221 (Full wheelchair access)

• 9am to 2pm Saturday 22 November
• 8.30am to 8pm Thursday 27 November

Source: http://votingcentrelookup.vec.vic.gov.au/

Open Garden in Drysdale this weekend – Lark Edge

On behalf of Open Gardens Australia, Lark Edge will be open to the public this Saturday November 22 and Sunday November 23, from 10.00 am – 4.30 pm.

Lark Edge is located at 2065 Portarlington Road, Drysdale.

Developed over some 25 years, Lark Edge is a mature country garden on the north face of the Bellarine Peninsula, part of a smallholding which includes a domestic scale vineyard, orchard and grazing paddocks for alpacas.  

It started as a project to plant trees and hardy shrubs to clothe what had been a potato farm.  One half of the 4.5 ha property is fairly level, the other falls away toward Corio Bay with views to the You Yangs.   

Within a framework of woodland areas - pines, casuarinas, eucalypts, acacias and other species - are flower and vegetable gardens, a vineyard, Mediterranean terraces, alpaca fields, shrubberies, collections of pot plants and open spaces of lawns and grasses.  

The varied plantings are linked in a series of winding pathways through both shady and sunny areas. 

Open Saturday and Sunday - 10am - 4.30pm

Address - 2065 Portarlington Road, Drysdale.

Devonshire teas (St James Drysdale catering team)

Plant stall  (Friends of the Geelong Botanic Gardens)

Entry fee $8  - All proceeds to charity

Off-road car-parking is available, no coaches.  

Enquiries: (03) 5253 3340

More details are on the Open Gardens Australia website: http://www.opengarden.org.au/regions/vic_calendar.html

Drysdale Leopold Horse Show and Showjumping - Sunday 14 Dec 2014

Drysdale Leopold Pony Club is holding its annual horse and pony show on Sunday 14 December.

There will be events for:

• Junior and Senior Pony Club
• Open Rings
• Topsy ring-Lunchtime Fancy Dress
• Freshmans and 
• Open AM7 Showjumping

Pre-entry is available, or you can enter on the day.

*Insurance: All open competitors must report to Secretary’s Office to present/sign day attendance form before riding.

Admission: $5.00 per car, PLUS $4.00 FOLLR fee per horse.

$3.50 per event rings 1-3 and there will be no refunds.

Gates will open at 7:00am

Rings will commence from 9:00am, with Freshmans show jumping starting at 8:30am.

Canteen will be available

You can return your ribbons in exchange for raffle tickets on the day.

Ribbons will be awarded to 4th place, with Champion and Reserve sashes also.

** RUGS AND GARLANDS will be awarded for PONY CLUB HIGH POINTS **

** RUGS DONATED BY HORSELAND GEELONG!! **

*Supreme Led *Supreme Ridden *Supreme Rider *Supreme Ridden Show Hunter

*Junior & Senior Pony Club High Point Awards* Topsy Trouper Trophy*

*Ribbons for Freshman’s SJ clear rounds*

**Prize money for AM7 Showjumping**

Location: Lake Lorne Reserve, Reserve Road, Drysdale

Melways ref. 470 G1

www.drysdaleleopold.ponyclubvic.org.au for the full program.

Enquiries: Sam Krause: 0410 870075

Winged Horse Equine Welfare Open Day and Horse Gear Market this Saturday

This Saturday 15 November, Winged Horse Equine Welfare is hosting an open day and horse gear market.  There will be new and used items, food stalls and a jumping castle for the kids (big and small).

There will be 100+ rugs for sale from 3'6 to 6'9 including cottons, synthetic rugs, canvas rugs plus neck rugs and many 6'6 good quality axiom synthetic and a few stable rugs and mesh rugs.

The day will run from 9.30 - 3pm and a gold coin donation is required for entry which will go towards running this charity.

The address is 215 Queenscliff Road, Portarlington. (Enter the property from Church Street).

You can visit the Winged Horse Equine Welfare on Facebook or on the web at: http://www.thewingedhorse.org/

Geelong Council proposes new boundary between Drysdale and Clifton Springs

There is a new retirement village being constructed, known as Bellarine Springs.  The current boundary alignment for Drysdale / Clifton Springs will run through the centre of this retirement village which will split the development into two separate localities.

Geelong Council is proposing to realign the boundary further north to run along the back fence line of properties located on Amarina Road, Clifton Springs.

The Council is consulting on this proposal from 7 November until 13 December 2014.

Below is a map showing the proposed changes:

More information is available from: the City of Greater Geelong.

Drysdale ByPass could be built if the Victorian Coalition Government gets back in

The Geelong Advertiser reports today that

"THE long-awaited Drysdale bypass will be built if the Coalition is returned to government next month.

Premier Denis Napthine will today make an official $106 million election commitment to build the road in the hotly contested seat of Bellarine.

Plans seen by the Geelong Advertiser show the two-lane road will stretch for 5.9km from the major roundabout on the southwest entry to the town and rejoin Portarlington Rd to the town’s north near Whitcombes Rd..."

Read more at: http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/liberals-promise-to-build-drysdale-bypass-if-they-win-election/story-fnjuhovy-1227092900904

The road will be started in 2016 and completed in 2019.

Drysdale Bypass Business Case Funded in today's State Budget

The Victorian Treasurer's budget speech today has announced:

"$3.6 million has also been allocated in 2014-15 for planning, project development and the
preparation of business cases for the Drysdale bypass, Westall Road extension, Edgars
Road extension in Epping and a northern extension of the Mornington Peninsula Freeway
to bypass Mordialloc..." page 7. http://www.dtf.vic.gov.au/State-Budget/2014-15-State-Budget/Treasurers-Speech