Influx of new vitality
THE data backs up what we’ve known anecdotally for some time now — Melbourne people are moving to Geelong in their thousands.
Australian Bureau of Statistics data has revealed that close to 7000 people relocated from Melbourne to the Geelong region in the past financial year, the third most popular regional destination across the country.
That means thousands of new residents in our schools, on our roads and in our shopping centres all adding their diverse backgrounds and experiences to our region’s rich cultural fabric.
The official numbers back up the feeling of excitement and opportunity that has permeated through the region recently as more and more new industry discovers the benefits of choosing Geelong as its base.
And when your region is in the midst of exciting growth and evolution, the enthusiasm is infectious. Which can make it the perfect time to secure a big contract that will maximise on all that potential.
The $20 million Qantas pilot training academy is one such project. Qantas has declared that it wants to establish its new pilot academy in a regional centre and has invited state governments to submit proposals on suitable sites.
It is no great stretch to see the suitability of Avalon for the project. Airport chief Justin Giddings has spoken of the lucrative flow-on effects of housing up to 500 students — many of them coming from interstate and overseas — and has pledged to work with the government on a submission.
The airport is in the midst of its own exciting transformation, with international flights through airline AirAsia X about to begin and Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison in town on Saturday to turn the first sod on an international terminal.
The region is still smarting from the Federal Government’s decision to award the $5 billion Land 400 contract to Rheinmetall’s Queensland operation. Securing this new pilot training academy might not be as big as the Land 400 deal, but it would bolster the exciting evolution of a growing region and its airport precinct.