Rally against $70m resort
Residents fight Apollo Bay development
HUNDREDS of Apollo Bay residents are planning to publicly rally against plans for a $70 million luxury resort in the town’s hinterlands.
A development application from Oceans United Investments Group is seeking to build a hotel featuring 180 rooms, 82 villas, retail outlets and a 25-metre indoor swimming pool.
The proposal would be sited on Barham River Rd, 3.6km southwest of the township, on land owned by former mayor Frank Buchanan and his wife Beryl.
It has already received more than 164 objections, while just 10 submissions have been in favour.
In November, Colac Otway Shire requested Planning Minister Richard Wynne to decide on the application.
A response to that request is expected in the coming days.
In the meantime, opponents to the plan have set up a shopfront on Moore St and have called a community meeting in the town on Friday.
Local businessman Warrick Ballinger said more than 1000 people had joined a group, Ob- jectors Inc, signalling their opposition to the proposal.
“An overwhelming number of locals are opposed to this development because of its sheer scale,” he said. “It will change the character of Apollo Bay and destroy the Barham Valley Paradise Nature area.
“The insular, self-contained design of the proposal will also provide no net benefit to the community, yet draw from the town’s infrastructure such as water supply, sewage treatment plant, roads and waste disposal.”
If it is approved, the project is expected to generate 250 jobs during construction and 175 ongoing jobs once the resort is operational.
The applicants have also flagged an opportunity to fur- ther develop the site in the future, including adding an extra 140 villas.
Labor candidate for Corangamite Libby Coker has joined the campaign against the proposal and will be at Friday’s meeting.
She said the plan was “way too massive” for the small coastal village, and feared it could set a precedent for similar developments along the Great Ocean Road.
“I am all for low-scale accommodation that encourages visitors to stay, enjoy our coast and grow the local economy, but this development will be a massive eyesore on the landscape,” Ms Coker said.
“We do not want to be another Gold Coast. We must protect our region’s point of difference — our natural beauty, magnificent coast and hinterland.”
The long-time Surf Coast Shire councillor also questioned the need for a new retail precinct just a few kilometres from Apollo Bay’s main shopping area.
The community meeting is on at the Apollo Bay Youth Centre between 4pm and 6pm on Friday. Colac Otway Shire officers will be in attendance to answer questions.